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matilda Jan 3, 2007

http://www.rainbowsilks.co.uk/Category.cfm?CatId=103

Check this link out. has anyone seen needle felting done with a brush before?

Wendy

Swan Valley Bears Jan 3, 2007

They have that brush at our local craft store but it's $18.  It looks interesting, but I don't want to pay that much for it.  I wonder if you could use another type of brush, like a stippling brush.  That might cost as much though.

tinybear Jan 3, 2007

what  a cool idea 
I must have a go ...I was thinking of using a dense bristle nail brush ..that would be great for tinys ..I have a nice wooden one  somewhere
I mean its just for resting your work on ...whilst you get started (I rarely use the pad once the figure has formed ) ...got to have a go

I made a Venus of Willendorf New Years Day to get me back into the swing of things ..great fun I have wanted to make her for ages ...couldnt find my work pad ...so used a face-sponge to start on ..the brush would have been a great idea ...rushes off to see if she has one

MerBear Jan 3, 2007

I do have that Clover tool h/e not the brush. I think the brush would be for using when you're felting on material. We need Bobbie to answer this one...yoohoo!

Marion

makafelts Jan 3, 2007

I think you are right Marion. I have done some searching & this is one statement about the brush that I found.
"The brush-like mat enables smooth punching with little resistance, and allows the fibers of the applique to mesh well with the base fabric"

Hugs &

tinybear Jan 3, 2007

oh dear I love gizmos ...the site is wonderful

I have been teaching Felting at my local Collage so I figured I would order it and put through on expenses
I can get some of my students to try it out too

if it works better than my work pad I will let you know 

rkr4cds Jan 4, 2007

I'm here!  Heard the YooHoo way up here in warm-ish Chitown. Well, down and over from you Marion!

Hi Carrie - good to see you posting when you get the chance!

Clover markets this 'mat'. It's for use with their Needle Felting tool that holds up to 5 needles. While this tool is the first multi-needle tool that I've gotten & actually use - and recommend - for my particular style of NFing, I can't say the same for the mat. It is in essence the same as a vegetable brush, the type you'd clean the surface of potatoes and carrots with. It has soft plastic bristles and comes in 2 sizes, both rather small. Unless one is used to working on a foam mat about 5" or less across. 

While it would be easier on the side of your needling hand than working on any other style of hardware store or cosmetics counter brush, given the softer bristles, it's too light to actually stay in any one place while you're needling. That can be overcome with further modifications, but a covered (upholstery) foam still is simpler and less expensive.

The Clover company is making the assumption that you are needling 2-D work - an small applique of wool fabric onto wool background. In other words, smaller, flat work. It's do-able but a little awkward to work 3-D sculpturing on it, and if your progect is larger than a few inches, it's useless. 

My opinions only, folks! I'm more than glad to weigh in on useful tools, but this one is for a smaller niche market within this whole realm. Feel free to purchase one - you'll still end up with a good veg scrubber.

tinybear Jan 4, 2007

Hi Bobby , thanks for the info ...I think it could be what Im after 
great to see you , its been a long time ,Im trying to keep my hand in on the board  , although Ive never stopped felting
its been all work no play for the past couple of years ...its amazing what you can overlook ...like Clover LOL

more tools and gadgets to play with 

matilda Jan 4, 2007

Thanks Bobbie.   I thought it might be useful for my prefelting. But alas no.

OK heres a question... What is the difference  between one of the multi needle holders and just holding a heap of needles in the hand?

Wendy

rkr4cds Jan 5, 2007

"What is the difference  between one of the multi needle holders and just holding a heap of needles in the hand?"

Well, besides the obvious of your fingers and hand cramping, the needles going out of alignment as they strike the fiber at moving/varying angles and dropping some of them...

But seriously, these - as you know - are seriously 'dangerous' tools if not used with constant attention.
Having them in secure, utmost control at all times is essential. I've seen everything from the 2 - 10 needle metal/wood combinations (they hold the needles too far apart - in my opinion - when working details or minis) to the homemade of taping several around a straw or a popsicle/lolly stick. Those are not bad if you keep checking that none have slipped out of position.

Their beauty is that they are next to each other and won't strike the planes of your work at different angles and chance breaking some or NFing portions that you hadn't intended to work quite that way.

Yesterday I didn't give the reason behind my liking this new Clover multi-needle tool. I'd still like the needles slightly closer together and I wish that they'd extended the shield about half an inch to accomodate the 3.5" long needles. But you know that my Patch method uses only pre-felted patches applied to build up my work and anything that speeds up that process is good in my eyes.

So, while I like the tool (I use it only for the beginning of each patch - on the covered foam), the mat is a waste of money - too small, too light and not useful for 3-D sculpturing.

fredbear Jan 5, 2007

here are some pictures

and the Clover tool

I am importing these into SA,to give a variety of needlefelting tools available for needle felters.
In the book, they also refer to a needle felting Machine, (Babylock, Brother, and Bernina) offer equipment for machine needle felting . The Babylock embellisher Machine looks like a unit on its own, and I am not sure if the other brands have a special fitting or if they make a special machine, I must investigate.
You would use this for neeedle felting projects onto clothing /wearable items. Applique, quilting.

I am still reading thru the book, its mainly as I have said for projects around the house and fashion, but still interesting to see what can be achieved with this craft.

lynette.

rkr4cds Jan 5, 2007

Thx for posting the pix Lynnette, it reminded me to mention the tool's spring-loaded, locking shield or guard around the needles.

I like that feature especially because I can lay needles down (the locking tab keeps the tool from rolling) and quickly pick them up w/o having to take that split second to glance at the foam's end to re-insert them deeply into the foam and look again to see which one I'm choosing.

Yep, right, too impatient, but anything that cuts this longer process down is A Good Thing, as our own Martha S says.

matilda Jan 6, 2007

MMMMMmmmm  I have 4 needles I have taken to holding together and felting my block of fibre. I like to prefelt and then cut to shape and then build up from there.  This way works for me. But then , I have been worried about the way I hold my needles. I know that there is a good chance of breaking them if I hit the fibre at the wrong angle. Working Multi needles at a time cuts my felting down by about 16 to 24 hours.  True. It surprised me as well. I have some Makin clay on its way so I will try to fashion a holder where the needles will be placed closer together.  It it doesnt work for me I think I'll give this multi needle holder ago. Since it comes highly recommended.

rkr4cds Jan 6, 2007

You just hold all 4 needles together, Wendy? Or do you tape them together?

As long as they're no farther apart than half a cm or 1/4" they seem to work as a unit in pre-felting. But I don't use this for applying the wool to the sculpture. It sounds as if we work in a similar fashion, except my first 'block of fibre' has the basic shape and size of my finished piece; more like a thick skeleton of bones. I don't cut the pieces -  I layer them on where needed, as they all have loose edges that smoothly needle over previous Patches©.

Any cutting I do is to shorten a piece (if you can imagine removing a few vertebrae or inches out of limb's length) or to add a little more length into part of a sculpture. I use a knife or razor blade and slice the whole piece apart, adding or subtracting at this cut-apart spot as needed.

My only thought about imbedding several needles together in a non-removable substance like polymer clays is - what happens if/when one breaks? You could break it off completely up to the shaft transition point but working so closely to others may crack or weaken your hardened clay.  Just rambling in my what-if thoughts here....

fredbear Jan 7, 2007

Wendy you do get the holders that take more than one needle, that the needles can be screwd into, I have some that take 4 and 6 needles, then if one breaks, they can be easily replaced. I know that various places do sell them.
Lynette

matilda Jan 7, 2007

'What if thoughts' are food for  thinkers . They are how we arrive at our final destinations.
They throw themselves at us as we pass by and make us stop and ponder. MMmmm now I'm wondering if 'what if thoughts' are good or bad? I think I have talked my meagre brain into a corner. I'm now feeling rather  :doh: 
Yep Bobbie I hold them all together with out tape. Because I use them singularly as well.  I prefelt a block of fibre first. I shape this roughly. I do prefere to pulll fibre away instead of cutting. But sometimes that is'nt possible.
I never use more that one needle on the actual sculpture form only in the prep work on the foam block.
   Lynette I dont like the  wooden multi handles I have.  I do have a handle on one needle and sometimes I use this first on my block before I move onto the multiple needles.
I much prefer to hold the needles between my fingers as though I'm holding a pen.
Wendy

fredbear Jan 7, 2007

stubborn Wendy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! just teasing you. Now think up of a tool that can be called the Wendy Felting wizard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!that will make you a fortune.

   
Lynette

rkr4cds Jan 7, 2007

I don't want it to sound as if I'm denigrating a product that has nothing inherently wrong with it , nor have it appear that it's in rebuttal or an affront to your product line! Nothing further from the truth!! It's an excellent design for what it is - a soft-yet-firm, flat surface to work 2- on. I just wish they'd put out an even larger one, at least  8" x  8"!

In 2 dimensional, flat needle felting, the idea is to GET the fibers to 'beard' through the fabric or backing. That's what locks the design in place. It's possible to get the back looking almost the same as the front, depending on the time spent needling and the amount of wool added. The more beards that migrate through the fabric background, the less the design is likey to lift off the backing (eliminating the need to hand-sew the edges down.)
It's the opposite in sculptural needle felting: we need all of the fibers to be turned back into the piece, which is why we keep turning and turning the work around.

My ole cramped fingers took up needling when hand-sewin of miniatures becme too hard on the joints. Holding pen-style seemed to be all wrist action (for best control of where the needle entered as well as having a shorter arc and more like;ly to break the tip off in late stages of rock hard wool and a 40 or 42 needle - for me.) I did better with this hold, laying very loosely in against my middle finger, index finger draped across the top and thumb lightly holding it all together. If any spot starts to show an indent from the needle, it tells me to lighten up and that I probably need a (time) break!
Totally forgotten how to upload pix (multiple) from my desktop so here goes with 3 posts.

Save & Edit is not working... or my brain isn't...

rkr4cds Jan 7, 2007

Oh there #1 is, up at the top. It didn't like that I wanted it at the bottom.

That's my soft hold on the needle.

#2  I place the end of my index finger just above the top barb during continuing stages, as the core is already solid and there's no need to penetrate further than the depth of the barb placements to bond My Patch to the work.

rkr4cds Jan 7, 2007

I know when the surface hits my finger that I've pushed in the full working part of the shaft.
This thrust is elbow and shoulder driven - easier on my joints than wrist.

matilda Jan 8, 2007

Well arent you the clever bugga Bobbie :clap:   
For the life of me I have been too scared to put my finger anywhere near the barbs. The way you do it will actually limit stabbings as well.  I would never have worked it out with out the photos though. Thankyou !  I will be needle felting next week so will give your finger positioning ago.
Thanks Bob. 
Lynette, I'll let you design the 'Wendy felting wizard'  

rkr4cds Jan 9, 2007

LMK how much more relaxing this hold is, Wendy. And if your wrist is getting a good rest.
For the life of me I couldn't support the camera in my left hand and take the pix, so that is my left hand!
Righty works better ....

rufnut Jan 9, 2007

Thanks Wendy for sharing that product with us it looks interesting.

Thanks Bobbie for sharing your technique, anything to relieve wrists is a bonus, much appreciated.