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Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

FFF_INTRO_Darby.jpgOPIE_HEAD.jpgHi Carrie.
  Welcome to the board.  Your work is beautiful!  I have been needle felting for just over a year but designing and making bears for 6 years.  I am teaching an on-line class at North Country Teddy Bears on how to felt a face onto a mohair bears.  It starts tomorrow.  It;s great to see another needle felting artist out there!

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

MATIDA!!! SO sorry.  I said Daphne made the hamster when it was YOU.  What a precious littel creation.  I have to say that I love how you blended the wool for the coloring of the hamster.  What a treasure.

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Poor Amanda, it's hell is'nt it possum when you dont get recognition for your work.
HAMMY HAMSTERbelongs to AMANDA. I would'nt mind taking the credit. But he's not mine.
I would'nt mind having a go at a rooster .(in the needle felting) Not too sure I'm that clever though.:rolleyes:

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

ei yi yi!!!!!!  I must be having a "moment".

  AMANDA , YOUR HAMSTER IS WONDERFUL!!!! Please forgive my stupidity and for not giving you the recognition for your work!!!   I don't know where my head is sometimes.  If I would have only gone back and looked at the earlier posts and pictures I would have seen this.

Keep on felting.  Your work is wonderful!!!!

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Wow Carrie, Welcome Welcome....your avatar bear is the cutest thing-made me want to giggle.  I look forward to more of your work.


Dilu

rikkisbears NSW Australia
Posts: 209

Thank you Ladies,
I finally found " AMANDA's " little hamster. He's so tiny & cute.

Daphne Back Road Bears
Laconia, NH USA
Posts: 6,568

Amanda, I'm so sorry..... I tried to give credit where credit was due but made matters all the worse.

Judi, stop having 'moments'... you are too young and making me have them too! :lol:

Matilda... you must be just a spring chicken with all your wits about you! :D

Hugs Gals!
Daphne

Amanda Pandy Potter Bears
Staffordshire, UK
Posts: 1,864

Chill out everyone. I don't mind. Thanks for looking. Hammy was my first attempt and I was not sure what I was doing. I think needlefelting is ideal to get noses looking good on small bears. I also like the idea of blending colours. I do thing its a 'just give it a go' kind of thing it seems odd at first but it just works!

I look forward to seeing some of the Judi class bears when you have done them. I would also love to seen them as you go along if anyone is so brave. Good luck to you all.

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

Daphne...you made me laugh!:lol::lol::lol:  Okay , no more "moments".....:P:P:P

Amada, I think it great to try different things like the blending you did on your Hammy.  You never know what you may discover about yourself.  I say, keep going!

The felting class started yesterday and we have such an enthusiastic group.  I think we will have lots of fun.  What a great group of ladies you all are!!

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Judi- or anyone who knows,

Assuming we don't bend fold and mutilate our needles, do they eventually get dull and need replacing? 

Dilu

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_laugh Good question, Dilu!

I've just tried needlefelting a chunk of stuffing, just to try out the needle, and I actually made a face!

Question for Judi or anyone: if you're needlefelting longer fibres into a head for 'special effects', how much of the longer fiber has to be inside the head before it's securely attached?

Eileen

Deb Upstate New York
Posts: 1,650

Dear Needlefelting type People ~

When you needlefelt (you use a needle with like little razors, right?) onto mohair, don't you kind of damage the backing of the mohair.  Are needles available at any craft places you're aware of?  Michaels?  JoAnn's?  Or just on-line?

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

Dilu, I don't believe the sharpness is actually an issue when needle felting since you are "dragging" in the fibers into the center of your work.  ALso it is the barbs along the side of the needle that does most ot the felting.

Eileen, smaller areas of felting can be done just by repeated poking inot the head..like for eyelids.  I don't think the fiber length plays too big of a part here.

Deb, yes, the act of felting does damage the underlying mohair but you will never see this on a finsihed bear.  Also, with the technique I have developed myself, there is a way to securely achieve a felted face without ever having it come off.

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_laugh:D Thanks, Judi,

Gotta take your course!

Eileen

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Did anyone notice my avatar????????
Bluebell's face ,nose, eyelids and open mouth are needlefelted.:dance:

kbonsall Kim-Bee Bears
Pennsylvania
Posts: 5,645

My newest bear has felted eyelids - the look pretty good too.... I have done completely needle felted bears but never done needle felting onto a mohair bear.... bear_smile  Matilda - i noticed bear_original I love her nose!

Dilu Posts: 8,574

Well Matilda, I did notice, and thought you were some sort of pro....like Judi....I would love to see a bigger picture, though, cuz avatar size doesn't do bluebell justice.  What do you think, can you print up a larger pic?

Dilu

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

Matilda,  your Bluebell looks wonderful. :clap: I would really like to see a larger picture.  Like Dilu said, that samll avatar pic doesn't do her justice.  How big is your bear.? My needle face bears tend to be large.  The photo of Darby, the brown bear with beige face is 19" tall.  The white smiling  bear with blue eyes is 10" tall.

Deb the felting needles can be purchased on line.  I have never seen them at a craft store.  I don't belive Intercal carries needle felting supplies?  Please correct me if I am wrong here.  I  would love to see Intercal carry these supplies escpecially since this is an area tht is really growing. (hint hint).

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

teddy--1-b.jpgmarmalade-ans-elliott.jpgold-farie3.jpgold-farie1.jpgnf-1b.jpgnf-1f.jpgnf1bottle.jpgnf-1g.jpgmarmalade-and-elliott-in-spotlight.jpgteddy--2-j.jpgThis black foot has needle felted paw.
                                                                                This is what I'm working on at the moment.
                                                                                She's nearly finished now. I took the
                                                                                 oportunity while the computer was gone. :lol:

This is bluebell in fullsize. 6 1/2inches of her.

This wee birdy is my baby , Elliott. He loves this bear. He kiss's  Marmalades nose and tells him that he loves him.  ....He's just so cute.... (but then I'm his mummy) bear_wub :angel:


This colourful wee thing is the very first attempt at needle felting. I decided to do a wee bear, just to see wether I was able to do this needle felting thingy. Sorry about the tinny tiny pic but I saved them to file as thumbnails The other was edited in fishbowl .
She's thread jointed and has a bead at her neck. The multi colours are alpaca. I overlaid it on the cream. She has the tiniest blue beads for eyes. On the last thumbnail you can see if you get out the magnifyer, a wee gild flower shape bead at her neck.I do alot of this type of jointing with minitures.

This wee old farie is'nt needlefelted but she does have beaded joints .

Could'nt resist one more pic of my baby  bear_wub

I'm on my fourth needle felted project now. I found it really easy to pick up. It has given me a flexibility in my bear designs that I never thought I could achieve.  Take it up . Give it ago. It may or may not be your thing. But dont let anything else stop you because with needle felting you just never know. You could be another JUDI waiting in the wings.!!!!! bear_smile  Matilda bear_wub
Hope you have enjoyed my babies.  bear_smile

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,683

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

Very nice creations, Matilda and your little bird is beautiful!

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

Matilda, your work is really really good!!!  Obviously needle felting has worked out very fine for you.  I like your parakeet too.  Your first bear is great.  I like how you mixed the colors together. :clap: :clap: :clap: bear_smile bear_wub

matilda Matilda Huggington-beare
WA
Posts: 5,551

Parakeet indeed!!!!! That's one of them tha peti-gree ozzie bud-ge-ri-gars. Ya ninny :doh:

Yeh I love needle felting. Stabbed myself the other night. That will teach me for dozing off. bear_grin bear_grin

I  :love:this posting of photo milarcky, Its great fun. :dance: Matilda.

Judi Luxembears
Luxemburg, Wisconsin
Posts: 7,379

No dozing allowed while needle felting!  OUCH! :hug:
That's right, in your country they are called Budgerigars.  Here in the USA they are called Parakeets.  I used to have a hybrid called Petey Parakeetie.  Don't laugh, I was only 10 at the time.!! bear_happy

Just Us Bears Just Us Bears
Australia
Posts: 940

Matilda...you are doing great with the needlefelting! Keep it up!
Did you make Marmalade? He's fabulous..love the nose. the bird has great taste in bears! :clap:

Eileen Baird'sBears
Toronto
Posts: 3,873

bear_laugh Judi's right!

I grew up calling them parakeets too. Here in Canada they're called budgies, but it's never felt right to me. We had several over the years, all called Rip Snorter I, II, etc. But Petey Parakeety? That's really good, Judi!  :thumbsup:

Eileen

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