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purelyneysa Oct 4, 2005

Good Morning,

Wool is your basic fibre because of the "barbs" in the wool itself. You can add, mohair fibre, yarn bits, dog hair, bits of linen, denim anything to the wool and it will felt. You get a "fuzzy" finish when adding other fibres. Neysa

P.S. I'm new to all this so if anyone wants to view my critters please go to my site and click on the Virtual Catalog... there are mohair critters with felted faces and felted critters working around a wire armature.

Eileen Oct 4, 2005

Amazing, Neysa!

I've got a houseful of dog, cat and rabbit hair. The gerbil doesn't shed much, though!

Do you card the hair first, or just use as is?

Eileen

psichick78 Oct 4, 2005

When I brush my pom, I use the same type of brush I use on my bears. Then I find I can felt what I pull out of the brush real nice. I'm thinking I should save a whole bunch and make a mini replica of my dog. I would really appreciate it when he's gone I'm sure.
Anyone else use other animal hair???
Heather

Just Us Bears Oct 5, 2005

The needlefelting list I am on has a member who is a dog groomer, and she felts heaps of replicas of peoples dogs from their dogs own fur. She says the only ones she hasn't been able to felt yet are dogs with sleek coats like Jack Russells. She just cleans and dries the fur and felts away!
Neysa..we are truly pleased to have you here!!

rufnut Oct 5, 2005

Great work Neysa.

I have just finished felting a Mohair head in a workshop with Jennifer Laing, I loved the results.

Just Us Bears Oct 5, 2005

We wanna see Karen...you know the 'rules' in here..no teasing! :P
Put thine money where thine mouth is!

matilda Oct 5, 2005

WoW wonderful site Neysa!  Will check it out more fully later.   thankyou

Judi Oct 5, 2005

I have felted arctic fox fur using the thick undercoat hairs.  It was very slippery to use so I ended up blending it with wool.  Worked much better.

Karen, show us some pictures, pleeeeeeze. :pray:

Dilu Oct 6, 2005

Come on Miss Karen, give, dish it up, we wanna see......

Neysa-What a totally different style than Judi's yet using the same technique-  Thanks to Judi I can now recognize the 'musculoskeletal' system you put in place first.....

Your bear's face is arresting- compelling,  very nicely done

geoart Oct 6, 2005

Goodmorning Neysa< I am new here also, Love the new designs. Hope to see you soon, Big Hug...art

Good Morning,

Wool is your basic fibre because of the "barbs" in the wool itself. You can add, mohair fibre, yarn bits, dog hair, bits of linen, denim anything to the wool and it will felt. You get a "fuzzy" finish when adding other fibres. Neysa

P.S. I'm new to all this so if anyone wants to view my critters please go to my site and click on the Virtual Catalog... there are mohair critters with felted faces and felted critters working around a wire armature.

kbonsall Oct 6, 2005

Wow this is sooo neat!  I have to fluffy pomeranians that shed everywhere... I have little tumbleweeds that need to be vacuumed up every other day, maybe I will save them and needle felt them instead!! Thanks for the tip! 

rufnut Oct 7, 2005

Sorry girls, I don't mean to tease, too busy here at work, I cannot seem to catch up.....  :(

Finally took some pics last night, they don't do him any justice though...    He looks better in real life.  (in the fur)  :doh:

Here is Griz, I am not keen on the Amber eyes, what do you think?

Just Us Bears Oct 7, 2005

Karen..I think Grizz looks great! And the Amber eyes suit him really well! Did you start off with any actual muzzle underneath that you felted onto or is the whole muzzle needlefelting?

rufnut Oct 7, 2005

Thanks Hayley, I was concerned about the eyes, keep the comments coming please.   

The bridge of the nose is done first, then down to the growls and underneath to  the roof of the mouth.
The whole muzzle is felted.

Eileen Oct 7, 2005

:clap: I think he's a beauty, Karen!! We want to see the rest of him, pleeeeze  :pray:

Eileen

rufnut Oct 7, 2005

Here we go   :dance:

Paw Pads are felted and complete with leather nose and claws.

I have used Alpaca for the first time for felting which is grey in colour.

plushkinbear Oct 7, 2005

Karen he is gorgeous!!! :pray: :hug:

Julia

Love the face? color? eyes? paws? YES, I DO!!!!

kbonsall Oct 7, 2005

This may shound strange but how do you make a mohair bear without a muzzle first??? lost here

matilda Oct 7, 2005

Kim, I dont know how the others do it, but I design a small muzzle so I have something to ankor the felted pieces on.  On my avatars nose the mohair muzzle is only half the length of the final nose. The bear I'm working on now has an even smaller muzzle. Because I wanted to have more scope to build the felting. Its worked out rather well for me. I will be taking Judi's class next month, So will get a chance to see how Jude does. Am all excited!! :dance:

Eileen Oct 7, 2005

He's gorgeous, Matilda!  :clap: :clap:

Eileen

rufnut Oct 10, 2005

Matilda is correct the head is a mohair head as used for a normal bear, but the design is a smaller muzzle which has been felted onto with and modelled to how you want it to look.  Matilda, I would like to see a larger pic of your bear pleassee.      :pray:

Judi Oct 10, 2005

Karen your bear is really really nice!  I think the eyes look great and normally I am a bit "ify" when it comes to the reddish amber eyes.  I really like these on this bear.  Also the mohiar is wonderful.  Your bear sits nice and relaxed-looking.  You did a great job!!!  Thanks for sharing the photos.

rufnut Oct 12, 2005

Thanks Judi,  :redface:   Blushing its so nice to have some feedback.

Thanks for the comments on the eyes and the reassurance, I was looking at some Dark Brown eyes today to replace  them, maybe not. 

purelyneysa Oct 12, 2005

Karen, love the bear and the eyes! Neysa

Judi Oct 12, 2005

Yes, Karen, keep those eyes in your bear.  They look beautiful!