Banner Sponsors

Donna Oct 12, 2005

I want to needle felt a Santa Beard onto a mohair bear.  I know to trim the mohair away from the face where I want to needle felt.   Do I needle felt just each end of the wool or do I pull off twice the length I want for the beard and fold it in half and felt the halfway point of the wool?
Thanks,
Donna

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 12, 2005

Hey, what a great question.  I'll be curious to read the answer.  You could probably do it either way but I'm no expert.  Judi, Neysa... help!

purelyneysa Oct 12, 2005

Good Morning, Santa beards... try finding some wool locks. This is long, clean wool - not carded or combed. I don't have a real good source right now for this but if you can find any they work wonderfully. The locks I have are fully of debri but clean, I don't like them and wouldn't recommend them.

Or what Judi suggests will work to. I'd first try needling one end and not both, you can always trim the ends to shape the beard. Roving might work too. Anyone else have any ideas? Neysa

psichick78 Oct 12, 2005

Donna, as Neysa said. Find the locks of wool. I have lots of this stuff and it's great for hair and beards. Check ebay, that's where i got mine.
Heather

Judi Oct 12, 2005

Donna,  if you look up "so susie spins" , on the interenet, she has fantastic raw  angora goat (mohair)wool, long and wavy.  She get this wonderful fiber directly from England.  Doll makers buy this from her for santa beards.  She also spins it, then weaves it into a fabric.

I have bought a few lengths of this hand made angora goat mohair fabric and wet felted it in the wahser.  It shrinks the weave , thickens the already thick fabric and leaves gorgeous tendrils unlike I have seen or felt before.   I have made some terrific bears and it is luxuriously soft soft soft.  Plan on spending $4.00 per inch for the fabric if you go that route. I don't know what she charges for the plain wool itself.  Ido know that it is very sught after.

I'll see if I have a photo in my files...brb...

Here she is: NAd here is another one:

Now keep in mind that this is the same wool I mentioned only woven into a fabric.  It is the softest fiber I have handled.  Truly amazing.  I'll see if I can still find her.