Featured Artist: Woolly Wild Things.

Hello and welcome again to you all. The Felting Lounge is back with a short feature from Natalie, the artist behind Woolly Wild Things.
She is a truly imaginative artist who works on a grand scale! Her work is absolutely unique, remarkable & unforgettable!

My name is Natalie, but my felting work goes by the name of Woolly Wild Things.

I love wool. I started needle felting in 2012, after finishing university and feeling a bit lost about what to do with my life. I did a degree in Fine Art and I love to sculpt and draw animals. I was taught basic needle felting techniques by a work colleague, and from that I figured out how to make just about everything else.

The first things I made were models of animals, I liked to try and make them as detailed as possible by with adding my own style to each piece. I have always loved animals and the natural world, and I found that felt was a fantastic material in which to recreate these things, being so natural itself.

One of my first animals (Fox) and some later work, Triceratops.

I went on to do a Masters in Theatre Design, and this inspired a new direction in my felting. I taught myself to wet felt, and learned to make hats which I embellished with needle felting. Wet felting added a whole new layer of possibility to my work. I wanted to make very big things, so in order to save money on wool I started buying whole fleeces raw and then washing them and dyeing them at home. I did have to buy a drum carder, which is one now of my favourite tools. I love processing my own wool. There is wool everywhere in my house!

My favourite fleeces so far are Oxford and Shetland, both of which I have used for needle felting and wet felting. I currently have a kilo of Zwartbles drying on my radiator, and I can’t wait to start experimenting with it!

One of my other interests is fairytales and monsters, and I have started to make costumes from felt inspired by this. I learned how to make masks, and I have since been making some quite large costume pieces, including waistcoats and wings! I like making things that people can wear that will turn them into something strange and magical. I am inspired by the work of Brian Froud and Arthur Rackham and films by Jim Henson. I also love the photographic work of Tim Walker and Kirsty Mitchell and the strange uncanny fairytale atmospheres they create.

Monster Mask

Bird Costume

Goat Mask

For anyone who has just started needle felting, I would like to say have fun. Don’t let the fear of doing it wrong hold you back. Experiment! The more you play and try things out the better you will become. Try big adventurous things!
Good luck!
Natalie.


You can see more from Woolly Wild Things on Natalie's Facebook Page and you can also check out her blog.

Featured Artist: Warped and Whimsical

Diana K is a Needle Felting Artist based in Ontario, Canada. I recently discovered her work via Twitter & was drawn to the unusual characters that she creates. Her creations are colourful, cute, quirky and a little bit dark! She also creates custom made items. Unique in every way, I couldn't resist inviting her to share her story here in the Felting Lounge.

Diana: A Needle Felting Friend (and a bit of a weirdo)

By day, I’m a high school teacher of English and Drama; by night, a needle felt artist (when I’m not marking papers, that is). I try to spend 1-2 hours winding down by working on a needle felt project, whether I’m sketching, felting, or staging and photographing a creature.

Who am I as an artist? Meet the gentle side of Gothic!

The focus of my needle felting has been a combination of things that are a little warped and creatures that have a touch of whimsy, hence my Etsy shop name: WarpedAndWhimsical. One of my favourite sculptures to make is my line of Grims, the extended family of the angel of death himself, The Grim Reaper. These little dark lords and ladies reap everything from shenanigans to good luck, ready to share their treasures with the humans that adopt them. The whimsy of wool miniatures can make even a reaper, zombie, or gargoyle cute enough to cuddle! I also can’t resist making the occasional woodland creature, and I love creating custom monsters in the shape of a letter of the alphabet.

Why Needle Felting?

I was lucky to have parents who took me and my sisters to countless plays, museums, and art galleries. I always knew that I wanted to contribute to the arts—it was a world of mastery and limitless imagination! The problem was, I couldn’t quite master anything. My acting was okay; my paintings were mediocre; my sketching, so-so; and my poetry, passable. The wild imaginations of my mind never came out the way I saw them in my head! As an adult, I was starting to drift away from the arts.

A couple of years ago, I discovered Etsy, and a whole new world of artistry opened up. I frequented craft shows and, last year, I came across a small booth selling the cutest little mushrooms. I’d never heard of needle felting before, but I loved the look and the feel of those woolly ‘shrooms. Sold.

A few months passed and at another craft show I came across a different needle felting booth; this one had gnomes. I admired that even though they were crafted in the same way, they all had their own personalities and uniqueness. Sale number two.

This time, a seed had been planted…

How hard could needle felting really be? I couldn’t fathom how it worked—something with a needle, obviously. That night, I searched ‘needle felt’ on YouTube and thought, “Yes. I will do that thing.”

WARNING: Needle felting is ADDICTIVE.

It’s relatively cheap (if you completely ignore the notion that ‘time is money’). The best part? It is ridiculously forgiving. Does this felted head look misshapen? Add more wool! Is this arm wonky? Tear it off! Did Diana spend 10 hours working on a dog head just to scrap it because it didn’t look right? Yes, she did. And everything was okay. Unlike clay that will set, and paint which will dry, felting allows you to add on, take away, and re-shape with relative ease. Embrace the mistakes!

Getting Started:

The YouTube videos seemed straight-forward enough. So, I went to the local craft store and purchased a needle felting kit. It came with all the wool needed, molds, a foam mat, a barbed needle, and instructions. It was a bunny. Not too intimidating right?

That bunny. Took 15. Hours.

But it was great! Who doesn’t like to stab things? Even better—stab things that turn into cute little things later? I didn’t quite follow the exact design (a bunny with nubs just seemed sad), and today I could make an even better bunny in only 8 hours, but it was still a very positive first experience.

Finally: The picture in my head was reflected in the piece I created. At last, I found my niche.

Looking for Inspiration:

The website DeviantArt has so many twisted and beautiful paintings and drawings; it was a great start for inspiration. I typed in ‘monsters’ and was hooked.

Making an account on Instagram (@warpedandwhimsical) was also wonderful, because I found a group of fellow needle felters that are very supportive. Seeing their new creations continues to push me to do better with my own technique and creativity. Some of my favourite felters to follow are @needledbynella, who specializes in dinosaurs, and @feltmeupdesigns, who specializes in birds.

Non-felting accounts have also been a great source of inspiration, especially since I’ve added some doll-making techniques (such as using plastic eyes) into my creations. @bunnyxproductions (polymer clay octopus tentacles), @chrisryniak (absurdly adorable sketches), @woebegoneart (dolls with a dark aesthetic), @petitesterreurs (gothic dolls), @beastlies (polymer clay monsters), and @nicholelillianryan (weebeast creator) are all amazing and each offer a different type of aesthetic and artistry.

One of the best places for inspiration? The dollar store. Seriously! Sometimes I just wander around and get ideas from items that could be used as props. The following creature, Muse the reaper of creativity, was inspired by a little blank easel I found at the dollar store.

5 Tips for Beginners:

I definitely recommend going out and buying a little needle felting kit like the one I got for my first piece. Even though I haven’t used the felting mold it came with since that first felt, it still taught me about density and shape. Don’t get frustrated by phrases such as “felt to desired density”—some people felt fuzzy and squishy; others felt smooth and hard. Experiment to see what you like! This book by Jackie Huang, Woolbuddies: 20 Irresistibly Simple Needle Felting Projects was also great for learning a straightforward technique:

Here are my top tips for the new needle felter:

1) Buy thimbles. Don’t even think about that one. You need at least two (thumb and pointer). I love my purple plastic ones from the local craft shop.

2) If I had to choose one needle, the one I use the absolute most is a 38 gauge, triangular felting needle. Keep in mind that needles do break, wear down, and become less effective. If you’re needle felting every day, you’ll probably want a new needle in about six months.

3) What should you felt on? A foam mat is great for smoothing creations out. The downside is that foam eventually wears down to crumbly bits. A felting brush or burlap sack filled with rice is essential for making thin pieces, such as an ear. The downside with these is that they will make your creation ‘fuzzy’ if you felt for long in one spot. I like having both the mat and the burlap.

4) After I decided that I was in it for the long run, I bought a variety pack of different needles. I wouldn’t recommending these for your first few creations, but once you know you’d like to continue felting, the right needle can help you add detail, felt faster, and even create fun effects. I love the price and options available from the Etsy shop HeidifeathersOnEtsy and highly recommend the “30 needles, 10 different types of needles” option. The purchase comes with a card that explains the purpose of each needle, and there is even more detail on the website.

5 Tips for the Intermediate Felter:

I’ll make pretty much anything upon request, which leads to some great challenges and a steep learning curve. Watching YouTube videos, such as those by GypsyFelting or Sara Renzulli, are great if you’re looking for more challenging technique. Here are my top tips:

1) For any creation that is not super tiny, use core wool (undyed wool) as a base (see pictures below). This is a great way to save your coloured, more expensive wool for the parts that people will actually get to see. Core wool is also easier to felt onto instead of trying to felt dyed wool into itself. I’ve done a lot of research, and the best price/quality I found so far is at Etsy shop DreamFelt. I recommend the 8 oz. pack; go big or go home!

2) The cheapest dyed wool is on eBay, plus there are so many colourful options that I can’t resist! I order 50 grams at a time, which is a fair amount when it comes to wool. Check out the sellers accecity and ouyou2010

3) Making something complex? Sketch it out. Need it to look realistic? Print out a photograph, take some measurements, and do the math for a piece of a different size! Sculpting is just about connecting shapes. That’s not a dog you want to create—it’s a cluster of circles, ovals, and triangles! It will be worth the time to figure it out.

4) Want to make a challenging shape, such as sturdy legs, a curl, or sharp angles? Use simple wire (I bought mine in the gardening section of—you guessed it—the dollar store) to shape a base, wind pipe-cleaners (the cheap ones will do!) around it so that the wool has something to grab onto, add core wool, then top with the dyed wool. For the thinner sections, don’t add pipe-cleaner. A bit of clear-drying glue on the wire will help the wool stick. The process in the following photos of Dark Lord Fluffy took about 8 hours.

5) Last, don’t be afraid to start over. There is such a thing as over-felting, when the wool won’t take on much shape and it is impossible to fully smooth. I usually find that there’s at least something from the original piece that I can reuse. Once you’ve started to master your technique, don’t be afraid to pick up your old creations and give them a makeover. Be sure to take before and after shots, and you’ll be amazed at the difference!

The Take-away:

Needle felting is not for everyone. It requires a lot of patience, time, and—yes—you will sometimes stab yourself. But like most things in life, the more you do it, the better you will get at it (the felting, not the stabbing yourself part). As long as you’re happy developing your artistry (or doing “the stabby thing,” as my sister calls it), may you have warped and whimsical adventures!

Thanks for checking out my stuff! For questions or comments, follow me on Etsy, Instagram or Twitter and send a message. I won’t bite! My Grims on the other hand…

Until Next Stab,

Diana K.


Thank you Diana, what a great article!
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Artist Interview with Sara Renzulli of Sarafina Fiber Art

Sara Renzulli is a name that probably doesn’t need much introduction. Owner of Sarafina Fiber Art, based in Maryland US, Sara has over 12,000 followers of her YouTube channel alone. Her adorable animals and furry critters have captured the hearts of needle felters across the globe, and her free online tutorials have become the 'go to' place for artists wanting to learn how to re-create these elegant creatures following Sara's rustic style. As well as providing tutorials, Sarafina Fiber Art are producers of Needle Felting fibres, kits, tools and accessories.



Hello Sara. May I just start by getting a thousand “I’m not worthy’s” out of the way, whilst bowing down and averting my eyes. I am absolutely delighted (Honoured, ecstatic, thrilled) be interviewing you for The Felting Lounge. Thank you so much for speaking with me today.

You spent over 20 years as a professional artist, before you learned how to needle felt. What did you find so appealing about needle felting that made you want to branch off from your Painting & begin a whole new career?

I primarily painted but enjoyed sculpture too. I did not love working in clay, however, and the process of casting in bronze is extremely expensive and then HEAVY. Needle felting is a way to sculpt with inexpensive materials and easy to ship and sell. I began needle felting in 2008, the same time that the economy bubble burst, so I was also attracted to the lower price point, lack of necessary framing, and easy shipping. In addition to the economy, and finding a new avenue for sculpture, I fell in love with fiber. Learning about all the sheep breeds and other natural fibers in the world has been thrilling and rewarding.



You are famous for creating very beautiful and very life-like needle felted animals. In an interview that I read at ceruleangypsy you said (about stuffed toys that you would keep on your bed) "the more realistic the better. I would cut off their tags to erase any sign that they were actually made in China." It’s very clear from your work today that this need to make your creations as ‘real life’ as possible is still very strong within you, can you please tell us more about ‘how’ you manage to bring such realism to your pieces. (Do you study photographs/form/anatomy of the animals?)

I do like them to be realistic but I think there are other artists who have an edge on me in that department! I see animals with my own slant and try to exaggerate some feature or features to bring them to my mind’s eye. A wolf with long legs, a draft horse with a very round butt, a hare with bulging eyes. I also like to let the fiber speak; try not to control them too much. So realism, yes, but with a punch. I have spent my life looking at animals and seeing shapes and colors in everything. Google has no doubt brought more of the world to our fingertips. Because I start most with an armature, I study skeletons. The foundation must be accurate.



What do you think are the most common mistakes people make when their creations fail to be as realistic as they intended?

Not sure that there are mistakes as much as needing practice. It took me years to get to the place where I could make complex/large armatures and blend colors both refining and elaborating the details of my work. My first needle felted things looked just like everyone’s. That said, without an accurate armature things can go very wrong no matter how well you have honed your techniques.

The Fibres that you use for your animal fur are such a close reflection of the real life animals in colour and texture. In the beginning, how easy did you find it to source the right materials for the results you wanted? With such an overwhelming variety of fibres available for needle felting, all with different properties, how did you manage to find exactly what you were looking for? Did you research the different properties of sheep breeds or did you just buy lots of different wool until you found what worked best?

In the beginning I went in search of roving and fiber. I did not know the first thing about fiber or sheep. I bought a lot of wool that I did not know how to use… yet. I went to our nearby Sheep and Wool festival to see lots of fiber hands on. I learned a lot there and began to understand the different types and how I liked to use them. I made fiber friends, like Felting Farmer Lady Lee, who helped to educate me. The more I learned about needle felting, the more I learned about fiber and what to use when and how. I am still and always will be learning. Fortunately, owning the business now, I can afford the time, space, and money to buy a big variety of fiber and fiber equipment, so I have them at hand. It’s like cooking a meal in a professional kitchen, anything and everything you could ever need.



I would describe you as a ‘Celebrity’ of the needle felting world. So many artists turn to you for inspiration and advice, (in fact, whenever the subject of armatures or animals comes up, usually the first answer that is given is “Check out the Sarafina tutorial”). So when you come up against a (Needle felting related) ‘problem’ and you are unsure about how to get around it – who do you turn to for advice? Who does the expert ask?

That’s a funny question. I talk shop and creativity with my Dad, my Sisters, and a handful of close friends. I also open up new directions or possibilities with the Sarafina Staff. There is no one person, but the collaboration of many minds can elevate ideas far beyond my own thoughts. I also am not afraid to fail. Probably the biggest accomplishment of my life is all my failures added up.

You collaborated with Lee Charlton for the Forest Folk tutorial. (which I love, and now cannot stop making them! Thank you so much for that.) Can you please tell us a bit more about who she is and how that collaboration came about?

Ah, I mentioned her earlier! She and I clicked via Facebook. We just recognized a kindred spirit in one another I guess. She loves fiber! She is the Lock Lady. I have been to TX. She has been here. We have travelled to the UK together and also to the MD Sheep and Wool. We actually made the Forest Folk tutorial to fill time during her visit after the failed UK trip (we were sent back for not having a works visa in case you did not hear though the grapevine.)

I did indeed hear about it, you must have been gutted! I was so gutted for you and for everyone who was hoping to attend the workshops. Do you have any plans to return to the UK?

At the moment, no plans, although it is very much on my mind to get back there.

I recently watched your latest YouTube presentation, From Hobby to Entrepreneur, which as the name suggests is about how you turned your needle felting from a hobby into a very (very!) successful business. As someone who is at the beginning of this journey, I found it very insightful (It actually answered a lot of the questions that I was going to ask you for this interview!) The presentation is available (for free) on YouTube. Your tutorials are also freely available online. Do you think that your business has been more successful because you give this information freely?

My business is built on sharing information. How else could it grow? If I guarded all that I have learned it would just be me, alone, creating and selling, creating and selling. I have not shared everything, but lots for sure! I knew that needle felting could and would be enjoyed and loved by many. Putting the tutorials for free on YouTube was a strategic business decision. I had been contacted over and over asking to teach and had been teaching local workshops. I just knew that people would eat it up, appreciate the information, and in turn, for the most part, give us their business.

What are you most proud of, and why?

There are a few things things about our business that I find extra rewarding. I am proud of the Sarafina team. We are now 6 going on 7 people strong. Each person has elevated the whole in his or her own way. I am proud that my vision has provided a fun and creative job for this team. I am also delighted that we have brought felting into the lives of so many people. We get messages, emails, letters, or gifts, every day thanking us for being here, for sharing, for helping, for caring. We are a business, a community, a family, and an art built around a shared passion. It’s also very rewarding to work with so many other small businesses and self employed people from the shepherds and mills to the woodworkers and US based, family owned manufacturers

Which piece are you most proud of?

I am not sure. The Lion is impressive. There is something extra special about the Wolf and Little Red though, perhaps because I have been on a journey with them through the process of the book. My first Snowshoe Hare was not my best piece, but sort of a milestone in my needle felting career.

How do you continue to challenge yourself, and learn new techniques?

There is no limit to the amount to learn. I can always go larger, more complex, or more detailed. I can try new techniques from other arts, wet felting, spinning, nuno felting, for example. I am currently trying to make a ¾ life Great Blue Heron using every trick in my book along with some yet to be discovered.

With the other techniques you mentioned above, how do you prefer to learn? Do you attend classes or find other means of tuition, or do you find you learn more by experimenting with techniques in your own way?

I learn from trial and error. Lots of both! Since I am building my Sarafina business around teaching, I prefer not to take classes. I feel better about teaching things that I have figured out on my own. That is not to say that I do not learn from other people all of the time or that there is not a lot I could learn from a class! It’s just always how I have approached creativity, even in my painting days. (Sometimes, with painting, I wished I could learn more through classes/workshops because a better knowledge of the oil medium and blending colors could have elevated my work. )

Is there anything you haven’t tried yet, but would love to?

I would like to create a “body of work,” something cohesive to be shown in a gallery. Right now I am too busy with the business, but I know I will get there.

And finally, is there anything else you would like to share with us? (upcoming projects, tutorials collaborations, kits etc?)

Sarafina has so much simmering I could not even begin to convey it all!

Sara, thank you so much. You are an inspiration to thousands of people all across the globe. Your success and that of the whole Sarafina Team is so very well deserved. I can’t wait to see your finished Heron piece & look forward to seeing more of your upcoming projects in 2016.
Thank you
Lisa.

If you would like to see more from Sarafina Fiber Art & Sara Renzulli, please see the following links:
Sarafina Fiber Art Website
Youtube
Sarafina Fiber Art Facebook Page
Sarafina Felting Fanfare – Facebook Group For Needle Felters following the Sarafina Tutorials
Lee Charlton (Felting Farmer Lady)on Etsy

Artist Interview with Jzin Teng of Castle of Costa Mesa

Castle of Costa Mesa owner Jzin Teng is a Needle Felter/Crafter/Artist based in Southern California. She uses needle felting to create enchanting fairy tale scenes & irresistibly charming characters. Her style of creating is instantly recognisable and enticing to fairytale lovers of all ages. Her pieces emit such joyful, loving energy, and seem to encapsulate the fun, laughter and absolute delight that has clearly gone into the process of their creation.

Hello Jzin, let me start by saying thank you so much for taking time out to speak to me today. I've been a huge fan of your work since I first discovered Needle Felting & it's such an honour for me be actually talking to you! I'd love to find out more about how your first discovered Needle Felting. You are an artist, a painter and you also have a background in Molecular Biology (Wow) - so how and when did you begin Needle Felting?
I was a cancer researcher/biochemist whose 2 young children succumbed to chronic, devastating, mysterious health problems. It overthrew my whole paradigm of ethical medical practice/healthcare. I went on a personal mission to cure them and for years, was entrenched in high stress, deep grief, exhausting shadow boxing, focusing on the destination, ignoring the journey. I decided to change and just do what I can and be a relaxing, present mother to my children instead.
I made Cinderella's doll house in 2010 without knowing how to make dolls to populate it at first. I soon encountered needle-felting at Waldorf School of Orange County in Costa Mesa, California where Christine Newell taught our craft group how to needle felt. I learned for fun and then was hooked by this versatile, fun and natural medium.
My children made wonderful daily progress with specialized diets, years of therapies, careful environmental modifications, patience and more. I continue crafting to heal myself from the trauma of it all. You can read our Castle of Costa Mesa Craft Blog here.

I think it's wonderful that you have been able to use your craft as a therapeutic tool to help you to deal with such difficult circumstances. It really comes across in your work that crafting is a way of life for you, and not just something that you do.
So many of us struggle to fit our crafting time in around our work and family, yet you seem to have formed an incredible bond with your daughter by involving her with your work. She is an amazing needle felter! How old was she when began needle felting?
Hmmm... I don't remember exactly - I think she was 7 or 8 when I allowed her to begin needle-felting. In the Waldorf education way of thinking, it is preferable delay starting needle-felting work which is very focused and fine motor practice, until the child has adequately developed her other more developmentally appropriate faculties first. It was hard to wait because she really wanted to join me in felting, and I succumbed to her request.

What was the first thing you ever needle felted? And were you happy with the result?
Hmm... I think it was a doll. When I first experimented, the head was very hard to make - too soft and would cave in as I added eyes and mouth; the arms were unravelling and coming apart, the wool was loose or the pipe cleaner would jut out and impale anyone who would hold it. I went back and forth with sewing small fabric dolls instead of needle felting because I could not make a satisfactory needle felted figure.

That sounds familiar! I think we have all experienced similar struggles at some point! How did you overcome those issues? Was it just trial and error until you found what worked, or did you attend more classes?
I diligently paid attention to projects that worked and tried to understand what they did right. Fiona Duthie wrote a tutorial on how to make a gnome and that showed me how to wrap doll arms with thin layers of wool top instead of my old way of wrapping with thick wool batting, then jab the arms to make them smaller, in the process breaking my needles. Truthfully, my not knowing did not stop me from bungling and making dolls, they were less polished but I kept making them and improved along the way. I wanted to make fairy tale dolls for children with sweet faces like Sybille Adolphi's Hansel in her book, "making fairy tale scenes". My inspiration for fairy tale scenes came from the copious fairy tales read to me by my mother during childhood



There are so many different types of fibres that can be used in Needle Felting, depending on the type of project. What is your favourite fibre & why?
Peace Fleece's wool batts are very rich in color and easy to use. Felt alive has nice skin color batts (and more) that makes it easy to craft. Presently I am crazy in love with kid mohair locks, they inspire me. Dyeing For Colour, a Canadian shop on Etsy has really nice fibres. I love all fibres and love to find out new and unusual fibres and thinking up the best places to use them. I like to support small farms and local business whenever possible.

What are your favourite needles to use? I personally mostly use 38 gauge star and 40 triangle more than any others. I also found that fine crown needles (where the barb is right on the tip) are great for adding tiny details and really fine sculpting.
36 and 38 regular and spiral work well for me. I love my clover felting pen. Occasionally, I may use my 40T spiral needle.

What is the one piece of advice that you would give to someone who is just starting to learn needle felting?
Enjoy! It is hard to make mistakes in felting. This is a very versatile and forgiving medium. If you don't like how something looks, you can always lift it up and move it around.

I wholeheartedly agree!
My last question for you Jzin, is what does 2016 have in store for you? Do you have any upcoming projects/workshops/promotions that you would like to tell us about?
Well, I have plenty of great projects and workshops. I will be posting them on my Blog CastleofCostaMesa.Com

If you would like to find out more about Castle of Costa Mesa & the beautiful needle felted artwork that Jzin & her Daughter create you can find everything you need to know here:
Castle of Costa Mesa.Com Fairy Tale Dolls, Handmade with love -
Workshops
Instagram or search #castleofcostamesa
Facebook - Please 'Like' to see offers for Seasonal Handmade Giveaways
Gallery of Waldorf School of Orange County, California Craft Group Projects
Google+
Twitter @ahjzin
Pinterest
Jzin's Fine Art works on Facebook
And of course, you can view all for sale items in the Castle of Costa Mesa Etsy Shop

Jzin, Thank you so much. It's been a pleasure to speak with you and to gain a little more insight into the magical world of Castle of Costa Mesa and the inspiration behind it.
- Lisa.

The Felting Lounge Social Media Sites

Hi Everyone!

Wow, The Felting Lounge has only been live for a few days & already received a lot of love from all you needle felters out there! A huge shout out in particular to all of you from the Needle Felting & Needle Felting UK groups on Facebook, who have given so much encouragement & support. I love you all!

So what's new?
Well, This Blog is all about providing a platform for artists to share their work, in order to reach a wider audience. Of course the most powerful tools at our disposal are Social Media sites. You will therefore (hopefully!) be pleased to know that you can now connect with The Felting Lounge on Twitter. To get your work re-tweeted, simply tag your post with @feltinglounge.

You can also add your pins to The Felting Lounge board on Pinterest. To request permission to add pins please send me a message with your email address via my Facebook page.

Last but not least, you can also find us on Facebook

I hope to see you all there!
Until next time,
- Lisa.

My Needle Felting Journey

The story of Heartfelt Creations by Lisa.

I have some very exciting stuff lined up for you here at The Felting Lounge, but for my first article I would like to introduce myself properly, and tell you a little bit about my own needle felting background. I also want to talk a little bit about the artists I admire the most and who have had the biggest influences over my own work.

I first began needle felting in 2013, using a kit that I purchase from a friend. Like many needle felting starter kits, mine came with a variety of coloured Merino wool tops. I threw myself in at the deep end and decided that I wanted to make the Gruffalo. I was astounded at how easy it was to make a 3D sculpture simply by stabbing at a bit of wool with a barbed needle! This was my Gruffalo (be kind, he was my first attempt!)

Needless to say, from that moment I was completely hooked. I spent hours trawling the internet for ideas & inspiration, and I was in awe of what I found. I was mostly drawn to whimsical, fantasy art, such as toadstools and fairy houses and wool fairies. I was amazed yet slightly intimidated by some of these artists - I wanted to be like them. I wanted to be able to create beautiful works of art & be able to fully indulge my childhood fantasies of elves and fairies and enchanted forests. During my time ogling images on Google & Pinterest, one of the first artists to catch my attention was Castle of Costa Mesa.


I absolutely adore the whimsical, fairy tale themes of these beautiful 3D wool paintings. The appeal to me on so many levels. I love the use of different fibres to create different effects, and the how the pictures tell stories. They are such a joy to look at and I found that they encouraged me to embrace my own whimsical 'style'.

Images from Heartfelt Creations by Lisa

The next outstanding artist to grab my attention was Sarafina Fibre Art
I found a tutorial on YouTube for a mouse by Sarafina and followed it step by step. It was the first time I used a proper wire armature (I had previously used pipe cleaners) and the first real attempt at tiny mousey fingers! This is the mouse that I made..

As you can see in the pictures, I was following the tutorial on my tablet. I later used what I learned in the tutorial to make some Squirrels.


I have also followed the Forest Folk Tutorial from Sarafina, and I have to say that it was a huge turning point for me. Faces were something that I always shied away from simply because I was absolutely rubbish at them! I could never get them to turn out like I imagined and so I avoided them wherever possible.
This was a fairy that I made a few weeks before watching this tutorial. Her face turned out....horrifically! Things were not going well & so I completely re-did the face, which at the time I was really happy with, but it still wasn't great & I knew that I could do better. First Attempt...

I know, scary stuff! Anyway, I ripped off her hair & started again.
Here is my the final result...

Much better, but still not very 'skilful' with the facial details. Anyway, I watched the Forest folk tutorial and immediately felt excited! These were so 'Me', these were the sort of thing I had been really wanting to make, but had never dared to. And now I had a secret weapon (actual follow along instructions!).The first one I made was a Wizard/Forest man. I was so thrilled with how he turned out that I immediately started on a Witch, closely followed by the Troll, Winter King and Pan.


I am thrilled with how these guys turned out & I hope to make many more like them in future.

The next artist I'm going to talk about is Felted Art to Wear. From time to time I dabble in wet felting, but as I am self taught I like to think that most of my wet felted creations are a happy accident, as opposed to well thought out & skilfully made! I saw these felt fairy lamps on Pinterest & I absolutely fell in love with them.

I love everything about them, the vibrant colours & quality craftsmanship and I am so envious of her talent! I took so much inspiration from these & they are always in the back of my mind whenever I make fairy houses or lanterns. These are some lanterns that I have made by wet felting & then needle felting details onto them.


They were so much fun to make & I love the results.

So, now you know a little bit more about me & what I do (and who has influenced me the most). I would also like to share with you some things I've learned along the way.
- Merino Tops are difficult to needle felt! Carded wool is much better for 3D sculptures (Merino is great for hair & Beards).
- Use core wool to build the basic shape of your creation! It's cheaper than dyed/carded wool which means that you can buy in bulk & you will only use your coloured wool where it is needed.
- Maybe it's the type of core wool that I use, but I find anything lower than a 38 gauge needle is just too coarse to work with. I love my 38 gauge star needles & use them for most of my work, I also use 40 gauge triangular needle for finer details. Fine crown needles are great for extra fine details (they are meant for attaching fur/hair, with the barb right on the tip of the needle).
- It's ok to start over. This one has been hard for me to accept & it has been a steep learning curve, but if something really isn't working, no amount of poking/shaping can make it better. It is better to take bits off & re-do them completely.
- When building a shape (without an armature) start small & felt it well. Then add more wool & continue to felt solidly. That way your creation won't be squishy in the middle.
- The internet is your friend! Look for online tutorials or local classes.
- Join an online group - Facebook has some wonderful needle felting groups, for people of all skill ranges, beginners & experts alike. Very friendly groups where you can ask for advice & make new felty friends.

So there you have it, a little introduction to me, my work and my favourite artists. If you would like to know more about me or see more of my work from when I first started out to the present day, you can head over to my Blog; Heartfelt Creations By Lisa. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and you can also check out my for sale items in my Etsy Shop.

I hope you have enjoyed this little peek into my world, and I really hope that you will stick around to see what I have got lined up for you. I am absolutely thrilled to tell you that in my upcoming articles I shall be INTERVIEWING all three of my favourite artists!!! So if you are a fan of Castle of Costa Mesa, Sarafina Fibre Art or Felted Art to Wear, or you would love to find out more about what they do, then stick around because I shall be poking around inside their brilliant minds & finding out more about what makes them 'tick'. I will also be finding out what felting hints and tips the masters have learned along the way.

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Thanks for stopping by, I hope to see you again very soon.
- Lisa.