I felt the birds (182 views)

[tielfan]

But not in the way that you're probably thinking.

I discovered needle felting at Thanksgiving time (that's late November), and by Christmas I had completed several items and gave most of them away as Christmas gifts. Here are the bird-related ones:

I didn't make this hummingbird ornament, I bought it at a store. I wanted to make some more (haven't gotten around to it yet) and that's how I got into needle felting.


This penguin was my first animal project.




This African grey was my first attempt at a pet bird.


This is Vlad.


And this is Vlad's head. I kept the head ornament for my own Christmas tree, but the complete Vlad has moved to California.

[Casey]

ooooh do you sell these???? i may want one next christmas!!!!

[tielfan]

I'm not planning to sell them at the moment. You're artistic so you could probably make nicer ones than I do - I'm not super talented in that area.

There are some really nice things available if you go looking for them. Google for needle felted birds (or anything else that strikes your fancy) and click on Images after the results come up. A lot of the stuff for sale is on Etsy.

[Casey]

but yours ARE nice!! i actually dont have the best hand with fabric art, so yours are better in my opinion, and i definately think you should sell them, a lot of people would love those!

i'd love to see a lovebird one that looks like munch

if you ever decide to sell them, let me know, i would most definately buy once i have some spare money

[tielfan]

It's not really fabric art. With needle felting you don't start out with a piece of felt cloth. You start with a piece of wool roving (loose wool that has been washed, combed, and maybe dyed) and poke it with a special needle until it mats together in the shape you want. It's more like sculpture than sewing. You make separate shapes for the different parts of the body then poke the needle through both of them until they stick together, and you can overlay one color on another and poke it until it sticks. What you're really doing is making the wool fibers interlock with each other.

Munch would make a BEAUTIFUL needle felting piece because her colors are so gorgeous.

[Casey]

i may have to try my hand at it one day! i love the cockatiel one. i just love his feet and his crest the most... theyre really well done