At the start of the new year I knew I wanted to learn how to needle felt. I've always enjoyed having a craft to work on in the winter. Spring, summer and fall always finds me in the garden working on a bed here or there. But in winter I enjoy doing handwork. I used to do cross stitch and embroidery as well as sewing. Wanting to try something different, I thought needle felting might appeal to me.
When we were in England last year we saw the most gorgeous sheep doting the landscape in the beautiful dry stacked stone walls. I wanted a souvenir of our time and something to remember our time there always pointed to sheep for me. I searched the shops while we were there and never found the right little lamb to bring home.
If we had the property to have animals, I would have sheep. Yes I would. Well, in the real world I don't live on acres of land, but maybe I can needle felt a few sheep.
There are dozens of tutorials on Youtube about needle felting. Even ones that show how to needle felt a little lamb. After looking at the tutorials, I was ready to give it a try. Finding supplies proved to be my biggest challenge. Only one of the local craft stores carries a limited supply of needle felting materials. The number of supplies needed is quite minimal. Just roving wool and felting needles and a foam pad. My kind of craft, I think. I bought a package of roving wool and a gadget that holds six felting needles. The store didn't have single needles.
So off I go into my first project to make a little lamb. My little lamb came together and was easy to fashion as the tutorial prescribed. I was jabbing away as one does to felt the wool and my needles began to break. I broke everyone of the six needles that came with my gadget. I ordered a set of needles online and was disappointed to learn that it would be 2 weeks before delivery. While waiting for the needles I did more research and learned that my technique needed perfecting to avoid breaking them. The right gauge needle is important as well.
After receiving my needles I finished my little lamb and made a little black faced one as well. I think I'm hooked.
It's fun to sit in the afternoon or evenings and make a little creature that brings my thoughts back to England.
