Felting Wild Life with Judy Titche

Judy Titche lives in Indiana and is a trained artist with a degree in painting and drawing. Her creative exploration, however, has moved her more toward 3D works which she really enjoys.  Her felted animals and the rich colors and textures in her scenes are utterly brilliant.

“I have done a great deal of work in 3D mosaics. My current show at the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette is a combination of mosaics and fiber held together by the theme of animals.”

“I have always had a fascination with vintage fabric and needlework. I saw a photo of needle felted embellishment and I plunged in head first. I love to learn new art forms and I also like the challenge of pushing them to their/my limits. I like the little ”surprises” of wet felting and the variety of color in wool rovings.  Needle felting is both a challenging and unique sculpting medium.  I find the final form is also unique in its texture and detail.”

 

Judy considers “nature” to be her greatest inspiration. “Every day I am amazed at the beauty of nature. I think I captured some of that beauty in my baby duck piece, the Snowy Owl and the Cardinals in a Magnolia Tree.”

Judy shared that her greatest artistic challenges to date were around the felted snowy owl hanging in her current solo show.

“I think the Snowy Owl was the most challenging due to the armature I had to build to provide support for the life sized wings and body. Also the installation piece around the owl was quite challenging.  My vision was to create an ethereal setting for the owl to be flying through.  I was quite pleased with the final result.”

Next on her bucket list of “things to felt” is an installation representing several different jellyfish.

 Judy offers encouraging words to those just getting started:

 “Keep your eyes open and look, look, look. Train yourself to see detail and the numerous hidden treasures all around you.  There are innumerable textures and color combinations that are awe inspiring. Use what you see as  inspiration for your work.”

Judy shared her use of Living Felt Fibers and tools:        “I use Living Felt core wool for most of my 3D work.  I like the foam pads for needle felting and Merino wool for its softness and color variety.”

 Besides her current exhibit, you can see more of Judy’s eclectic style in her etsy shop: ReZoom

Needle Felted Great Horned Owl — Wow!

We couldn’t let Felted Wild Life Week pass without sharing works from some particular members of our felting family! Erin Carlson of Fiber Art by Erin is another felter whose wild life sculptures continue to delight and to inspire so many!!

This Needle Felted Great Horned Owl boasts a 35″ wingspan and is 22″ tall.

See More from Erin

Like Fiber Art by Erin on facebook

Needle Felting Art is Popping Up Everywhere!

A big congratulations this week to Megan Nedds of The Woolen Wagon!
Megan is known for her highly realistic needle felted animal sculptures, and she often uses Living Felt MC-1 Felting Batts in their creation.

Megan is featured in the Spring 2015 issue of Out Here Magazine, available at Tractor Supply Stores
here in the U.S.A. — go on out and get one! :)

In December of last year, Megan shared this wonderful elephant with us:
“I just finished my most recent commission, Daisy the Asian Elephant. She is needle felted over a wire armature and is about 10 inches long. I used the Willow batt.”

See more from Megan

Like her on  facebook @ The Woolen Wagon (where she often shares her  “works in progress”!)

Felted Sweet Hearts

Pattie shared her darling needle felted mice on our facebook page and our hearts melted :)

“Sweet Valentine’s Day Mice! I have truly fallen in LOVE with felting!!”

– Patti Rieffel Dallas, South Carolina

Needle Felted Piglet is Stealing Hearts…it all Started in Tennessee

Chris Armstrong in Nashville, Tennessee is felting up a storm and teaching classes to boot!
Not so long ago he called up and told us he would be teaching a class in an Airstream Craft Trailer
… how uber-cool is that?

This precious piglet is made with CW-1 Core Wool, Soft Pink and Orchid Pink
We just had to share him with you!!

> see more from Chris!

Bird Feet for Needle Felted Birds – Free Tutorial

How To Make Bird Feet

by  our Felting Friend, Patty Gibson

When I started needle felting birds, I soon discovered that there was a need to come up with a method to create bird feet. At first, I knew of no simple process to do this but by experimenting with a few household products, I discovered that there was an easy way after all.

I would like to share with you what I learned on this journey and provide an easy, inexpensive, and very quick way for you to make your own bird feet. If you do not have a certain bird in mind or if you are a little unsure just how to make a bird; you can use the Nesting Bird Tutorial and create your own colorful bird body. Here is a simple process on how to make your very own bird feet.

For this project you will need white glue, jewelry wire, floral tape, fingernail polish and needle nose wire cutter/pliers.

1. Create your bird. I used the Nesting Bird in a previously posted tutorial

2. White glue, jewelry wire, floral tape, fingernail polish and needle nose wire cutter/pliers

3. Start with approximately 12 inches of wire

4. 2 inches down from the top of the wire, bend at a 90 degree angle (forming a bird leg)

5. To start creating the toes, make two 1” wire loops as shown (forming the first two toes)

6. For the second two toes, create duplicate loops at a 90 degree angle.

7. All four toes should be approximately the same size (1”). Now twist together the two long ends of the wire (leg) with your pliers

8. Using your pliers, twist the bird toes and arrange the toes as shown

9. Cut off the excess wire on the top of the leg

10. Take your floral tape and wrap around the top of the bird leg

11. Wrap the tape tightly around the wire

12. Continue wrapping around the bird toes

13. The bird foot should be completely covered with floral tape

14. I frequently use black and gray fingernail polish (you can use brown and cream, etc)

15. First brush on a black coat of polish

16. While the polish is still wet

17. Apply a little grey polish

18. The black should show through the grey and create a marbled look

19. Repeat all of the steps for the second bird foot

20. Now you are ready to attach the feet to your bird

21. You will need white glue

22. Apply a small amount of glue to the top of the bird feet

23. Wrap a small piece of wool around the glued top of the leg

24. Lightly needle felt the wool

25. Needle felt the feet to the bird body

26. Continue needle felting until firmly applied

27. Apply colored wool to blend the leg into the bird body

28. The feet are now firmly attached to the bird body

29. While holding the bird feet, adjust the bird until it is balanced and stands by itself

Now you can create some interesting places to display your bird masterpiece. Enjoy!

Needle Felted Mice, Cats and Whimsey

Elena Covert is the art and soul behind NeighborKitty, a precious and engaging
shop on etsy, filled with delightful characters. We discovered the magic when she wrote
to us one day and said simply, “I am your customer, and this is my page on etsy.”
We are so glad she did!

We took the opportunity to learn more about her, and are happy to share Elena and her shop with you.

Elena shares,  “Felting is my true love. Month after month I work to improve my skills, I do not rush to make and sell the needle felted items. My goal is to make each piece as beautiful and with the greatest quality that makes both my buyer and myself happy.”

Her creative explorations began very early on at the age of 7 with sewing. As she grew up, she added knitting, more advanced sewing, crochet, embroidery and later…felting.  She discovered felting when she wanted to learn to felt beads for a necklace, and this let to larger items such as the animals she sculpts now. Elena also creates in oven baked polymers and says that her “biggest challenge” has been to incorporate all of the mediums into one crafted item.

Elena says that she enjoys needle felting because, “I find it very relaxing and allows me to take a small amount of wool and turn it into something with character and personality.” Elena “loves cats” and have two that provide her constant inspiration.

We asked Elena what her next big project will be, or what she is dreaming to do … as with many of us, the inspiration seems in constant flow,

she says, “I have “millions” of creative thoughts in my head, not sure what I will make tomorrow.”

 

To others who are just getting started, Elena offers these encouraging words,

“Don’t be afraid to do what you like and enjoy yourself.”

 Visit & Shop with Elena on etsy:  NeighborKitty