Needle felting

[chapchap73]

I just ran across this lady's work on Pinterest this morning. I was amazed by the level of artistry she's achieved.

 

Needle Felted Dolls

[Lucille Kreps]

wow!!!  those dolls are amazing!! I've always been kind of turned off by the idea of needle felted people since it's weird when they're faces look fuzzy - but hers are crazy!!  they're so smooth for being felt!  I wonder if she uses a wet felting technique or some kind of liquid to finish off the faces and solidify the surface?

[Lucille Kreps]

On 5/16/2016, 2:33:05, shannonc60 said:

Amazing, all three! Love them! How did you do those tiny fingers and toes? 

on the hands and toes I used polymer clay (fimo professional and I was surprised at how strong it is compared to the sculpey I had always used!) there is a wire armature underneath.  I'll attach a photo of the gerbil before the wool went on.  The ladies at the fiber shop were getting a big kick out of the rodent dolls when they'd flip them over to examine the feet and find out that they're atomically correct lol.  I even put scent gland patches in the appropriate area for each (hips for hammies - tummies for gerbils)  so they would really look like what they are and distinguish them from mice.  They have needle felted muscle masses over the wire skeletal armature and under the topmost layers of felted 'skin'.  The eyes are glass beads.  The ears are also polymer clay and them along with the hands and feet are blended into the felted sculpture by painting and then gluing on flocking cut from the same wool.

and, yes, real dogs and especially cats LOVE needle felted things - my cats are DYING to get their hands on these things!!  It took me about 50 hours to do each one... so nope! not a kitty toy!

[shannonc60]

Wow, what a process! Thanks for providing that rundown. You should be very proud of your work!