Needle Felting with Martha Sulya
Learn the basics of needle felting as you make small woodland creatures such as rabbits, squirrels, skunks, raccoons or chipmunks. Pieces can be free-standing figures or strung for tree ornaments.
Needle felting is an inexpensive hobby, requiring only the barbed needles, loose wool, and a piece of foam or matting to work against. The technique is more like sculpting than other fiber arts. One takes a roll of the wool in the approximate shape of the desired form and pokes it with the needle. The barbs on the needles hook the hair follicles together and strategically bind them. The more one pierces, the tighter the form.
Martha is a potter, but took up needle felting 10 years ago as a low-budget supplement to working in clay. She especially enjoys the flexibility of the method: there are few limits in color or form and the speed of the technique is especially gratifying. She makes and sells wool mammals, birds, reptiles, invertebrates and ‘eye-catching’ vegetables.
Materials will be provided and included in the class fee. The number of pieces students take home will vary individually according to size (3 to 6 inches) and complexity of form.
Students may also take home felting needles and excess wool.
