Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Torturing needle felting machine!

Yes I did...I did torture my needle felting machine! Well I wanted to see how far she would go, what she would not do...lol. Well I found out! She does more then one could ever expect..really.
I did break one needle and that was even my fault. Clipped that needle short with pliers and went on with my torture....my baby hung in there like a real trooper!
In the pictures you see commercial felt( the cheapo stuff), roving, fabric and leftover twincies ( I have big hands inchies do not really work for me and I am not sure if twinchies is a word either..lol.) The basic I started with was some left over cotton batting pieces. Then from the back I needle felted the commercial felt to see what would happen. I used pieces of different colors. Then on the front went on with fabric, that's three layers the machine had to chew, but she did it. Have to remind you folks that you go slower then usual with the moving of your fabric when you have thick layers like that!


The twinchies were first just scrunched with the machine on the base cotton and then I put some roving over the edges to felt them down. Here I would like to remind you of the fact that fabric can be needle felted with the machine but you will have the stitch it with the sewing machine or felt it with roving to make it more permanent. The turtle was stamped and colored fabric leftover, so he had to go on somewhere too.



The face was drawn with pencils..I did not really like it so she was sacrificed as well.( she did not like to be scrunched into the scanner either with her face as you see..sorry about the wrinkles) Her hair is strips of commercial felt and the lighter color is roving. For thin strips like her hair I recommend you put your one needle attachment in your machine, if you use you five (or as in my case four) needles you will get more holes then needed,plus you will shred the strips. The leaf was a left over to be stuffed, needless to say it never got that far.


This was so much fun, I really recommend you guys go and try this. If you have never used a needle felting machine, go and check one out at a local dealer (for locals...bought mine at Brady's in Idaho Falls, really love the service and people there). The price of these things is very reasonable...I think cheaper then most sewing machines....but that's me. I guess I am a little prejudice about the machine because I have so much fun with her. Well my friends that's what I wanted to share with you guys for today.....please have a wonderful day and go and create?!
Andrea.

8 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Love it love it!!! I ahve been playing with mine some more as well! I ahe made some nmore heart Quilties- like the one that you liked before. I also did some in a crazy quilt style- I am going to try to sell them at a local gallery. All of my things have been selling really well there. you will ahve to drop by my blog soon to check them out!!
Hugs!
Elizabeth

Unknown said...

I love your pieces...the face too is awesome! I found with the needle felting that it will do almost anything but things with lycra in them...it is a needlebreaker for sure.

Enfys said...

Oh my, you are so talented I am in awe! I can just about sew a straight line on my cardstock, een that is often wobbly, but I pass it off as a deliberate attempt to be 'arty'. I really love what you have done here.
Enfys x

Ro Bruhn said...

Love what you've created with this machine. I used to make felt years ago and have often thought I might return, if I could create things like this with the embellisher I might be tempted to buy one.

Ange J Lee said...

Wonderful work....love the colours and the face was great! I love felting but can't justify the expense of an nf machine just yet....but would love one....what you can do with these machines is amazing!

Aileen Clarke Crafts said...

I love my needle felting machine! I was playing around with some roving, organza and scrim today. Nice to just make bits and pieces isn't it. Love your twincies hahaha.
Aileen.

Linda Vincent said...

This looks so exciting Andrea...I really like needle-felting and would love to do it with a machine.
Your work looks beautiful.
Thank you for your kind comments on ABAA today.
Love Linda

Corinna Nitschmann said...

I live in Hungary and here you cannot buy embellishers yet. I do only wet felting, but it is really fascinating what you can do with these machines. Maybe one day...Until this I go further with splashing in the soapy water.

Cheers
Corinna