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on orders over $300.00 in the lower 48
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NEW!
The Ashford Book of Needle Felting
Explore the
unlimited potential of needle felting
with the Ashford Book of Needle Felting.
Create your own adorable figures,
beautiful flowers and scenes, striking
jewelry and embellishments all in flat
or sculpted felt. With just a little
wool, a felting needle and this book you
can create unique, beautiful felted
works of art. If you haven’t tried
needle felting, here is a book to
inspire you. The Ashford Book of Needle
Felting explains and illustrates all the
techniques, materials and equipment
needed. For each project there are
step-by-step instructions and full color
photographs of each process. The Ashford
Book of Needle Felting offers projects
for beginners and skilled felters and
each project builds on the knowledge
gained. By the book’s end you will be
experienced and confident to create your
own masterpiece. The book provides all
the pattern templates for the projects.
112 pages, full color.
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NEW!
The Art of Felt
Inspirational
Designs, Textures and Surfaces. A
creative overview of felt and felt
making that, with the aid of more than
300 photographs, encourages readers to
be inspired by the sky. The Art of Felt includes basic techniques that can be
used to create felted fabrics from
scratch, such as needle-felting and
tufting, along with imaginative ways
with readymade felt. It is sure to
appeal to all craftspeople, textile
designers and students, and will be an
invaluable source of inspiration for
anyone involved in textile design.
An inspiring, all-color
survey of designs and patterns for this
popular craft. Often thought of as a
practical material, felt can be
surprisingly versatile and even poetic.
With handmade felted fabrics, subtle
variations in color, texture, and volume
can be achieved: threads and fibers
merge almost magically to form new
motifs that can then be enlivened by
embroidered or crocheted details.
Franoise Tellier-Loumagne takes an
original approach to the world of
feltmaking, finding design inspiration
in calm morning skies, spectacular
sunsets, and brilliant fireworks
displays. The book includes basic
techniques that can be used to create
felted fabrics from scratch, such as
needle-felting and tufting, along with
imaginative ideas for ready-made felt.
With a little artistic guidance, clouds
across the moon can be turned into an
eye-catching necklace, or a stormy sky
may inspire a striking scarf or cushion
cover. The Art of Felt is illustrated with hundreds of
images, this book will be a treasure
trove for anyone interested in original
textile design.
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NEW!
Not your
Mama's Felting, Amy Swanson
The
Cool and Creative Way to Get it Together.
The Art of A Felting, the process of
working wool fibers together to form
felt, is the ultimate in craft
creativity because no two items turn out
exactly alike. The first book to cover
knitted or crocheted felting, needle
felting, and wet felting, Not Your
Mama's Felting will have you
creating fashions, accessories, and
gifts that will have your non-felting
friends asking, "How did you do that?"
The essentials in Not Your Mama's
Felting: all about fiber, the
tools of the trade, wet felting,
needle felting, fulling, and dyeing.
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NEW!
Creative
Felting
Color, color, color, that is what
Creative Felting is all all about. Discover your own
creativity with the ancient art of felting. Creative
felting will show you step
by step instructions to teach you how to felt the easy
way. Experiment with different fibers and techniques and
with blending and contrasting a whole range of colors.
Watch your fiber come to life with Creative Felting and
watch vibrant color combination and textures appear in
your projects. Creative Felting is an inspiring book for
all of us who are color challenged (and don't know it)
Filled with great color combos to copy or explore.
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Little
Felted Animals
Create
16 Irresistible Creatures with Simple
Needle-Felting Techniques. Create
your own menagerie of adorable miniature
animals with this completely
irresistible collection of projects with
Little Felted Animals. Using simple
needle felting techniques, basic tools
and some wool roving. Little Felted
Animals shows how to transform fluffs of
wool fiber into crazy-cute critters that
will melt the heart. Sixteen projects
span old favorites such as dogs, cats,
mice and birds to the more elusive fox,
baby seal, brown bear, and penguin. You
won’t be able to urge to bring every one
to life. Cute, cute, cute!!
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How We Felt,
Designs and Techniques
Beginning with an iconic project, the technique of
felting around a ball that artist Beth Beede made famous
and taught throughout the world, the book continues with
more than 20 artists and highlights diverse forms,
including hats, capes, a dress, bags, slippers, jewelry,
rugs, pillows, a curtain, an ottoman, and other
decorative pieces, plus vessels, hanging installations,
a felted chess set, and other art forms. How We Felt showcases other artists and provides further ideas to
spark the fiber artist’s imagination. Readers are
encouraged to use the examples and instructions to
inform their own creative endeavors. In addition to
practical information on creating the pieces shown, each
project is accompanied by biographical information and
insights into the artist’s own inspiration.
Felt Frenzy, 26 Projects
for All Forms of Felting
This
is not your ordinary felting book! Felt Frenzy
explores all the major techniques of felt making, from
knit-and-shrink to wet felting, needle felting, and
“recycled felting”—turning salvaged wool sweaters into
useful felt pieces—plus ways to combine techniques for
creative and unique results. Designed
with the absolute beginner in mind, Felt Frenzy
is packed with 26 projects and photographs of more than
50 before-and-after felted yarn combinations so readers
can easily customize patterns with substitutions of
their choice. You’ll find instructions for the
ever-popular felted bag, but it doesn’t stop there—learn
to make felted flowers, hats, jackets, scarves, wool
sneakers, even a nuno felted skirt. As an added bonus,
you’ll find “design ideas” scattered throughout the book
to give your projects an extra creative boost; these
suggestions help integrate felt into other fiber arts,
from embroidery to shibori.
Simply Felt, 20
easy and elegant designs in wool, Margaret
Docherty, Jayne Emerson
Starting with an old thrift shop sweater
or a bag of raw wool you can create handsome, durable
fabrics for striking wearable or home decor. All it
takes is soap, water and a bit of scrubbing and rubbing.
Simply Felt will teach you how to make felt from old knitted fabrics, make
felt from raw wool and other fibers, how to felt by
hand or washing machine, how to created flat fabrics or
sculptural shapes. Find out how to enhance your felt by
inlaying fibers for color and texture effects, easy
step-by step instructions. 128 pages.
The Art of Feltmaking,
Anne Einset Vickrey
Basic
Techniques for making Jewelry, Miniatures, Dolls,
Buttons, Wearables, Puppets, Masks and Fine Art Pieces.
The Art of Feltmaking demonstrates how to use the
natural properties of wool to make delightful,
one-of-a-kind felted items. The techniques are so simple
that even kids can join the fun. To get started all you
need are wool, hot, soapy water and your hands. 144
pages.
Feltmaking by Hand,
Anne Einset Vickrey
Subtitled
The Basic Process this video is perfect for all who
would like to learn how to felt with soap and water.
Feltmaking is a simple technique requiring very little
equipment, which produces warm woolen wearables like
hats, slippers and mittens that are fun to wear, and
they make great gifts. You will learn how to choose the
best wool, how to prepare fleece for felting, & how to
make your own patterns. You will be given complete
instructions for making a felt hat & ideas for lots of
other projects. A great craft for all ages. 51 minutes.
"This is an excellent video...well organized... clear &
concise" HANDWOVEN MAGAZINE
Videos
and DVDs are non returnable once shrink warp or seal in
broken.
by
Anne Einset Vickrey
Even if you have never heard of
needle felting before, this book is for you. Let Anne
Einset Vickrey show you how to create whimsical dolls
and sculptures, and also lovely works of art.
Imagination is the only limit to what you can create.
Needle Felting gives useful information as to the tools, and
how to choose an appropriate felting needle. The two
methods for creating felt are also explained. The five
projects begin with the very simple and progress into
three dimensional objects. Spiral bound.
NEW! Ashford Needle Felting
Starter Kit

Here is everything you
need to get started! The Ashford Needle Felting
Starter Kit comes complete with the Ashford Book of
Needle Felting, which will give you confidence to create
your own unique and beautiful felted works of art. The
book covers materials, equipment, techniques and
provides all the pattern templates.
The Ashford Needle Felting Starter Kit includes 4 types
of needle, 15 colors of fiber, foam block, washaway
fabric and The Ashford Book of Needle Felting by Barbara
Allen.
NEW!
Colonial Felt-by-Number Kits
Create a felted work of art with our Colonial
Felt-By-Number Kits. Transfer creative iron-on designs
to garments, accessories or home décor items of your
choice. Then, all you do is “paint” the picture using
our colorful wool fibers and felting needles. Kits comes
complete with iron-on transfers, guide sheets, a foam
block, 2 felting needles and wool. $19.95 each
NEW!
Ashford Needle Felting Kits
Cute, cute cute! These Ashford Needle Felting kits are
easy and fast! Choose from a frie ndly
and cute Beagle or set of three flirty butterflies. Both
kits come with everything you need! The Butterflies kit
comes complete with fiber, felting needle, felting pad
and instructions. The Beagle kit comes with fiber, wire
and instruction.
NEW!
Ashford Merino Silk Scarf Felting Kit
Felt
a luxurious Merino Silk Scarf! The Ashford Scarf Felting
Kit is an easy wet felting project, perfect as a gift or
just treat yourself. The Ashford Scarf Felting Kit comes
complete with Silk Chiffon, Merino-Silk wool and
instructions. Seven luscious colors to choose from!
Clover
Needle Felting Molds
Have fun!! Create unique felted
designs the easy way. Clover Needle Felting Molds give
you the perfect shapes! Attach to your favorite felt
purse, bag or hat, embellish garments and much much
more! Use Clover Needle Felting Molds with single
felting needle or Clover Pen Style Felting Needle Tool
(below) Felting needle pad required. Choose from eight
fun Clover designs! $6.50 each.
Felting Needle Kit,
Basic
Learn
a new craft! Felting is easy to do and rewarding as
well. Felting needles allow you to sculpt your work or
add details that you can not obtain when felting with
water and soap. Kit contains foam pad, four felting
needles, and instructions on use and how to make a
felted coaster. Fiber not included
Felting
Needle Punch, Ashford
Wooden felting needle
punch that allows you to store felting needles inside
the punch when not in use. A nice safety feature! Holds
four felting needles. Comes with four needles for punch
and extra needle for detail work.
Student Needle
Felting Punch, Ashford
Same great shape as above this value
priced felting needle punch lets you store your felting
needles securely inside when not in use. Clear, strong
acrylic. Three felting needles included.
Felting Needle Punches from Colonial
Nicely
contoured felting needle tools in two sizes. Includes 36
gauge felting needles. Comfortable contoured birch
handle. Additional needles sold seperatly.
NEW!
Ashford
Felting Wool Set 1
14 oz of carded Corriedale Sliver in 12 colors: moss,
navy, marigold, fir, eggplant, pumpkin, teal, lilac
haze, nutmeg, sky blue, rose & berry. Click on image to
enlarge.
NEW!
Ashford Felting Wool
Set 2
14 oz of carded Corriedale Sliver in 12 colors:
periwinkle, black, copper, camel, lima bean, chocolate,
blue, green, magenta, orange, purple. Click on image to
enlarge.
NEW!
Ashford Felting Wool
Set 3
14
oz of carded Corriedale Sliver in 12 colors: turquoise,
yellow, red, candy, indigo, lagoon, lime, lavender,
pansy, raspberry, tangerine. Click on image to enlarge.
Felting Needle
Replacement Packs
36 gauge triangular point coarse needles / 4
pack, for coarse wools and deep penetration
38 gauge triangular point all purpose needle /
4 pack, for all purpose
40 gauge triangular point fine needle / 4
pack, for fine details fine wools
38 gauge star point needle / 3 pack, for fast
felting and fine details. Star point needles will felt
slightly faster than standard triangular point needles.
Assortment 4 pack 1/#36, 2/#38, 1/#40
Ideas
for Felt
by
Salley Mavor

Does your fancy float to wee
fairy worlds? Do you like creating in a simple to
manipulate material? Do you enjoy spending time
embroidering and constructing truly unique objects?
These assemblages of felt, embroidery thread, pipe
cleaners, beads, and imagination are the authors
suggestions for her readers to look at and then go with.
She gives us a set of 18 projects decorated with a huge
cast of "wee folk". Try her pirate or fairy and apply
them to some of your own work or her projects. All the
figures and their clothing have patterns and ideas for
finishing. Also includes ideas for felt pins, purses,
pillows etc. This is a truly unique book for the avid
crafter. 80 pages, soft cover. Please
note this is not a "how to felt book", but rather a book
with charming ideas on how to use your self made or
store-bought wool felt.
Be safe:
Felting needle are not toys and do not belong
in the
hands of children.
Felting with Felting Needles
Felting needles will enable you to create felt
without the use of water or detergent. I allows you to
felt or “sculpt” your work, add fine details and let
your imagination run free. It is the prefect way to
explore your fiber fantasies and create, create, create!
How do Felting Needles
work?
These little needles have
been used for many years in the creation of commercial
felt and are now being discovered by individual felters.
A felting needle has small “barbs” or “burrs” on the
shaft which, when it penetrates the wool catches the
scales of the wool thus felting it. This “up and down”
or “punch” motion creates friction and thus felts the
wool.
What can I felt with a
Felting Needle?
What can you not? Start
out with a small project such as a coaster, a soap cover
or a small critter. Then let your imagination run wild.
You can create fine lacy scarves, fantasy figurines,
toys, vests…
Felting with Soap and Water
Woolen fibers that are submerged in hot soapy water
can be felted by rubbing and kneading. The friction plus
heats opens the scales of the wool, allowing them to
bond with each other permanently.
How does Felting with Water and Soap
work?
Felt is formed when
sheep's' wool or animal fur is subjected to heat,
moisture and pressure or agitation. Soap, or an alkaline
environment, helps the felting process. Heat and
moisture cause the outer scales along the fiber to open,
and the soap allows the fibers to slide easily over one
another thereby causing them to become entangled, thus
producing felt.
What Fiber do I need?
As a rule of thumb you will
experience that a finer wool will felt faster, meaning
that a merino will felt a lot faster than a Romney for
example. So…does that mean I always want to use the
finest fiber I can? No, not necessarily, a coarser
fiber, even though it may take longer to felt has it’s
advantages: the created felt will be thicker and will be
able to withstand wear better, which may be of advantage
of items that are being used a lot (slipper soles,
coasters etc) So, why don’t I just use real coarse
fiber then for everything? Well, you could, but no one
will love a scratch coarse scarf no matter how much love
you put into its creation.
So…the bottom line is: Your
fiber choice depends on your project and may vary. Just
make sure you do not purchase super wash fibers or else
you will be tying to make felt for the longest time
J
Felt in Past and Present
The oldest archaeological finds containing evidence
of the use of felt are in
Turkey
. Wall paintings that date from 6500 to 3000 B.C. have been
found which have the motif of felt applique. At Pazyryk
in Southern Siberia archeological evidence of felt was found
inside a frozen tomb of a nomadic tribal chief that
dates from the fifth century B.C. The evidence from this
find shows a highly developed technology for wool
felting. (These felts are in the
Hermitage Museum in St.
Petersburg, Russia. Some pieces can be seen on
the museums web site,
www.hermitagemuseum.org The Romans and Greeks knew
of felt. Roman soldiers were equipped with felt
breastplates (for protection from arrows), tunics, boots
and socks. The earliest felt found in
Scandinavia dates back to the Iron Age. Felt
wool sheets believed to be from about 500 A.D. were
found covering a body in a tomb in
Hordaland ,
Norway .
Today felt is still in use in many parts of the world
especially in areas with harsh climates. In
Mongolia , nomads live in felt tents
called yurts or gers. In
Turkey , rugs, hats and other items
are made of felt. In South Central Asia nomadic tribes
use felt as tent coverings, rugs and blankets. Shepherds
use felt cloaks (kepenek) and hats to protect them from
the harsh climate. In Scandinavia and
Russia
, felt wool boots are produced and widely used. More recently there
has been a revival in the interest in felt making
especially in
Great Britain and Scandinavia
and also in the
United States with
contemporary felt making design and techniques becoming
more widespread.
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Felting Needles
come in a variety of shapes and
sizes. They are used primarily in
industrial machines that hold
thousands of needles in large flat
plates to create non-woven fabrics.
But fiber artists use them for 2-
and 3-D work, either singly or in a
hand held apparatus that may hold
several needles.
All felting needles have a basic
shape. They have a long shank with a
narrow shaft that has a very sharp
tip.
The shaft may be triangular, star
shaped or conical. The thin shaft is
barbed. A barb is an indentation,
and it is this feature that catches
the wool and enables you to felt.
The number of barbs, the location,
and the depth varies between
needles. The smaller barb depth will
push less wool and vice versa. Let’s
look at these features and how they
affect needle felting.
A thin shaft of 38 or 40 gauge,
that is either star shaped or
triangular will leave the least
visible hole in the finished piece.
On most needles fiber artists are
using today, the barbs start 3/8”
(9.5mm) from the tip. I suggest
using a needle with a barb starting
only 3.2mm from the tip. This needle
does not have to penetrate very
deeply to work effectively. This is
especially good for fine details
such as making fingers, toes, and
eyes and lips on figurative
sculptures, or adding finishing
details to two dimensional work.
Very little surface deformation
occurs as the needle does not have
to go deep to push wool.

A shaft that has barbs starting
at 3.2mm from the tip and with barb
depths progressively deeper along
the shaft from the tip will allow
for very fine and shallow surface
work, but also deep sculpting as the
needle is pushed deeper into the
wool. For instance, when covering a
sculpted base with an outer fiber,
the needle only needs to penetrate
to the depth of the first barb to
connect the two surfaces and harden
the top surface. Further contouring
is done only when desired by pushing
the needle deeper to grab more
wool.
There are four needle styles.
They are:
1) 36 gauge triangle blade with
barbs of equal depth starting 3/8”
from tip for rough work, deep
penetration, or coarse wools.
2) 38 gauge triangle blade with
barbs of varied depths starting
3.2mm from tip for deep or fine work
– a good general purpose needle.
3) 38 gauge star blade with barbs of
varied depth starting 3.2mm from tip
for fast felting and deep or fine
work – a bit faster than the 38
gauge triangle.
4) 40 gauge triangle blade with
barbs of varied depths starting
3.2mm from tip for fine detail work
and fine wools.
Numbers 1, 2, and 3 are
multi-purpose needles.
Numbers 3 and 4 can be used to
repair nuno felt. |
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