Happily, this doesn't happen very often, but occasionally I get halfway through a piece and realise that it is wrong to my original intention. As with this pre-ordered hare, Willow. Yesterday I realised that her arms were going to be too long for her body; cutting the arms down, as I did, didn't help. She needed more neck length. She was looking too tubby anyway - more like a rabbit than a hare. Only one thing to do...find the big scissors...
(If you are Janet of the Empty Nest, you might want to look away now...)
Cut off her head. It gives me a rare chance to look at cross section of one of my toys and see how densely it's been worked.
So the neck extending begins.
Once the wool is taking shape, I can hold the head on with a spare felting needle so that I can work on her more easily, in my hands.
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By: Paintgranny,
on 9/20/2011
Blog: Middle of Nowhere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Teddy Bears of Witney, kokeshi, demonstrating needle felting, Koko, kokeshi kittens, sherbert lemons, needle felt kittens, Add a tag
It's that time of year when I deliver my contribution to the yearly Teddy Bears of Witney catalogue.
Only one edition this year, and a bit different to my usual style. I thought it would be nice to have a basic kitten design and call them after sweets, depending on what colours they were.
So this is 'Sherbert Lemon', always my favourite sweet. The design seemed faintly familiar and at first I was worried that I'd inadvertently plagarised the ubiquitous 'Hello Kitty'. (Which of course, I would never do, having quite strict morals about that kind of thing).
Then I traced it back to a toy painting I did back in 2006, 'Koko With Checks' thinking at the time what fun it would be to actually make this in real life.
15 Comments on Three Little Maids, last added: 9/21/2011
By: Paintgranny,
on 6/26/2011
Blog: Middle of Nowhere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: needle felt, demonstrating needle felting, tiny toadstools, needle felt toadstools, Add a tag
A new line! Teeny Tiny Toadstools - they do exactly what they say on the box, as it were. Looking rather quaint against this gorgeous vintage fungi book which my friend the lovely Emma sent me last year as an unexpected birthday present.
They are teeny.
They are tiny. (Or at least, very small, but that doesn't trip off the tongue as easily).
And, they *only* take a day or so to make. So I can sell them for less than my larger toy creatures.
Two were snapped up at once. There was one left until this morning. Not any more.
22 Comments on Teeny Tiny Toadstools, last added: 6/29/2011
By: Paintgranny,
on 12/3/2010
Blog: Middle of Nowhere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: demonstrating needle felting, needle felt postcards, Rambling Rose, Gretel Parker, needle felt elephant, needle felt, Add a tag
Ramblin’ rose, ramblin’ rose
Why you ramble, no one knows,
Wild and wind-blown, that’s how you’ve grown,
Who can cling to a ramblin’ rose?
(Nat King Cole)
I am back to work and not before time - my piggy bank is decidedly convex after so many weeks of not earning. Rose was commissioned almost a year ago and what with one thing and another, she has taken some time to finish. She is not just a pink elephant, she is half a load of wood for the wood burner and a big grocery shop for my depleted store cupboards; appearances can be deceptive.
Now she is on her way to America, to join her new owner and I am almost finished with another back-order. I have a list of people who want to know when I will have new stock for sale, but I must get the last couple of things made before starting new designs. I'm thinking moles and hedgehogs, maybe a squirrel. Red of course.
26 Comments on Rambling Rose, last added: 12/7/2010
By: Paintgranny,
on 4/23/2010
Blog: Middle of Nowhere (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Teddy Bears of Witney, craft stall, demonstrating needle felting, Add a tag
Another week of getting my head down and getting on with things - this seems like a long time ago now, but it was only last Sunday that I was taxie'd off to Witney at an unholy hour, to set up stall at the Teddy Bears of Witney 25th birthday party. The team had been setting up the previous day and there were bears and bear-o-memorabilia stacked high.
My little stall was tucked away in a corner, where I could have my back to the wall. I had a couple of hours to sort myself out. The last three of my animals which were brought by the shop last year were waiting to go on display. Nice to see them again.
I set to work and soon had it feeling more like home. 
I rigged up an old notice board with a few sketches, and various gubbins pinned to it, including a rare photo of me when I was four, with some of my old toys.
Me looking rather scruffy in my hand me downs and hair cut by dad. I still have a few of these old timers and they came with
29 Comments on My first stall, last added: 4/26/2010
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That is nothing short of magic! I hope her future owner is impressed with your skills as a surgeon. Wonderful.
Whew!! surgery a fait a accomplis....... and perfect!
I always like my faces to have eyes as soon as possible too.... she is a little sweetie now....
I haven't done any needle felting for ages - your lovely little creature makes me want to do some NOW ...... not that mine will turn out as fabulous as yours!!
Decapitated AND YET LIVES! It's a miracle!
Amazing! Does that work on humans also? My middle is looking a little too tubby- I could use an extension! Beautiful work! ♥
wow, thats dedication! The new shape is much more slender and elegant and harelike! Great surgery....have you ever considered medical school? ;)
Fascinating. You will show us the finished article, won't you?
Glad you gave her eyes AFTER the surgery - she may never have recovered from the trauma of seeing her own beheading! M x
Wow, that was so informative! Thank you! I just started needle felting (I haven't gotten past balls and am having fun. Yours are so smooth and evenly textured. Mine are still in the orange peel stage.
Thank you for the education.
Hey Gretel, such a lot of time and effort goes into your wonderful creatures. It's very interesting to see the processes behind the end result.
I love Willow she's going to be a little beauty.
It's a beautiful,☀ morning here and I'm off to the dentist woohoo. Life can't get much better, lol.....
Claire :}
My goodness..what a lot of work. Its worth it but I'm sure you don't get paid for anything like the hours you put in.
Did you like biology when you were little? ;-) I'm glad hare survived her operation.
Gretel, it's interesting to have this behind the scenes view of how you find ways to alter your needle felting, and find a way to get to your original inspiration for a certain character.
Ah, let me also say that I did finally find the Mollie Makes issue with your charming bear and cupcake. I hope that this featuring will give you lots of good publicity and lead to lots of more felting for you.
Getting much cooler hereabouts, and the apartment radiators are steaming away...it's actually a bit too hot here.
Best wishes! xo
An amazing amount of work goes into these adorable little creatures. It is always good to have a back-up plan when things go awry,now it is perfect!
Dear Gretel,
I have had a headache all day...and now I know why!!!!!
OUCH!!!!!!! Happy to see Willow feeling herself once again.
She is looking good.
Janet xox
the Marie Antoinette of the hare world!
phew- for a moment there you had me worried....
You are such a clever little felter! I am sure she will be as right as rain soon and won't even have a sore throat as a result of your gentle intervention. Jo
I have a poorly throat and head this evening, and kind of wish I was living close enough to you to also be given a new, improved and less painful throat and head!
It is, as always, amazing to see how you work and fascinating (and impressive) to see such a densely felted cross section.
Hope Willow is happy with her cosmetic surgery :-)
fabulous I love the character emerging. Must be the month for hares, just finishing one off at the moment, mine ok around the neck, but did need leg extensions.
I am looking forward to seeing the finished hare