I'm hooked on needle felting

I'm hooked on needle felting. It's a great change from sewing although a dangerous craft as the needles are so sharp. My fingers have been jabbed quite a few times.

Yesterday I decided to buy a few more supplies which have made it much easier to felt. I brought a 'needle pen' which has three needles in it making it faster to felt. You can take needles out for finer work and use one or two needles. Instead of the foam I brought a brush as well. I also brought a book on Needle felting called 'Needle Felting Magic by Barbara Allan. I'm looking forward to it arriving so hat I can learn some more techniques to make other designs.

Last night I made a little dog with a ball and a beetle. I am please with the dog but the beetle needs a bit of work!

My needle felted 'Little bear'

I finished Little Bear tonight and am really pleased with how he has turned out. He may not be perfect or meet the high standard of bear makers but I really like him.

Little bear measures about 8cm sitting and is made by dry needle felting using a merino wool. I broke three needles making this little guy so will need to keep a supply if I am going to make more things.


I'm enjoying needle felting although it is hard on my hands so I can't do it for too long at a time. I'm now on the look out for my next project. I would love to do some lady bugs so will have to buy some red and black wool.

Quilting circles on Jake's quilt

I've been quilting the circles on Jake's quilt. When I first started the quilt I didn't think that I would be quilting the circles which were on the pattern - they seemed far too hard!



There are 4 whole circles and two partial circles on each block - all 4 cm apart. I've cut out templates which I use to help position the circles evenly.



I am really pleased that I decided to quilt the circles and love the way they are looking.

I've completed the circles on 2 blocks with another 7 to go.

Dry Needle felting

I had a chance to try dry needle felting last weekend and loved it.

I'd recently seen two people making an old man and a bear by dry needle felting and really wanted to give it a try. I was really excited when I had the opportunity to try it myself.

My first effort is this little angel which started out as a ball and grew as the afternoon went on.

Yesterday I went out and brought the needles and wool and started to make a little bear. I've made the head so far and am pleased that it does resemble a bear's head....

Some good news

Life has been racing by lately with lots happening but the biggest bit of news is that I finally have had an operation to put a pin and bone graft in my foot - 2 years and 6 days after the fracture happened!

Thankfully TAC accepted my claim which I am so grateful for as it has meant that I was able to have the operation done privately and a lot sooner than if I had to go through the public health system. I am now at home recuperating from the surgery. I wont know until I have another x-ray on the 7th October if the surgery has been a success but so far everything is going well. Unfortunately I have had to stop my injections of Humira for my arthritis as they make me more susceptible to infections so I have been in a lot of pain in my joints. Hopefully I will be able to start them again in a few weeks.

The second big bit of news is that I have finished all the subjects for my Advanced Diploma of Accounting. I started the course in 1998 so it is great to have finally finished after 12 years of study. A lot has happened in the 12 years since I started - many hospital admissions with asthma, subarachnoid haemorrhage, operations, moved house to name a few things, so I am really proud of myself for not giving up. I've applied for my certificate so should get that in a couple of months.