Damn that's a lot of work or how to felt when you're broke

       So my wonderful (and in childhood years wretched) sister asked me the other day what materials I use to felt with. She's got a tight budget while she's home with my newest nephew and she knows that's just how mine always is. I've seldom let a lack of funds dictate whether or not I make things so she asked me what materials I use when I felt (needle mind you, never tried wet felting...yet).

I use regular stuffing for the core of any felting project I start. The more cottony feeling the stuffing is the better. I use Morning Glory stuffing, which if any of you have used it you know the texture is different from box to box. When I get the more slippery stuff I make a quick run over the finished shape with a lighter to shrink up stray bits that would otherwise show through the final color layer.

For the color layer I will use a couple of different things. On rare occasion I'll actually get to use roving (I have a stash of angora from a a friend I made one thing and it was so soft and wonderful I couldn't think what would be awesome enough to use it again) but for the most part I use yarn or felt. They both need to be shredded back into rough fiber before you can use them so there's a lot of elbow grease involved.

Some of the fluffier chunkier yarns, like Lion Brand Homsespun, are really easy to shred, you just have to find the thin thread that's wrapped around the thicker fluffy strand and unwind it. The thicker strand will pretty much fluff apart.

Otherwise I just bust out the scissors and get to work like I'm curling a party ribbon.


I don't suggest using cotton, it shreds readily but doesn't felt worth a damn.

For the felt, you don't really want to use the cheap stuff you find in most crafts stores by the sheet. Either go by the yard or get the really good stuff on Etsy. I know not terribly money saving to tell you to go buy stuff, but it's still cheaper than roving and if you use felt at all it's a win-win.

Same method when shredding the felt, though once it gets started you can just pull it apart with your hands and save your thumb a bit of ouch from the scissors pushing up on it.


      
And that's what I do every time I felt something. Speaking of which, here are some of the projects I've got going on right now.

 My sexy bearded lady, available here

 Excuse me Mr Lion, I seem to have lost my hat

 One day I'll get wings and be finished

 He just needs weights on his barbell and his signage and he'll be ready to go

Make your princess a glittering star wand

Welcome all! Last week was my son's 4th birthday and in lieu of a party (which never go well for me) we planned a birthday adventure for him and his older sister. They got to dress up in royal attire and among other things, slay a dragon, capture snakes and defeat a forest of spiders.
(plus a photo scavenger hunt)

For my daughter we made a tutu and crown and to complete the outfit I made her a glittering star wand.

Supplies;

glitter

Mod Podge

scissors

1/4 dowel cut to length (or a knitting needle like I used)

hot glue

some tulle, ribbon, or yarn to wrap around the wand

Here's how:

First I searched all over to find a good 3D star template and found it here

 Then I used GIMP to shrink it so that I could get two of them onto one page.

I cut them out and folded them to make the shape

Then I glued them together. I used Mod Podge but I would recommend hot glue cause it slipped around when I set it down to dry. Also cut a notch big enough for your wand (I used a knitting needle, though I bought a dowel that never got cut for it)

Apply Mod Podge to the star, be generous with the glue or you'll have empty spots.

The party was is in  pink and blue (they boy's favorite colors) so I alternated the colors.

Put hot glue on the tip of the dowel (or knitting needle), you can paint the dowel first, and push into the tip of star through the notch you cut.

Make sure you add enough hot glue so this doesn't happen.

Dress up the wand with ribbon or tulle and present it to your happy princess.

Next I'll show you how I made Little Man super easy pillow case cape (which he still wears)