Etsy Shop for DraigAthar

2 oz Campfire Orange Jacob-Coopworth Wool Batts

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:53:05 -0500

$5.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of campfire orange Jacob-Coopworth wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
This is an interesting fleece. It's a medium fiber with a long staple that has little crimp. The Jacob contributes a lot of grey fibers to the fleece, which lends a shading effect to any color that's dyed on top of it. This wool felts up very 'hairy' at first with a lot of halo, but as you keep felting it down it becomes a very solid surface and the halo is minimal. I like it for covering larger areas of a figure, where you may not need to do a lot of detail work but you want a good solid surface that won't squish or give.

About this color:
Because of the grey fibers in this otherwise white fleece, colors are unique on it. I dyed my usual recipes on this wool and got some unexpected results. That means these are OOAK colors, once they're gone I can't make them again. This one turned out the strangest, it was meant to be campfire orange but it turned out mottled and more of a reddish-orange. I'm still calling it campfire because that's the recipe I used, but it's definitely different from my regular campfire. Very pretty, nonetheless!

Needle Felted Yellow Duckie

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 20:53:05 -0500

$20.00
This little duckie has a big grin and a big heart. He'd love to go home with you this Easter and bring smiles to everyone who sees him. He's been training for this year's Rotary club duck races, so he's in great shape, too. He is needle felted entirely of wool and sits about 6 1/2 inches tall (he's bigger and rounder than my last duckie). He is a one-of-a-kind creation that was a collaborative effort between myself an another artist, Brian East.

Thanks for visiting the little fellow, he likes the company!

2 oz Neon Green Dorset Wool Batts

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:59:57 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of neon green Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its crimp and softness. However, you'll spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. I love the softness, but it's not worth my time! Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine with a tight crimp. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool.

About this color:
This is a very bright, fluorescent green. The dye is truly fluorescent, so it practically glows is bright light and will shine bright under a blacklight. Definitely a bright color!

2 oz Wedgewood Blue Dorset-Targhee Wool Batts

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:59:53 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of wedgewood blue Dorset-Targhee wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool. This particular Dorset is actually a Dorset crossed with Targhee, but the Dorset seems to be dominant in the wool. It is slightly softer and finer than plain Dorset, but felts up pretty much the same. A very nice fleece.

About this color:
This is a lighter blue that is not very bright, more subdued, just like the famous tableware color. :)
NOTE: I just looked at this color on my other monitor, and it looks very grey, while on my good monitor it's obviously blue. That's the problem with different monitors, I guess! If it looks grey to you, let me just say that it IS actually a definite blue color.

2 oz Scarlet Red Dorset Wool Batts

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:59:50 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of scarlet red Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool. This particular Dorset is actually a Dorset cross, but it's so similar to the other Dorset I've carried that the differences are hardly noticeable.

About this color:
This is a bright, rich red. In bright light, it will look slightly pinkish, as opposed to slightly orange (like my fire red).

2 oz Green-Grey Jacob-Coopworth Wool Batts

Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:59:46 -0500

$5.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of green-grey Jacob-Coopworth wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
This is an interesting fleece. It's a medium fiber with a long staple that has little crimp. The Jacob contributes a lot of grey fibers to the fleece, which lends a shading effect to any color that's dyed on top of it. This wool felts up very 'hairy' at first with a lot of halo, but as you keep felting it down it becomes a very solid surface and the halo is minimal. I like it for covering larger areas of a figure, where you may not need to do a lot of detail work but you want a good solid surface that won't squish or give.

About this color:
This is probably another one of a kind color, given the unpredictable way this fleece has been taking up dye. This is a somewhat bright pistachio sort of green, but the grey fibers in the fleece make it more subdued.

24 Assorted Felting Needles - 36ga 38ga 40ga Triangle Blade

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:14:32 -0500

$17.99
Needle felters always need more needles right? Here are 24 triangular blade felting needles, eight each of gauges 36 (medium), 38 (fine), and 40 (extra fine).

I can sell felting needles in custom packs, so if you'd like more or fewer, or a different assortment of gauges, just let me know and I can post them separately for you! :)

Assorted Wool and Needles RESERVED for robinbeads

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:43:50 -0500

$25.50
By request, for robinbeads:

1 oz Forest Green Dorset
1 oz Camel Brown Dorset
1 oz Calendula Orange Dorset
1 oz Black Dorset
1 oz Cotton Candy Dorset
1 oz Golden Yellow Dorset
1 oz Bright Pink Dorset
1 oz Holly Berry Red Dorset
1 oz Royal Purple Dorset
3 felting needles (2 38 ga, 1 36 ga)

2 oz Terra Cotta Cheviot Wool Batts

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:17:51 -0500

$5.49
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of terra cotta Cheviot wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Cheviot is medium wool that is usually longer in staple. It is very springy and has a helical crimp that makes it look more wavy than crimpy. It needle felts well and gives a sturdy solid surface that is not as soft to the touch as Dorset or Montadale. I love Cheviot as a core fiber, but most of the Cheviot fleeces I've processed wash up so cleanly white that I can't resist dyeing them, as well. You will get a bit of halo with Cheviot, but it can usually be felted down solid with a little effort.

About this color:
This is a pale orange color. It is light like dreamsicle orange, but not as vivid, more subdued. I think it looks like the color of a clay plant pot.

6 Assorted Felting Needles - 2 each 36ga 38ga 40ga Triangle Blade

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:16:01 -0500

$5.69
Needle felters always need more needles right? Here are six triangular blade felting needles, two each of gauges 36 (medium), 38 (fine), and 40 (extra fine).

I can sell felting needles in custom packs, so if you'd like more or fewer, or a different assortment of gauges, just let me know and I can post them separately for you! :)

2 oz Forest Green Dorset Wool Batts

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:15:59 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of forest green Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its crimp and softness. However, you'll spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. I love the softness, but it's not worth my time! Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine with a tight crimp. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool.

About this color:
This is a dark, rich green, darker than my 'bright green' color.

3 Felting Needles 36ga Triangle Blade

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 10:56:23 -0500

$2.99
Needle felters always need more needles right? Here are three triangular blade 36 gauge felting needles. These are medium needles, good for shaping your core fiber and working with coarser fibers.

I can sell felting needles in custom packs, so if you'd like more or fewer, or a different assortment of gauges, just let me know and I can post them separately for you! :)

12 Assorted Felting Needles - 36ga 38ga 40ga Triangle Blade

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:57:51 -0500

$10.19
Needle felters always need more needles right? Here are twelve triangular blade felting needles, four each of gauges 36 (medium), 38 (fine), and 40 (extra fine).

I can sell felting needles in custom packs, so if you'd like more or fewer, or a different assortment of gauges, just let me know and I can post them separately for you! :)

2 oz Holly Berry Red Dorset Wool Batts

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:20:24 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of holly berry red Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its crimp and softness. However, you'll spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. I love the softness, but it's not worth my time! Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool.

About this color:
This is a darker red than my fire red, still very bright but just a little bit darker and deeper.

3 Felting Needles 38ga Triangle Blade

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:09:37 -0500

$2.99
Needle felters always need more needles right? Here are three triangular blade 38 gauge felting needles. These are fine needles, good for surface work and finer fibers.

I can sell felting needles in custom packs, so if you'd like more or fewer, or a different assortment of gauges, just let me know and I can post them separately for you! :)

3 Assorted Felting Needles - 36ga 38ga 40ga Triangle Blade

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:09:36 -0500

$2.99
Needle felters always need more needles right? Here are three triangular blade felting needles, one each of gauges 36 (medium), 38 (fine), and 40 (extra fine).

I can sell felting needles in custom packs, so if you'd like more or fewer, or a different assortment of gauges, just let me know and I can post them separately for you! :)

2 oz Dark Mallard Green Dorset Wool Batts

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:25:47 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of mallard green Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its crimp and softness. However, you'll spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. I love the softness, but it's not worth my time! Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool. This particular Dorset is actually a Dorset cross, but it's so similar to the other Dorset I've carried that the differences are hardly noticeable.

About this color:
This is a very dark but bright green that is ever so slightly blueish. It's greener than teal green, but not quite forest green. It's the same dye as my plain mallard green, but more intense and with a bit of black added.

Worry - One of a Kind Original Art Doll Sculpture

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:14:29 -0500

$595.00
This is an anthropomorphic doll; it is my personification of the emotion worry. I'm a worrier, by nature, so Worry is a richly dressed figure since he gets a large share of my emotional energy. He lounges around because he knows he doesn't have to do anything at all; I'm going to worry regardless. He has a vulture's head because worry picks away at you, bit by bit, and he carries chains because worry weighs you down. As for the all-yellow attire, I have no good explanation for that. Worry just seems yellow, in my mind.

This is a one of a kind creation, and original work of art. Worry has appeared in multiple doll magazines and at the Artists United show in 2005. He took me over a month to create. His extremities are sculpted of polymer clay and epoxy clay and painted with acrylics. His body is soft sculpted over a wire armature. His clothing is fabric, leather, lace, and feathers. He carries metal chains. He sits about 9" tall (he'd be around 18" tall if he were standing).

The Kappa - One of a Kind Original Sculpture

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:14:29 -0500

$295.00
The Kappa is a character from Japanese legend, a water demon that looks like a short, wrinkled man with a beaked nose and a turtle shell on his back. Kappas live in rivers and eat unwary people, especially children. There are two ways to keep yourself safe from the kappa, however. First, kappas love cucumbers, so if you carve your name into a cucumber and throw it into the river, the kappa will find it and remember you. He will spare you should you ever run into him. Second, the kappa's strength comes from the water. He has a depression in the top of his head that carries water so he is never without it. If you should run into a kappa, all you need to do is bow. He will have to bow in return, and when he does the water will spill out of the bowl in his head. He will be powerless until he can return to the river, which gives you time to run for your life.

I sculpted the kappa out of epoxy clay and polymer clay over a wire armature. The base is wooden and covered with rocks and sand, and a paperclay cucumber with my name carved into it (can't be too careful, I figure!) and all is painted with cel vinyl paints. He is varnished with acrylic. The kappa stands about 10" tall. He is a one of a kind creation, an original work of art.

2 oz Snow White Shetland Wool Batts

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:48:49 -0500

$5.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of snow white Shetland wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its crimp and softness. However, you'll spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. I love the softness, but it's not worth my time! Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
This Shetland fleece was a pleasant surprise for me. I'm used to Shetland wool having VERY long fibers, which can sometimes be frustrating to needle felt. But this fleece has a much shorter staple length, making it a joy to work with. The fibers are fine, crimpy, and have a lovely lustre to them. The wool felts up quickly and gives a more solid surface than Dorset or other down breeds, with very little halo. So if you've been frustrated with Shetland before, give this one a try, I think you'll be pleased!

About this color:
This is undyed snowy white wool.

2 oz Hazelnut Dorset Wool Batts

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:18:54 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of hazelnut Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool. This particular Dorset is actually a Dorset cross, but it's so similar to the other Dorset I've carried that the differences are hardly noticeable.

About this color:
This is a yellowish-brown color. Hazelnut is just a name I gave it because I couldn't come up with anything else, heh. It's sort of a dark camel color.

Needle Felted Elephant and His Topiary

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:01:09 -0500

$30.00
While some elephants spend the dry season searching for water and some elephants carry logs or work in the circus, others develop more refined hobbies. This elephant, for instance, is very proud of his topiary, as you can see. He gently waters it from his trunk and nibbles it into just the right shape. If you adopt them both, he promises to take good care of his plant friend in your home.

This elephant sits just over 4" tall and is needle felted entirely from wool. He is a one of a kind creation, a collaborative work between myself and fellow artist Brian East.

Needle Felted Purple Fish Ornament

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:01:09 -0500

$13.00
This little fish lived just a few doors down from the famous Nemo. He auditioned for the part but a scheduling conflict had him booked here on Etsy instead! He's bright purple-blue and needs a new home, since he can't seem to find any acting jobs ... could you help him out?

This fish is a one of a kind creation, a collaborative project between myself and fellow artist, Brian East. He is needle felted firmly from wool, measures about 4" from nose to tail, and is strung for hanging.

2 oz Bright Yellow Jacob-Coopworth Wool Batts

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:48:23 -0500

$5.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of bright yellow Jacob-Coopworth wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
This is an interesting fleece. It's a medium fiber with a long staple that has little crimp. The Jacob contributes a lot of grey fibers to the fleece, which lends a shading effect to any color that's dyed on top of it. This wool felts up very 'hairy' at first with a lot of halo, but as you keep felting it down it becomes a very solid surface and the halo is minimal. I like it for covering larger areas of a figure, where you may not need to do a lot of detail work but you want a good solid surface that won't squish or give.

About this color:
Because of the grey fibers in this otherwise white fleece, colors are unique on it. I dyed my usual recipes on this wool and got some unexpected results. That means these are OOAK colors, once they're gone I can't make them again. The grey fibers are most noticeable on light colors like this one. This is my normal bright yellow color, but with flecks of grey throughout, giving it a greyish cast.

2 oz Pale Peach Dorset Wool Batts

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:44:39 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of pale peach Dorset wool batts in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine with a tight crimp. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool.

About this color:
This is a pale peachy orange color, like a lighter shade of apricot.

Needle Felted Penguin Ornament

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:36:53 -0500

$14.00
Everyone needs penguins, right? This little guy is dressed for cold weather in his cheerful green scarf (he's particularly proud of the snowflake design, which he embroidered himself) and happy little smile. All he needs now is some snow!

This penguin ornament is needle felted entirely from wool and measures 4" high. He is strung for hanging - a great addition to your holiday decorations! He is an original creation, a collaborative work between myself and fellow artist, Brian East.

Needle Felted Zombie Penguin Ornament

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:36:53 -0500

$12.00
Everyone needs penguins, right? This little guy is dressed for cold weather in his wine red scarf with the tree pattern on it. I call him the zombie penguin, though, because there's just something a little odd about his eyes. But don't worry, he's not going to try and eat your brains.

This penguin ornament is needle felted entirely from wool and measures just over 3" high. He is strung for hanging - a great addition to your holiday decorations! He is an original creation, a collaborative work between myself and fellow artist, Brian East.

3 Felting Needles 40ga Triangle Blade

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:56:05 -0500

$2.99
Needle felters always need more needles right? Here are three triangular blade 40 gauge felting needles. These are extra-fine needles, good for final surface work and fine details with fine fibers.

I can sell felting needles in custom packs, so if you'd like more or fewer, or a different assortment of gauges, just let me know and I can post them separately for you! :)

2 oz Bright Blue Dorset Wool Batts

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:55:14 -0500

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of bright blue Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine with a tight crimp. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool.

About this color:
This is a nice bright blue, very vivid!

2 oz Creamed Asparagus Cheviot Wool Batts

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:02:51 -0400

$5.49
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of creamed asparagus Cheviot wool batts in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Cheviot is medium wool that is usually longer in staple. It is very springy and has a helical crimp that makes it look more wavy than crimpy. It needle felts well and gives a sturdy solid surface that is not as soft to the touch as Dorset or Montadale. I love Cheviot as a core fiber, but most of the Cheviot fleeces I've processed wash up so cleanly white that I can't resist dyeing them, as well. You will get a bit of halo with Cheviot, but it can usually be felted down solid with a little effort. This particular fleece is a bit softer than the Cheviot fleeces I've had in the past, which makes it that much nicer, in my opinion. :)

About this color:
This is a pale yellow-green. It's not quite dark enough to be the color of asparagus, and it's not light enough to call it celery green, so I went for the middle of the road with creamed asparagus. :)

2 oz Dreamsicle Orange Cheviot Wool Batts

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:02:41 -0400

$5.49
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of dreamsicle orange Cheviot wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its crimp and softness. However, you'll spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. I love the softness, but it's not worth my time! Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Cheviot is medium wool that is usually longer in staple. It is very springy and has a helical crimp that makes it look more wavy than crimpy. It needle felts well and gives a sturdy solid surface that is not as soft to the touch as Dorset or Montadale. I love Cheviot as a core fiber, but most of the Cheviot fleeces I've processed wash up so cleanly white that I can't resist dyeing them, as well. You will get a bit of halo with Cheviot, but it can usually be felted down solid with a little effort.

About this color:
This is a pale orange; it looks just like an orange dreamsicle bar!

2 oz Fiber Supplement Orange Cheviot Wool Batts

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 21:23:43 -0400

$5.49
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of fiber supplement orange Cheviot wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Cheviot is medium wool that is usually longer in staple. It is very springy and has a helical crimp that makes it look more wavy than crimpy. It needle felts well and gives a sturdy solid surface that is not as soft to the touch as Dorset or Montadale. I love Cheviot as a core fiber, but most of the Cheviot fleeces I've processed wash up so cleanly white that I can't resist dyeing them, as well. You will get a bit of halo with Cheviot, but it can usually be felted down solid with a little effort.

About this color:
I know, I'm running out of names ... but hey, this color looks just like the orange-flavored fiber drink I have in my cupboard! It's very similar to my golden yellow color, but with a bit of red added to make it more orangeish. A nice bright color.

2 oz Sky Blue-Grey Jacob-Coopworth Wool Batts

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 09:00:47 -0400

$5.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of sky blue-grey Jacob-Coopworth wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its softness. However, you might spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
This is an interesting fleece. It's a medium fiber with a long staple that has little crimp. The Jacob contributes a lot of grey fibers to the fleece, which lends a shading effect to any color that's dyed on top of it. This wool felts up very 'hairy' at first with a lot of halo, but as you keep felting it down it becomes a very solid surface and the halo is minimal. I like it for covering larger areas of a figure, where you may not need to do a lot of detail work but you want a good solid surface that won't squish or give.

About this color:
This is probably another one of a kind color, given the unpredictable way this fleece has been taking up dye. This is a brighter sort of sky blue, but the grey fibers in the fleece make it more subdued. So it's a sky blue but a little on the grey side.

Needle Felted Jack-o-Lantern

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:25:46 -0400

$25.00
Here's a happy pumpkin for Halloween, with a jack-o-lantern face in a more traditional style. He's needle felted very firmly from wool and sits about 5" tall. This jack-o-lantern is a one-of-a-kind creation, a collaborative work between myself and fellow artist, Brian East. A new pumpkin friend might be exactly what you need this October. :)

2 oz Royal Purple Dorset Wool Batts

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 15:40:19 -0400

$4.99
This wool is great for needle felters! There are 2 ounces of royal purple Dorset wool in this lot.

About needle felting:
I'm a needle felter and I love it! Needle felting is a relatively young art; while felting needles have been around since the dawn of the industrial era, they've only been used as a sculpture tool since the 1980's. Thus, needle felters have mostly had to use materials that have long been produced for other purposes.

About my wool:
The fiber industry has for centuries been geared towards spinners mainly, with wet felters getting some consideration. But fiber that is great for spinning and wet felting is often not the best for needle felting. Because needle felting has gained in popularity as more people have discovered it, you'll see most wool for sale these days labeled "Great for needle felting!" which can be misleading. I've tried a lot of different fibers, and I got tired of buying wool that promised to meet my needs and only left me disappointed. Merino, for instance, is extremely popular with spinners for its crimp and softness. However, you'll spend the rest of your natural life trying to needle felt a larger piece all out of merino. I love the softness, but it's not worth my time! Corriedale is another popular wool, and it does felt faster, but I find that no matter how long I poke at it I'm still left with a 'halo' of stray fibers poking out every which way. So I set out to find breeds of wool that felt up fast with the needle and give a nice, clean surface. I select individual fleeces and then hand wash, hand card, and hand dye them in small lots. I test felt each fleece to get an idea of how it felts with needles.

About this particular fleece:
Dorset is a down breed of wool, and most of the down breeds I find great for needle felting. This wool is springy, usually has a short staple and is medium-fine with a tight crimp. It felts rapidly with needles and creates a fairly soft surface with no halo effect. Dorset is one of my most favorite wools, because it is an excellent fiber for needle felting either as a core fiber or as dyed cover wool.

About this color:
This is a very dark purple.

Needle Felted Skeleton Butterfly Ornament

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:17:27 -0400

$24.00
Some butterflies have markings on their wings that mimic eyes or other things that scare off would-be predators. Well, this is just another type of scary butterfly! It's developed a somewhat unusual pattern of markings that look like skeleton hands and feet on its wings.

The skeleton butterfly is a one of a kind creation, an original work of art needle felted entirely from wool. It measures about 5" tall and 4" wide and has a loop through the back for hanging on a wall or other flat surface. This was a collaborative project between myself and fellow artist, Brian East.

This was also an entry for the NFEST May felting challenge, the theme of which was "Bugs and Insects." Be sure to search "nfest team" for more great entries from this talented group!

La Loba - One of a Kind Original Art Doll Sculpture

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:17:27 -0400

$345.00
La Loba is a character from Mexican legend. Also known as La Huesera or La Trapera, she is described as an old, fat, hermit woman who lives in the desert. She wanders the desert alone in search of bones, especially wolf bones. When she has gathered a complete skeleton, she lays the bones out on the ground and begins to sing. As she sings, the bones begin to flesh out and become furred again. She sings life back into the bones, and the animal begins to breathe. It becomes strong and finally leaps up to run away into the desert, born again. I loved the idea of the portly old hermit lady dressed in rags and wandering the desert with a big bag of bones over her shoulder, so I created this sculpture of La Loba to bring that image to life. She stands in the desert, smiling as she has just discovered a wolf's skull and other assorted bones. La Loba has a cloth body over a wrapped wire armature. Her head, hands, feet, and various accessories have been sculpted from polymer and/or epoxy clay. Her clothing is made from fabric, leather, and rabbit fur and she is adorned with various beads, turquoise chips, feathers and bones (some of which are real, and some of which are sculpted from epoxy clay). She is pegged to a wooden base and stands 15" tall. La Loba appeared in Art Doll Quarterly magazine in 2006.

Each art doll I create is a labor of love, often taking a month or more to complete. Each is an original work of art, never mass-produced. When I ship them, I pack them extremely well to ensure they arrive safely, and I insure them. This tends to drive the shipping costs up, but I want to make sure the doll reaches you safely, as it is not replacable!