Looking for crafty ideas from crafty mamas for needle felting and other crafts

[mommomrebecca]

I'm of course taking on way more than I intended when I first began. I'm making some elaborate crafts for my baby's third birthday at the end of August. *sigh* Anyway, one of the crafts is a big old needle felted oak tree with needle felted leaves and acorns and everything. I'm not very far because it's taking forever and I keep poking myself with huge sharp needles. What I'm wondering is, is there an easier way to do this? Do people usually use an internal frame and just felt around it?

I'm thinking it might be even better now if I use found bark/branches, but then would the needle felted leaves look strange?

Another craft I'm doing requires itty bitty tiny harvest vegetables to string up, and I'm concerned that is going to put me over the edge for good. Should I actually try to needle felt them, or is there something else that would look super cute?

Oh, and I want to make it all myself from complete scratch with all natural materials and not purchase anything (except roving and other supplies). Any ideas would be much appreciated. :balloon

[amey]

Someone on the waldorf craft yahoo group offered up patterns for felt fruits and veggies (not feltED, but out of felt) sometime last year I think. Those might go faster for you - just cutting and sewing the felt. I'm sure you could draft some pattern as well.

I'd also suggest Fimo, but that's not exceptionally natural - maybe some other kind of bakeable dough?

Also would it help making your tree to use one of those multi-needle punches? Like this: http://mielkesfarm.com/nd_flt_tls.htm Aside from that the bulkier items I've seen usually had rolled batting interior. You could probably roll some batting really tightly (for a trunk) and wet felt it. Then just drape the outside in roving and needle (or wet) felt that. I'm not working with alot of experience here, but that would seem to make sense.

~amey

[amey]

Someone on the waldorf craft yahoo group offered up patterns for felt fruits and veggies (not feltED, but out of felt) sometime last year I think. Those might go faster for you - just cutting and sewing the felt. I'm sure you could draft some pattern as well.

I'd also suggest Fimo, but that's not exceptionally natural - maybe some other kind of bakeable dough?

Also would it help making your tree to use one of those multi-needle punches? Like this: http://mielkesfarm.com/nd_flt_tls.htm Aside from that the bulkier items I've seen usually had rolled batting interior. You could probably roll some batting really tightly (for a trunk) and wet felt it. Then just drape the outside in roving and needle (or wet) felt that. I'm not working with alot of experience here, but that would seem to make sense.

~amey

[mommomrebecca]

Thanks Amey, I did not know about those punches, that would save me a TON of time and effort! Could you send me the link for that craft group? That sounds fun. I should put out more effort to find that type of thing, I just never seem to have the time.

[marnie]

hahahahaha. my husband just asked me to knit him a 3 foot tree. heh. i told him it's take a year, but i started in on it and will plug away a bit at a time.

he wanted it the purple of that yarn i sent you.

if you find something easier PLEASE tell me!

[amey]

Waldorf crafting yahoogroup: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waldorf_craft/?yguid=160716707

[mommomrebecca]

Marnie, why does he want a three foot purple knitted tree?! Are you going to put some framing in the middle?

Thanks for the link Amey, do they have good crafts going on in that group? Not that I need any more crafts to try. :ohno

Cutting and sewing tiny pieces of felt together would take me just as long I think, so I'm going to get a punch and see if that goes any faster.

[marnie]

Rebecca, i have NO idea. i'm making a tube (more or less) and then i plan on stuffing it. i have saved every single teeny tiny scrap of yarn i have ever snipped ever so i'm planning on using that instead of expensive roving.

[mommomrebecca]

Oh, that's a good way to use those useless scraps. I have all of mine too. I have also used stained old baby clothes to stuff things, that works too.