Needlescultping anyone?

[BunnyMaz]

I've got more and more into making little poppets and sewn figurines and I've really been enjoying needlesculpting the faces - makes for uglier, quirkier and more interesting looks.

Goes horribly wrong far too easily, though!

 

[tiny]

I demand pictures. DO NOW!!!

 

[BunnyMaz]

Let me find the damned USB dongle for my camera, wherever it is, and I'll be right with you

 

[Maryn]

My daughter, who I refer to here as The Kid, does needle felting. She starts with a wad of wool--it has to be 100% real wool, apparently, no blends or fakes--and starts poking it with a needle until it mats into the shape she wants. The other day she gave me a little off-white skull the size of the last joint of my thumb. She wasn't pleased with it, but I was. It rides in my car, where I see it often.

Is this the same thing as needlesculpting?

Maryn, less crafty

 

[tiny]

Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiictures. Do not make me whine. Hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry.

 

[sunandshadow]

I wanted to do needle-felting, but I'm allergic to wool

 

[BunnyMaz]

Nah, needlesculpting is different to felting. With sculpting, you sew a figure with fabric and thread, stuff it, then use doubled-over thread and long needles to pinch and pullt he figure into something more detailed.

My USB cable has apparently been borrowed by fairies so while I try and find it, here are some ollllld examples of stuff when I was firsat starting out.

First, a Lakshmi doll I made for some friends starting a new business
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3733982&l=c8dee6cf4d&id=563223409

I just pinched in a bit to give her a nose, nothing fancy.


A creepy little old lady that I eventually turned into a little old wise woman doll. The wrinkles came out nothing like I planned but at least she looked old! She was the first proper sculpting I did beyond just adding a bit of a nose.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2875679&l=746271ab61&id=563223409
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2875678&l=6ef02d854d&id=563223409
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3091696&l=9c8cc2dfbf&id=563223409

Not the best pics, but my best so far - a mini-version of my best friend's sis who passed away
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5752925&l=82ff25b366&id=563223409
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5753140&l=6718064321&id=563223409

A mini crone shelf-doll I made - was going to make a whole set but I still haven't got around to it!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3803072&l=1e5fa7afe9&id=563223409

As soon as I find my USB cable, I'll post pics of more recent ones.

Here you can see the difference when they aren't scukpted. My pan poppet would have looked sooo much better with some character to his face

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3091675&l=4dd3d3dc3e&id=563223409
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3091677&l=22b0e34957&id=563223409

The faces are "pretty" but characterless
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2459907&l=badf795804&id=563223409
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2459909&l=e389c4e173&id=563223409
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2459915&l=934f1a66df&id=563223409
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2459913&l=c60121661f&id=563223409
If I did these two over, I've give the man a bigger nose and sculpt the faces to have way more shape

 

[tiny]

Cool. Llama riding banana for you.

 

[BunnyMaz]

that thing is a llama?!

 

[Maryn]

Oh, yes, I've seen needlesculpting. I guess I just didn't know its name. There are some dollmakers who do amazing work with facial features, knees, etc. with this technique.

I took a picture of the needlefelted skull, but the flash was too bright and it's just a blob. I'll try again when I get back.

Maryn, who should be packing but can't seem to leave

 

[Maryn]

Uh-oh, I forgot about my promise for way too long. Anyway, here's a photo of the needlefelted skull The Kid gave me:

[ ​

It's maybe 1.25 inches tall and less than an inch wide.

Maryn, who hasn't yet named it