NOTE to anyone checking out this web site: If you need to contact me, please email mdith@swcp.com.  

The email address automatically linked to this site is one I NEVER check!!!

NEEDLE FELTING CLASS - Beginners welcome!!!

Next class in Albuquerque will be SATURDAY - FEBRUARY 18, 2012

10 – 5-ish or whenever you’ve had enough. Approx. 1 hr break for lunch (sack or potluck?)

WHERE: Jacque Wright’s house in downtown Albuquerque (will provide address to attendees)

PROJECT: CRITTER FACE - NOT-SOCK MONKEY or whatever it seems to turn into!!

NOTE: This project has been “tweaked’ from the first class and you should be able to complete your guy that day.

The BODY KIT will be like the ones shown here, same fabric, 8 1/2" tall.

The FACE will be your own creation, your choice of color, and will probably have a closed mouth.

If there's time I'll show you how to make an open mouth with a tongue. (see below) But TEETH (left) - that's a bit more advanced, probably for another day.


TOTAL COST will vary, but figure around $100  (Cash or check please)
      $60 for class (includes foam block, wool roving, and one felting needle)

     $25 for basic NON-MOHAIR BODY KIT (as shown, pre-stuffed head/body plus limbs to attach later)

     $40 for MOHAIR BODY KIT (CONTACT ME!!!)
     $2 – 20 for eyes (I will have) or bring your own

     $1 each for additional felting needles (I will have) or bring your own

     $5 for multi needle holding tool (I will have) not required

THINGS TO BRING (see post from July 2011)
I’ll need your name, phone # and email address. Please tell me if you’ve had any experience with needle-felting, bear or doll making, or sculpting faces. No experience is necessary but it will definitely help.

If you’ve taken my class before you know how much fun it was!! If you’d like to attend this class and make something new I’d love to have you back with SPECIAL REDUCED CLASS PRICE!! (contact me!!)

THIS WILL BE A BLAST!!!  You'll be amazed at what you can do.
THANKS SO MUCH for your interest.

Meredith (505-345-4838) or mdith@swcp.com (put NEEDLE FELTING CLASS in the subject)

NEEDLE FELTED GALLERY

NEEDLE FELTING!!!

NEEDLE FELTING CLASS!!

Wednesday July 20, 2011

10:30 - 5:30 (or whenever you've had enough)

RYAN'S Sewing & Vaccuum Center

9500 Montgomery NE #6
at Eubank next to K-Mart

505-237-8000

_______________________________________________________________

CLASS – NEEDLE FELTING

Project - NOT-SOCK MONKEY

Revised July 7, 2011

Meredith Edwards

www.oddjectsdart.com

THIS CLASS is best for people with some background in art, sculpting, doll or bear making, or just MAKING STUFF; but beginners can also get something out of it. End results will depend on the individual’s own personal “eye” and willingness to spend the time required to achieve their vision. Needle felting using wool roving can be a slow process but is very forgiving.

WARNING: Felting needles are VERY SHARP!! Stabbing one’s self is a good probability at some “point” (so to speak) so please – NO HEMOPHELIACS!! (bring bandaids!!!)

PROJECT: I call these guys “NOT-SOCK MONKEYS.” They have jointed bodies and are made of brown and beige nubbly chenille upholstery fabric. We will be working on the FACE – creating expression, setting eyes, making noses and mouths, and as time permits - TEETH.   

The BASIC KIT will include a head, wool roving, and a piece of foam to use as a felting pad.

The BODY KIT: there are options and is not required. Choice of tall or short body. Completed monkey will be either 12” or 8”. Body can be purchased early or when face nears completion, even after class is over. Depending on time, students can complete assembling and stuffing the body in class or finish it at home. Pre-jointed/stuffed finished bodies will also be available for sale @ additional cost for those not wanting to do that part themselves, may need to be delivered later.

Class will go from 10:30 – 5:30 with 1 hour break for lunch, so basically 6 hrs. If you want to bring your own lunch, that’s fine. If you want to leave early that’s fine, but class cost will be the same as if you stayed the entire day. In case of emergency there are no refunds, but you can apply monies pad toward future scheduled class.

Costs are “A la carte” as follows:

$ CLASS COST: $60

$ BASIC KIT COST: $15: Includes pre-stuffed head, white wool roving, piece of foam (felting pad)

$ BODY KIT COST:  Cost will vary depending on the body style and amount of completion (“pre-stuffed” or “unstuffed”)

$ FELTING NEEDLES: RYAN has needles and felting tools for sale, he will give 15% discount to people taking the class, but plan on spending between $5 – 10 for a set. If you have your own needles or felting tools (multi-needle holder, felting pad, etc) you are welcome to bring them.

$ EYES: Since everyone will have their own personal preference and budget, eyes will be available for sale in class, prices range from $2 - $$$??? Some people might want to FELT the eyes, so no additional cost. If you would like to bring your own eyes to class, consider bringing an assortment of sizes to try as you’re working to see what you like. The stuffed head is roughly the size of a tennis ball. Works best if the eyes are FLAT on the back.

$ MISC:

$ Polyfil stuffing material is NOT included, bags available @ add’l cost (for stuffing body) or bring your own.

$ Plastic doll pellets also available @ add’l cost (to fill torso if desired) or bring your own.

INCLUDED IN CLASS: Other colors of roving will be available to use in class for lips, shading, etc. Also provided - wool felt fabric pieces to use for teeth and eyelids, and fabric marker pens to use for shading.

TOOLS/ITEMS TO BRING: (some extras will be available to use in class)

BANDAIDS!!! (be fore-warned – you might need some!!)

Sharp SCISSORS (my favorite are Fiskers nippers)

AWL or ice pick

UPHOLSTERY THREAD – beige or brown + grey or black (or for sale at RYAN’S)

POLYFILL STUFFING MATERIAL (for body)

STUFFING TOOL or pair of long needle-nose pliers or dowel

SEWING NEEDLES - to sew up body parts after stuffing PLUS long needle or doll needle, long enough to go through head, approx. 3.5” min. (or for sale at RYAN’S)

A METAL KITCHEN SPOON – teaspoon or tablespoon

And most important - a good sense of humor and desire to have FUN!!!!

Thanks so much for your interest!!

Questions or concerns, please call or email:

Meredith Edwards

(505) 345-4838

mdith@swcp.com (please put NEEDLE FELTING CLASS in subject)

ABOUT ME, the artist/instructor:

I’ve been making STUFF my whole life in a variety of media, 2- and 3-D. Mom started us out as kids with crayons, clay, and paints, plus we had access to her sewing room and dad’s well-equipped workshop. After college I worked as a technical illustrator, cartoonist, cartographer and graphic designer. I also built award-winning sculptural Halloween costumes and perfomed on stilts as “THE TOOTHLESS FAIRY” at shows and festivals. In 1987 ODD-JECTS D’ART was born, and for about 20 years I made dolls, “fun” jewelry, and other gift items. Pieces were cast in neoprene and resin using self-made molds from my original sculpts, assembled, painted, and sold at juried Art/Craft Shows and galleries.  Since the early 2000’s the focus has shifted to wool and mohair critters, mostly monkeys, but also teddy bears, kitties, possums, golliwogs, bunnies, and most recently a new line of pressed/molded felt face dolls. Shows I do now are DOLL/TOY/TEDDY shows, not juried, and all indoors. Having developed techniques to restore old toy monkeys in my own collection, I also do old toy restoration, specializing in wool felt repair.

Needle felting is something I picked up a several years ago. After watching a basic demonstration at a doll show I bought some needles and roving, but I’m basically self-taught. What will be shared in the class are some finished examples of work, plus tricks and techniques to help the student transform a ball of loose wool fiber into a solid felted character face that will be each person’s own creation… Can’t wait to see what comes out -   

And mostly we’ll have FUN!!!!!

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!!!

Meredith Edwards

ODD-JECTS d’ART

http://www.oddjectsdart.com/

505-345-4838

mdith@swcp.com

{please put NEEDLE FELTING CLASS in subject)

Project: NOT-SOCK MONKEYS (faces)

FIRST REAL POST -

BIG HELLO!! to anyone reading this.

I've been wanting to start one of these blog-thingees for quite a while. FINALLY got on to open a google account and sign up for the blog, and HEY - ODDJECTSDART is already taken!!! WHAT THE ^*@&#%*%&(@*(%!! When I checked it out, turns out my dear hubby had started this thing back in 2005!! WELL GOSH - HE didn't even remember!!! guess starting it was a good idea, it's been SOOO USEFUL over the last 4 years!!!

After figuring out what his ID, password, secret question's answer was, then trying to figure out the F***ING squiggle - finally we got in and changed the access so I might actually be able to use it MYSELF.

So here I am.

Supposedly this is easy to figure out - how to post, add pics, etc - BooBoo, our Chocolate Lab-German Shithead, could do it, but she has no thumbs. A 5-yr-old could figure it out. So if I can't figure it out I'll be advertising for a 5 yr old on Craigslist. If I can figure THAT out. Or Ebay - I can do Ebay WAAAAAY too well!!!!

Basically what I wanted this BLOG for was to have a place to show pics of stuff I make, stuff I repair, OLD TOY MONKEY pics, etc, and hopefully it will add some movement to my horribly out of date and stagnant WEB SITE and help cashflow and online notoriety. However, I can see this will be another major time-sucker. Like Ebay :>))

M :>))

Odd-Jects d'Art - Home of the Obscene Jester!

Award winning artist Meredith Edwards keeps on the cutting edge with designs and creative ideas brought to life by her dolls!
Now featuring a newly designed line of "collector animals". Their popularity is quickly spreading from coast to coast!