Felt Inspirations - From Jewelry to Sculpture

Soft Jewelry Part 2 of 2
I just learned that felt is the oldest fabric known to mankind. Wool is compressed in a number of ways including putting the wool piece in the hot cycle of the washing machine - a process known as how to shrink your husband's wool sweater! But felt as jewelry? Incredibly, it's been done.

FELT RINGS
Here is a different sort of "sparkle" for your fingers - fun felt rings! Some assembly is required as the ring's "gemstone" has to be made 3D by slotting a second piece of felt. These multi-colored Japanese made rings comes nicely boxed and are currently on sale for $18. Via

FELT BRACELET TUTORIAL

Many of you who are accomplished in various crafts may already be familiar with needle felting which is done with a special barbed needle. The decorative technique involves continual stabbing of the needle to insert scraps of wool onto felt.Theartofmegan site has a tutorial on how to make a needle felted loop bracelet. The tutorial shows you how to make the bracelet and add the decorative swirl.

For those of you who wish to see a video on needle felting, try this one called Needle Felted 101 - the fun and exuberant instructor is a beginner who says often the best teacher is the one who is just beginning. She's got a point!

AMAZING FELT PET SCULPTURES
The work of Canadian artisan Kay Stalher or Kay's K9s on Etsy is so good, I just had to include it here. It is an inspiration if you want to make 3-D jewelry. Please check my Facebook page for an example of 3-D felt jewelry. Working from photographs, she uses the needle felting technique to create lifelike replicas of people's pets. It takes her 15-30 hours of work to complete one sculpture. Via