Sculpting with fleece and a very sharp needle.

I'm late with this and I apologize for the delay in posting.  Back problems are a big reality check.  Everything seems to take longer to do.  I have learned to knit laying down though while watching way too much daytime television. 
  
So I have a new pair of socks on the needles and the second fingerless glove half way completed, now that all the Christmas knitting has been doled out.   I'm happy to say that Number Two Grandson put his knitted toque on his head Christmas morning and it didn't come off  the entire time he was here except when his favourite hockey team was playing.  Then he slapped on his good luck team ha to cheer them on.  He has also requested another toque -  black this time.  I'm going to get that on the needles today I hope. 
 
 The hat is called the "Simple Soldier's Hat" and is a free Ravelry download if you are interested.  I'm using a 5.5 mm circular needle and worsted weight Alpaca from Berocco on this new one.  The yarn is gorgeous to work with and the simple rib pattern is stretchy enough to fit just about any adult head size.

But I really wanted to write about needle felting here - dry felting, sculpting with rovings or fleece.  If you have frustrations, this is the craft for you, let me tell you.  Jabbing that ball of fleece multiple times with that vicious little needle helps, believe me. 

The idea behind needle felting is that the roving or fleece is distressed with a barbed needle and sculpted into whatever shape you have in your mind.  The distressing is done by jabbing the fleece multiple times with the needle so that the texture of it is changed and hardened into a shape. 

The mermaid is a whimsical piece and has been embellished with bead embroidery to give her a bit of sparkle and splash. 

I am preparing a tutorial on needle felting or dry felting.  I actually wanted to have it ready before this, but as I say, everything is taking longer dealing with this injury.  But I promise - it is coming very soon.  The roses are needle felted first into flat disks and then cut and rolled into roses.  I wet felted the stems around florist wire so I could bend them.

Stay tuned for part two - coming soon.