7.11.17

Polar bear bauble


This is the little polar bear bear bauble I'll be teaching at a workshop at the lovely premises of Guthrie and Ghani, in Birmingham. 


It was the third design I tried; initially I attempted needle felting a polar bear Santa around a polystyrene ball, which I've always thought was a nasty idea and found it to be so. You may ask why then I decided to try it; because making an accurate sphere is harder than it looks, and I thought it may be an easier solution for anyone who was just starting out. The wool floated around on the surface, the head barely stuck to the wool (or the polystyrene) and although it was neat, I wasn't comfortable with that way of working.




I then ploughed my way through most of an elf fox, before realising, many hours later, that it was far too ambitious, even for an all day project.  




It's quite hard to design an appealing project, that is a bit different to everything else on offer, but which can be theoretically made in a five-six hour period by people of all abilities.

But in the end, I settled on this fairly simple little bear; there are five places left on the workshop, which runs from 10.30 until 4.30 on December 10th. You can book directly from the Guthrie and Ghani website here.

If you'd like to see the fabulous studio space and my last workshop there, please see this blogpost from November last year.



7 comments:

Granny Sue said...

That is cute! I'd love to be in that workshop. Just a matter of 3000 miles...

Unknown said...

I have the same problem sometimes, trying to design a knitted toy that's unique and also enough easy for most people to make.

I've wanted to learn needle-felting for years, and I love your little bear, but I think I'll have to find a class a little closer to home ;)
I hope you have a fun time!

frayed at the edge said...

Ooooh - I wish I could be there!!!

Shrimpton and Perfect said...

Can't make this one but I hope all goes swimmingly. The bauble is totally charming.

jean

Gerry Snape said...

Gorgeous bear...just right for a christmas tree...but fit for anytime of year....xx

Bettina Groh said...

If you want to have perfect sphere needle felting ... I felt over a Styrofoam ball ( or egg at Easter). The foam cannot be the sealed stuff with a smooth surface, it has to have those holes. I can felt a covering about 1/4 of an inch thick. Be careful not to needle too close together. At Easter I add flowers and leaves.
I have had friends be successful at this even though they don't felt otherwise!!

BumbleVee said...

He's a little cutie... I should give something similar a go some day ...or some year. This past one has been write off it seems, on so many fronts....