Lessons from a Class

I recently took a needle felting class.  Yeah, I know how to needle felt.  I even teach it.  But I am a believer that you can always learn something new. And I did.

In this class we made a needle felted bunny using an armature.  An armature is a framework for a sculpture.  It is a wire base that you build the sculpture on. I had never done that before.

It was interesting to make because the armature looks nothing like the finished bunny. So it was hard for me to imagine what I was doing.  I did learn that my hands had a hard time manipulating the wire for the armature. And I learned that once you have the wire armature, you can then wrap it first in chenille sticks (pipe cleaners). The fuzzy covering of the chenille stick protects the felting needle from getting broken if it hits the armature.  If I do another one, I might start with the chenille sticks.  Those were easier for my hands to manipulate.

This bunny was much bigger than anything I have felted before.  I am used to 3-4 inch items; this guy is about 8 inches tall.  While I like to needle felt, that is a lot of felting to do in one sitting.  The class was supposed to be 3 hours long but it ran over that.  I had to stop before I was finished because my hands couldn’t do any more.  So when I do something this big again, I have to remember to plan to do it over days not hours.

I also learned to be prepared for anything.  The chairs we sat in were folding chairs with an open back.  Sitting in those chairs were not the best for my back.  So next time I take a class I might want to bring some over-the-counter pain relievers like aspirin or ibuprofen to take.  It might be a good idea to take it before the class.

The chairs were also a little shorter for the table.  I am short to begin with so my arms were at an uncomfortable level while doing the felting.  I move the felted bunny to my lap which is not a safe place to be needle felting but it was easier on my arms.  Next time I take a class, I am bringing a pillow to sit on so it raises me up higher with the table.

And while the lighting was great in this room, if you are someone who has poor eyesight, you might want to bring a light to use.  Those that hang around your neck and are powered by batteries are great. 

I am glad I took the class.  I learned a new skill, will have a new bunny to display and met some great people. And sometimes that last reason is the best.  It is always good to meet new people.

©2018 Cheryl E. Fillion