I got a scooter!

Well, yes, it is too small for me...but, that's okay.. I have my motorcycle anyway. This little set of wheels is perfect for a tiny bear though. I envision a little, skinny, bent legged guy...but... there is not too much room from seat to floorboard...so might not be too bent. Have to see what I can come up with and hopefully he will look like he is actually riding it.










Today flew by in a blur of errands and all I wanted to do was get busy on a new little bear for this "ride". I am also working on a little copycat version of Rufus, who went to live with Darly. I wanted to see if I could make a similar one... so far...not really. Seeing as there is no pattern with the needle felting, it is tough to get them the same. Especially if they are made with "fluff" (that is what I call the wool most of the time) that happens to be variegated or is a mass of curly, wild Shetland stuff in too many colours.... ... which this is. Well, so far...I do have a cute face... it's a good beginning.

My needle felting is what I would probably call lightly or softly felted. Some people manage to get the little pieces like bricks...but, so far, that eludes me. Also...I seem to prefer them to be sort of fluffy or hairy... and I even like to needle in extra tufts of mohair pulled from chunks of mohair fabric that I use for other types of sewn bears. Scruffy here is part Merino and part Alpaca with fluffy tufts of mohair needled in at the end. His snout has been scissor trimmed and then an embroidered nose and little black onyx bead eyes.













Some types of wool are more conducive to felting up firmly and smoothly and the ends actually more or less disappear into the piece or pieces after long enough with the needle. This is usually a type that has short fibers...like Romney. Longer fibers can be used... but must be played with a bit; criss crossing the fibers to thoroughly mess it up so that it sort of "appears" short if you know what I mean. At least that way it can be needled into a mass somewhat easier. If some of the long scraggly strands still refuse to be needled into the piece... no matter how long I stab at them...then I finally take scissors to them if I decide to have a cleaner look. In this picture you can see how the longer strands of wool have been left around the top of Buttercup's head so that it looks a bit like some hair. I smoothed out her snout somewhat with sharp little scissors and needled in some bead "dreads". Her nose is embroidered with copper embroidery thread. I can't remember off hand what type of wool she is right now..but will check my notes in the morning... later in the morning...as it is now... 12:45... yawn.....
(( update on wool...it is Icelandic Top, and I dyed it with KoolAid)) The strands are very long and all running the same direction..therefore, more difficult to get them all needled in nicely. Not exactly the best to use for the tiny guys like mine. These are all in the 2 inch range.
I like tiny........ lol..











I have only seen and felt a couple of other people's small bears or other pieces of needle felting. Only held a few in my hand other than my own. There are probably as many styles and preferences as there are people doing it. It is whatever we want it to be. Isn't it great?