Idle Fingers Need(le) to Felt Dogs or other animals for that matter...

Fleece Dog Book by Sinco

I have always struggled with allowing my hands to be idle. Whether in meetings, on a plane, in a car ride, waiting room or subway...idle hands (mine of course) drive me insane. So through out the years I've taken up all sorts of portable string and hook activities like embroidery, crocheting and knitting. When I was eight yrs. old on my weekend trips to go see my grandmother, I used to crochet on the number seven el train while I sat alongside of my mother.

However, when it came to needle-felting arts, what I had seen the most of were felted fruit and I was never really intrigued with hairy strawberries and grapes. Infact, I was kind of 'ick' about it. So I never got into it, until thirty years later when I ran across Sinco's book Felted Dog. Dogs (unlike fruit) SHOULD be hairy!

In addition, Sinco has an entire site to support, supplement and encourage you called www.fleecedog.com! She has tutorials too and even guides you in how to incorporate REAL dog hair into your little miniature faux dog!

In order to needle felt you need carded wool Felting Needles vaible from Sinco And in craft stores or Felting Sites

The one downside to needle felting is that you need barbed needles that are VERY dangerous (think of the tip of a fishing hook multiplied a thousand times AND reduced to microscopic size!) Since the action of needle felting is to repeatedly move the felting needles in and out/ up and down (like a sewing machine) through the fibers in order to entangle and bind them - it is often easy to poke your finger.

Glass Eyes from Sinco Two Unfinished Dogs I've started (Chica and Chulo) My Maya Maya by me!

My friend Laura has a pug named Nugget and I made her this felt dog (though I haven't given it to her YET- but I will!) So here is Nugget:

Nugget by marisol diaz

If you're interested in this or in other felted animals (like cats) there are many new books available including one called Little Felted Animals.