Christmas Ornament Ideas

Created by Kim McDougall
Orefield, Pa.

Kim is an avid crafter who dabbles in many different arts. But she says that her favorite is needle felting. To create her ornaments, she purchases raw fleece from sheep farmers, which she then cleans and dyes into suitable colors for her projects. Next, she decides on a design and begins shaping her creation using a 3-prong needle. By repeatedly compressing the wool with the needle she is able to shape it into the form she wants. She further refines this form by using a single needle. Once Kim has created the basic shape, she attaches the arms, legs and any accessories (hats, scarves) using only one needle. Kim says that the process of needle felting a small figure can take two to eight hours, depending on the size and complexity of the project. Finally, she glues on any non-felt details, such as the eyes, antlers, etc.