What is dry needle felting?
It’s a technique of sculpting fiber. I use 100% loose wool fiber after it’s been removed from the sheep but before it’s been spun into yarn. I poke it with a needle that’s barbed at the bottom, which pushes and pulls the wool until it turns into a solid form. How do you make the sculptures look so real? I work from photographs that pet owners send me. It often means so much for them, which is really rewarding for me. What do you love most about the art you make? It’s the gratitude of making something for somebody who loves their animal so much. The happiness and joy that it brings to them is my favorite part. A lot of my sculptures are memorial portraits, so I’m making something very special for someone whose dog has passed away. How long does it take to make each wool sculpture? It depends on what the dog looks like, whether it has long hair or smooth hair, or a complicated coat, like a brindle. It’s a lot of work, but they average out to about 15 to 25 hours depending on complexity.
