Sculpting with Needles in Fiber Art

After perusing books for ideas, as a class, they decided to create animal figurines. The bases of the animals are created with natural, un-dyed combed wool. While wearing protective finger shields, the students stab bits of combed wool repeatedly with barbed needles, forcing the wool fibers to tangle and cling to each other to form sturdy, but soft shapes. In this way, the students craft bodies, heads, and limbs of their creatures. Once the basic animal shape is established, students applique dyed wool onto the forms, again adhering with only the needle punctures, to give their piece color. The result: soft animals to display or give as gifts.