Monday, December 15, 2014

Fiascos in Felt


I love the way finished felt projects look, so colorful and pretty and homey! I haven't quite mastered the medium, though. I seem to do better with paper, but maybe I will conquer felt in this lifetime!

I started making a felt Christmas storyboard for David last year, and lost momentum. So I took it up again this year.

My requirements were:

-representational, but simple
-big and sturdy enough for David to handle
-removable pieces that could be moved around


Problems and Troubleshooting:

Last year I cut out some figures but found them too floppy. Maybe if they were smaller it wouldn't have been as much of an issue. This year I finally fortified them a bit.

Didn't trim the edges.



Not all felt is created equal...it doesn't necessarily stick to other felt (without adhesive), and depending on the thickness might also need a pretty strong glue to hold together permanently.

Removable angel toupee.






Meanwhile, David wanted there to be eyes, hands, feet, etc. So I added those later.


You want feet? You got feet.



It turned out that he was dead against Jesus having clothes or a blanket of any kind, so I had to make a new naked one, which he was pleased with.






My figures definitely aren't anything to sell on Etsy, but I think they'll do for the toddler years and then maybe David will help me make a new, more sophisticated set! 

He likes to play with them as a family unit. Mommy Mary nurses Baby Jesus, Daddy Joseph takes him around in the "stroller," etc. The Angel Gabriel has been referred to as "Doctor."

The facial hair is shared by Joseph and the Angel.



No shepherds or wise men this year...maybe another time!






4 comments:

  1. Well, I think yours is pretty darned cute, and especially sweet since David himself helped.

    However, just to throw out an idea - I replaced our old felt board for the Sunday School classes with figures that I make from paper and then cover hard laminate (or I can print them on card stock and do regular laminating). I put a piece of sticky magnet on the back and they can be moved around on the white board in the classroom - or they would be great for the refrigerator at home. They are stiff; they are pretty indestructible, and they can be used on the intended (magnetic) surface, or laid out on the table or floor. I use these all the way up through sixth grade and laugh to myself as the boys enjoy them (because I am thinking all the time that they are so much like paper dolls).

    I feel pretty lame, though. Monnie has no clue about Jesus at all. Soon I hope?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a great idea and I would like to make a version for the fridge. Not sure if I will get around to it this year but it is a great ready-made surface! I even thought of just sketching a few pictures out really quick and sticking some of our boring freebie magnets to the back. I don't have any contact paper on hand right now. David is so into taking things apart that I try not to invest TOO much into my crafts.

      Do you read Monnie any Bible stories? David has a few books with parables and miracles of Jesus, along with the Nativity story. I guess it is like another storybook character to him. Who knows what goes on in their heads?

      Delete
  2. How fun! I love the way yours turned out! I would like to make a felt storyboard for the kids one of these days - I think they'd love it. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you! I bet your kids would love it too and my friend has a nice tutorial here. http://afamilyofsojourners.blogspot.com/2014/11/make-your-own-advent-calendar-part-1.html

    ReplyDelete

Just added word verification to reduce spam. Nothing personal!

You’re welcome to leave a link to your own blog here if it's relevant to this blog.

Please make sure that your comments are 1) relevant and 2) respectful (i.e. no cuss words, attacks on individuals).

Voices

 In the past month, it has been interesting to read the published thoughts of Russian friends as they've gotten their voice back upon es...