a needlefelting tragedy

Ever since Heide Murray wrote a needlefelting project for ARTitude Zine, I've wanted to try it. Turns out to be highly therapeutic, all that stabbing! I am pretty sure I'm not felting my pieces to a firm enough state, but so far I'm just making ornaments that won't be handled much, so I think it's more important for me to worry about wrangling the fibers into the (somewhat recognizable) shape I intend for them to take. If I keep going, trying to firm things up, I end up with lumpy bumpy dryer lint. But I'm getting better! There's really nothing to it, and it's fun. Just requires practice. And I think I'd have better luck with fibers that are not as slippery as this nice smooth roving.

So, where's the tragedy? I hung this plump little yellow guy to snap the photo and then the phone rang so I went into the other room. When I came back, it was gone... Yes, the kittens bagged their first bird! They gutted it, literally turned it inside out. I am still finding wisps of yellow roving everywhere, and one chewed-up wing lies on the kitchen floor as a testament to the cats' dominance.

Their mama would be proud. When they were tiny kittens, before they came to live with me, they lived in my dad's back yard. One day my stepmother saw the momcat teaching the kittens about butterflies. Another day, there must have been a lesson on birds -- what they do, and why they must be stopped.

I guess I can't fault them. Yellow birdie was too tempting, dangling there. My bad. But still sad. 

Comments

[Karen]

Kitties can not resist the woolies! My girl Talullah will jump up on the desk and grab the stuff I'm working with if I don't watch out. She also likes to stare at what I'm working on while I'm poking it. She just assumes I'm making cat toys.

[Susan Williamson]

I really love your two birdies, and had to laugh about your kitty-cats bagging one of them. Friday night was my first time felting and I agree it's therapuetic...addictive too!