Needlefelting Magic– by Barbara Allen -Needlefelting Magic is a beautiful needle felting book BUT before parting with your hard earned money be aware.This book is about how to make miniatures 2" – 4" (5 - 10 cms)tall. This is not apparent from the book cover or descriptions at various needlefelting sales sites - so don't be caught by surprise.
Of course if you intend to make miniatures this 56 page A5 size soft cover book is perfect.
The photographs are clear and explicit, and discuss and show the basic concept of felting with a needle very well. You can also see the incredibly cute faces and expressions that Barbara's bears wear in detail.
Unfortunately (and not the author's fault) I'm sure a lot of online purchasers are disappointed when they receive their book (or kit containing this book) only to find the "beautiful teddybears" they are about to make are so tiny - and discovering needle felting a larger piece uses a different technique.
Drawbacks
Apart from those mentioned above I see only two drawbacks. 1) This book is often promoted as a first project book. Frankly for first time
needlefelting working with such a tiny item and a very sharp felting needle is quite
challenging. (These are definitely not projects children should undertake.) 2) The other challenge I see is the lack of "proportion details". Unless you're an artist or sculptor you probably aren't aware of the proportion percentage for body parts.
Keep in mind, when you make a teddy bear or a jumper etc you follow a pattern and the correct proportions are
built in.
Needlefelting is different. You learn the basic how-to-needlefelting from instructions, then you use a diagram or picture or what "looks right" in your imagination to make your actual item. Recommendation
Despite the above drawbacks of Needlefelting Magic I heartily recommend Barbara's book - for a second project or a crafter
practised in the art of miniatures. The price tag of A$26 for an A5 size 56 page soft cover book did seem a little steep, but as said previously it is well written and the photographs are excellent. Rating Return to top of needlefelting magic page
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