How to make… Needlefelted kitteNs
Materials
Two or three felting needles, size 40, spiral or triangular Needle holder Felting sponge or brush
For each kitten
20g of merino roving for the main body colour Small amounts of extra roving for markings and patches Pink merino roving for inner ears and nose tip Two 3mm ( /8") black
1 glass beads, for the eyes Embroidery thread in colours to match your kitten Small amount of roving for the neck ribbon, in the colour of your choice Oh, darling – we're simply delighted to be attending the highest-class high tea around. These cultured kitties insist on sipping from the daintiest china, nibbling on the finest macarons and, of course, only eating cucumber sandwiches with the crusts removed. Splendid!
There’s no need to be intimidated if you’ve never tried needlefelting before – all that’s involved here is some basic shaping for head and body and a bit of detailing, making them easier for beginners than they look. Try making a mini version of your own pet moggy, or recreate your favourite breed. You can easily adapt the instructions to create a tabby or block coloured cat, and you can add stripes and solid markings, too.
Basic body
Take two equal lengths of main body roving, measuring 18 x 4cm (7½ x 15/ 8"). Tease one out to make a flat strip, then muddle the other length into a loose ball.
Fold the strip over the ball and gently pull the sides around
to enclose it, making a small pouch.
Hold the wool upright on the mat, fat end down, and use a needle to shape the body. Turn your work as you go to ensure an even, round form.
Once the body is formed, turn it upside down and work a flat base. Hold the wool in a circular position as you needle it.
Head and extras
Take two equal lengths of roving measuring 15 x 4cm (6 x 15/ 8"). As before, tease one into a flat strip and fluff the other one up to make a filling ball. This time, roll the ball into the strip, making a little cylinder bundle.
Work with two needles to form a fat crescent. The two corner ends will become the pointy ears.
Once the head is shaped but still soft in texture, join it to the body. Pull apart the loose wool at the top of the body and place the head inside.
Join the two parts by drawing the fibres up and around the head, enclosing it, so the two parts form the whole kitten.
Once the two parts are securely joined, make a tail from a small pinch of wool. Fold it over and shape it on your mat before joining it to the body. Use your fingers to pinch the wool together and work with one needle to get a more slender tip.
Take two equal pinches of wool and shape them into balls for the feet. Needle them to the body while they are still soft, then finish shaping. Finally, needle a small amount of wool directly onto the face to shape the front nose area.
Take small lengths of wool, teasing them out so you can
