How to make a fairy figure

Rowan from CircleoftheYear emailed me at the weekend to apologise for not being in touch. She said there just weren't enough hours in the day to blog, read other people's blogs and to get everything else done too. That's just the way my life is at the moment. As you know I have the school fair this weekend and I'm busy trying to make things to fill up my table. On top of that I'm spending a lot of time dyeing more fibre, carding it, bagging it up AND listing it which seems to take ages. Ofcourse, my main priority is the family and the rest of the stuff fits in around my daily chores. Maybe that's why I'm so knackered at the moment. I seem to spend portions of the day dreaming about what I should be doing and drifting. Maybe I just have too much on...........roll on Saturday night I say!

It's funny the fair has been a bit of a labour of love this year and I didn't even manage the get the Mums together for a making morning. Maybe I should have had a break especially as I'm preferring the dyeing at the moment. Anyway, I didn't and don't mean to spend my time moaning here. I wanted to say Hi and show you a few things.

I wasn't going to mention Christmas until advent but I bought this lovely book at the weekend. It's choc full of lovely things. Here is a pic of the back and the contents page (click on the images for a better look):

There is masses to do isn't there and all so tasteful and steiner-y as the children would say.

Some people have asked me for ideas for the plant dyed wool I'm selling and apart from using it for wet or needlefelting I thought it might be nice to make these fairy-like figures:

So if you fancy making a few here's how to - I may double up the pics as there are so many steps:

You will need: some coloured wool for the overdress and hair, white merino for main body, any old sheeps wool for the head, a pipe cleaner and some thread and a needlefelting needle.

First off roll a little ball with plain old sheeps wool and then take a length of white merino about 40 cms long.  Take some thread and tie up the middle of this white strip:

Then place the ball on top of the tied bit and encase it with the white strip. Take some thread and tie off the head:

Take a pipe cleaner about 16 cms long and wrap some very thin slivers of the white merino around it. Start off with thin pieces as the arms will get too fat otherwise. Slightly bend in the ends of the pipe cleaner to make hands and then wrap a bit more fibre over them like so:

Lift the fairy's top half up and put in this arm piece and then bind around the chest to secure the arms:

Now take a bit of the plant dyed wool and wrap a little sliver around the arms leaving the hands white. Take the rest of the coloured wool and spread it in a layer and make hole in the middle and place over the head of the fairy like so and tie some more coloured wool under her chest:

At this point it looks awful and you're probably wondering if it's worth the effort! Persevere and put the fairy on a piece of sponge and needlefelt her overdress together and the bit on her chest and the arms whilst you're at it. You don't have to needle too much - it'll come together quite quickly:

After that needle in a bit of hair (I used some of the plant dyed curls). Again you don't have to needle too much as these are not playthings. Tie something gold around her head and hang her up. Then make some more with the other colours.

You can make these with merino which is commercially dyed and they look like this but I think they look more fairy like, more ethereal with this wool.

I gotta go now. Amber has cooked supper thank goodness and I'm starving.  I'll leave you with a few (more) pics of some stuff I've made for Saturday. A fairy ring (times 4):

and I've finished the angels. I now have a host of heavenly angels hanging over the autumn table. This is one of them:

I think I might put a couple on etsy tomorrow (until Friday) if anyone is interested. They're made from vintage cotton and lace, waldorf heads and they have curly hair. We have one that hangs over the nativity at christmas and Amber has one over her bed too. They're family heirlooms already. Gotta go...............

Wednesday: Managed to take a pic this morning of all the angels hanging from the branch. It's not a great pic as they kept twirling. I'm listing them on etsy this evening if you want one - but hurry though.

Comments

[littlejennywren]

Where do I start? Everything looks so beautiful. I love the needle felted angel. She is just perfect,so soft and ethereal. That book looks fantastic. My children talk about "Steinery" things.I'll have to check the Australian Floris book supplier.
The things you have made for the fair look wonderful. I took a break from our school fair this year,I just couldn't whip up any enthusiasm for it. It was a revelation to go to a fair without feeling tired and overworked. I'll help again next year though because it feels good to be involved. Think how great you will feel on Saturday evening.

[Angela]

Everything is just precious! Hope you all do well at the fair.

[caroline]

Those angels are wonderful, I especially love the curly tresses. I hope you have lots of fun with the fair.

[Jessica]

LOVE LOVE your little waldorf angel, I will keep an eye on your etsy shop!

[Cathy]

Yet another great tutorial! You are on a roll. I love the fairy and the angel. You really do create beautiful pieces.

[plainandsimple]

Wow, yup, know how you feel! Everything is becoming slightly over-whelming and I'm making lists....a bad sign for me!lol! I love the angel. I'll link to this if it's OK?

[Simone]

Thanks for the tutorial Simmy.I've not done anything creative for a few days so your fairies may spur me on to actually produce something! I love your angel too.

[Rebecca]

These things are all so lovely and your tutorial has been brilliant as I have been studying my book for some time planning something like these, your instructions make it much clearer and I will be having a go very soon. Thank you.

[Harriett]

Oh - those angels are beautiful. Good luck with the school fair this weekend.

[Georgia]

Angels look great. The tutorial was awesome. I may have to whip up a couple to send back to Australia for Xmas. Getting those parcels posted early has really snuck up on me this year! The scarf is coming along;it's about 1/2 way. I love it so much I may not give it to my daughter!

[Mae]

Great stuff! When I see all the angels together, I can almost hear them singing ...

[MCMilker]

Great post- thanks for the how to ideas. I'm in the midst of making my seasonal table and this helps. I'm also preparing for a birthday party for which I need to make fairy crowns...any ideas?

[Cristina]

How do you DO it all? Your work is beautiful and inspiring. All good wishes for your fair!

[sooz]

Fantastic tutorial Simmy, exceptionally clear and simple. I hope you will save it in your tutorial list so I can direct people to it. I think I might have to make a whole swath of these right NOW (using the lovely wool you sent me of course:-)!

[Tinuviel]

Yay! Another Waldorf family???
Greetings from California.
Your dolls are lovely

[clarice]

Hello, thank you for this turoial. My daughter made them as gifts and were thrilled with them. I post about them on my blog. Thank you Clarice

[Brenda]

Beautiful angels! I've looked on ETSY but can't find them. Please tell me where I can find them, I want to buy some!
Thank you, Brenda

[Angelina Smith]

IT REALLY IS WELL DONE!

[Katya Bell]

I made some myself and they look lovely in the living room. I do hope you win.

[Barbara Brown]

They are absouloutely stunning! I'm using them as a entry for my daughters summer fete competition!
Do you have any more fairy things?

[elise]

hello

I'm from Holland. But even I use this wonderful angel. Thank you.

Bedankt en heel veel groetsjes uit Nederland. Kusjes Elise!

[kelly]

I love this site.

[Linda Bucsko]

Where can I find the tutorial for the angels I must have missed it if you could send me one I would really appreciate it.

[pascale]

you 're a fairy yourself ::!!!!