'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
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Wednesday 4 June 2014

Review: Felted Friends - Create Your Own Soft, Fuzzy Animals

Felted Friends: Create Your Own Soft, Fuzzy Animals is a 50+ page book and kit containing all the materials necessary to create five felted animals.  It’s a fun and easy introduction to needle felting.

The book is carefully designed, starting with an introduction to felting, tips for using a felting tool, and how to make basic shapes. Following that are step-by-step instructions to make a mouse, cat, rabbit, squirrel and fox - and how to turn the mouse into a hedgehog. Actual-sized photos and diagrams are provided to help determine whether or not you’re on the right track.

The kit provides everything you need to give it a go: plenty of coloured wool roving, a special felting tool, and a foam shape to work on. I was greatly tempted by the cute little creatures on the front cover of the book, and yes, I did enjoy making one of my own. 

This is one of the products on offer in the Klutz range of arts, crafts and activities for children. The end results of this particular kit - a bunch of animals small enough to sit on your hand - are sure to please creators old enough to be careful with the sharp felting tool (I would recommend adult supervision). Afterwards they might even want to try their hand at other felting projects.

Title: Felted Friends: Create Your Own Soft, Fuzzy Animals
Author: Kaitlyn Nichols
Publisher: Klutz for Scholastic, $24.99 RRP
Publication Date: May 2014
Format: Paperback (kit)
ISBN: 9780545647960
For ages: 10+
Type: Non-fiction