DIY Network

Sleeping Cat Paperweight Let this adorable felted cat (or your favorite animal) guard your papers or hold the door for you. From "Uncommon Threads" episode DUCT-123

Janet Collins uses a rock and some roving to needle-felt a sleeping cat paperweight. The cute cat design is felted right onto the rock, and the detail of the body is added one piece at a time. You can make this paperweight any animal you like, or use a larger rock and create a doorstop.

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Materials:

	Sleeping Cat Paperweight
	Figure A
	Figure B
	The design possibilities are limited only by your imagination (and the rocks' shapes)!

100% wool roving in two contrasting colors (e.g., black and white, white and orange)
small amount of black roving for detail work
at least two felting needles (in case one breaks), size 36 or 38
thick waste wool for wrapping stone to form felting base
stone of desired size and shape for finished doorstop (e.g., 6" sphere)
thin wire or waxed thread for whiskers
needle (if using waxed thread for whiskers)

1. Wrap the waste wool around the stone so that the entire stone is covered. Try to make the surface area as even as possible when doing this. Continue wrapping until there is a layer of wool at least 1" deep (figure A).

2. Using the felting needle, needle all over the wool until the strips of wool hold together tightly. Be sure all loose ends are tucked in.

Note: Be careful not to stick the needle into the stone; holding the needle almost parallel with the stone seems to work best.

3. Cover the entire wrapped stone with a layer of wool roving in the base color. Needle in place, forming a smooth surface. Add more roving as required to cover all the wrapping wool.

4. Begin defining the cat's head, tail and paws by adding more roving to those areas (figure B). Build up the additional layers until the desired size and shape is achieved. Needle in place after each addition.

5. For recessed areas such as eyes, chin and spaces between legs and body, continue poking needle to make wool more compact in those areas.

6. Use the contrasting color to highlight the animal's markings such as striped fur, white paws, white forehead, etc. Needle in place after each addition.

Needle-felt a separate tail for the cat...

...and attach it using the same technique.

7. Continue working the piece until the desired shape and coloring are achieved.

8. To make the whiskers, thread the wire or waxed thread through the cheeks.

RESOURCES :

Felting needles
We apologize no further information is available.

Roving
Website: www.livingfelt.com