PoTaTo Needle Felted French Bulldog -Custom Made

Here is a little one I made this summer for a very nice customer . This is Potato and now lives in Hong Kong . I loved all the cute markings , the fibre used was a nice Finnish wool . The woodland stand is also all made with wool ... the mushrooms are bendy and Potato can stand up on the grassy mound as there are little holes for the feet.

Little Potato on the Toadstools stand

Walk About

Hug that Bunny

Closer View

The real Potato

Making a Needle Felted Dog Head

This is an ongoing post on how I make these dogs , eventually I hope it will be a full pictorial guide on how to make your own dog. I was helped so much by internet how to blogs . This is my way of giving something back. 

STAGE 1 .

This is the very beginning , making this takes about an hour to form , use your hands and needle to mould the wool to shape . The best fleece to use is Corriedale , Cheviot ..... most downland types of fleece with a short staple length of fibre.

Come back next time and see the head take shape with the inclusion of Reborn Eyes.

The very start of a Frenchie head ......this is simply a fistful of wool.
This is washed lambs wool of an English downland sort of sheep .

I mostly use a single needle felting needle called a 38 star
I have made an extra little mound for the snout..
Needle Felt them together and then layer corriedale top over the whole shape..
It will seem very floppy at this stage but do persevere.

STAGE 2.

This is how it looks after lots and lots of needle stabbing with a 38 star needle
I will make an extra post about the eyes I use , they are called Reborn eyes and they are
usually used for dolls . To shape the head use the shape of your hands and mould the wool to shape along with
the actual needle felting . Push it around until you are happy. I look at dog skull shapes online to help me
with shape and eye socket placement. I do not worry too much about complete reality because these are fantasy
dogs, that said you do have to base them on some level of the reality ladder.
The eyes are acrylic and half domed. I carefully pull some fibre from the corriedale wool and glue a little wad into each eye. . Then I needle felt  them onto the front of the head. Picture details to follow.

Pumkin ! A Fantasy French Bulldog Dolly Needle Felt Sculpture

Here is Pumkin , she is a fantasy creation made with soft wool and a full armature . She sold on ebay .

SHE HAS A LOVELY RIBBON COLLAR , You can find these gorgeous ribbons from a  great site
http://www.hollandfabrichouse.com/shop/home.php I added a flower and crystal necklace.

Close-Up

With a little Mate

Fighting about the Bunny

Niko the Needle Felted Brindle French Bulldog

Here is Niko , I made this one for a lovely guy in the U.S. . Niko is no longer with us but his spirit lives on . Scroll to the bottom of the page to see the real Niko and his owner Erick . 

nIKO's owner is an artist and makes the most gorgeous Frenchie stuff , I will add more info later.

A New French Bulldog , Bruce from Lincoln UK

Here is my latest , I have been awful about blogging , so very , very busy ! I started showing on facebook and life has become a whirlwind of doggy orders ......Very cool !

I will post each one I have made for my lovely customers with pics of the real living Frenchies .

Bruce , the beige brindle Frechie was very interesting to make with all the lovely markings . His face was full of character and a joy to create . Thanks to Lisa who owns the real thing .

Here is felted Bruce with a bone

Looking Feisty !

The Real Bruce ! What a cutey .

Having a sit down , been a busy day.

The Boney Offering

Pick me Up !

Thanks Bruce !