Finding Flow with Needle Felting Artistry

I'm a needle felting artist and dollmaker. Through the meditative process of creating my Sacred Ancestor Spirit Dolls, I am the vessel for channeling the ancestors to come through each doll. Doll making in this way is an ancient technique. I'm intrigued by the endless possibilities as I begin to create magic with my own hands. I learned how by taking an online course called Sacred Familiar Spirit Dolls by Julia Inglis. This allowed me to reconnect with a beautiful and potent ancestral practice. If you feel the call from one of the dolls you will be the sacred keeper and it will become your companion or talisman.

Needle felting may be unfamiliar to you at first, and you may be perplexed as to what it means. I'm almost certain that most have already seen a felted creation and aren’t even aware of it! Needle felting is the art of matting wool fibers together using a special needle with notches cut out of it. The barbs in the spiked metal on the needle tug at the individual wool fibers, causing them to tangle. When the wool fibers fuse tightly together it holds its shape. A wool needle felting cushion is the surface used to felt the wool. The needles are for interlacing the fibers as tightly or as loosely as you choose. For needle felting, an artist uses un-spun wool from sheep. This wool is known as wool tops or wool roving.

As a needle felting artist I have discovered many therapeutic benefits from practicing this craft. The action of needle felting is comprised by repetitive, rhythmic movements that facilitate a meditative state. When you bring the repetitive motion in stabbing the wool with a felting needle coupled with the confidence, focus and the concentration it takes to create a sculpted shape it becomes a meditative process. You will lose yourself as you become engrossed and achieve a “flow state”. You will lose all track of time, and the concerns of one's day fall away bringing a peaceful, calming atmosphere.