Sunday, October 24, 2010

Tutorial for my Pinecone Trees

www.shop.thewoolacorn.com

I've been asked to create a tutorial for my Pinecone Trees which are currently on the cover of Holiday Crafts 2010 magazine.  It's super easy and I have a kit in my shop with all the supplies you need to make them!!!  Keep in mind that you can whip them up in any color combination and use them for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Easter, New Year's Eve or any other holiday.  I did mine in a combination of bright colors that I just happen to like for Christmas.  (You supply the reindeer).






The trees are decorated with needle felted wool balls.  Needle felting is the process of poking wool roving with a special kind of barbed needle.  It is insanely sharp!  As you poke the wool, the barbs on the needle cause it to "felt" together... much like that time you washed a sweater and it came out the size of a potholder.  Now, before you start, I want you to raise your right hand and repeat after me.  I {state your name} do solemnly swear that, while poking the needle, I will not glance at the TV, give my children the stinkeye, or shoot a knowing glance at anyone in the room.  I will keep my eyes on the needle at all times!!!  You're still going to poke yourself but I bet you catch on real fast!


First thing... use a bottle brush and scrub the pinecone to loosen any seeds and dirt (do this over a trash can).  If the pinecones are sticky, you can bake them in your oven at 170 degrees for an hour to harden the sap.


Make the balls:  Take a small wisp of wool and roll it into a ball.  You can always add more wool to make it larger, but you can't take wool away if it's getting too big.  So begin with just a little bit.  Start poking your needle into the wool, turning the wool and moving it every few pokes so it doesn't stick to the foam pad.  If you keep rotating the wool, a ball shape will appear.








After you've made a bunch of balls, head to the sink.  Using hot soapy water, gently roll the balls one by one, in the palm of your hand.  This will really tighten the fibers together and give them a nice round shape.  If they start to look orb-like, use less pressure.  Squeeze them with a towel when you're done.  They will dry pretty quick if you just leave them on the counter.  Using the Tacky Glue, stick them onto your pinecone.  I make about 25 balls for a 2-2.5" pinecone.




To make the base, cover the wooden spool with glue and roll it in German Glass glitter.  Let dry.


Use the same glue to attach the base to the pinecone.  It's OK if you have to play with it a bit before it sits just how you like it.  If it's sitting crooked, you can tuck a little ball underneath to balance it out.  Ta-da, you're done!

Shop.theWoolAcorn.com


The kit contains 3 real pinecones, 6x8x2 felting pad, 2 felting needles, 3 wooden spools, German Glass glitter, .66 oz bottle Aleene's Tacky Glue and Pure Wool Roving in 8 colors.  Directions included as well.  Feel free to email me if you need a consult!  But, really, it isn't hard!  Click here to purchase!




30 comments:

  1. That is just too cute! I love it!

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  2. What a fun craft, especially for kids! I love whimsical projects like these, especially around the holidays. (Also love projects that are easy to create using materials from around the house!)

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  3. Very cute! I especially love your warning to watch your needle - nicely put!

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  4. These are great! And what a terrific tip to bake the pinecones if they are sticky! I've never heard that before! Thanks for joining us this week!
    {Rebekah}

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  5. so cute :) come on over and link up to MMM!!

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  6. Those are too cute!! I just love them! Great job! :)

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  7. Awesomeness!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!

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  8. 2cute... I'm going to do this craft with my little bitties :) !!!

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  9. Wow - these are awesome...love the combo of the soft wool and rough cone..great job thanks for sharing found you via craftmaniac #239...TFS

    xo
    tina

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  10. These are darling, I love the bright colors and the glitter on the base. Would love you to join me at A Crafty Soiree, every Thursday.

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  11. These are so dang CUTE!!!

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Christmas is just around the corner...would you like to WIN some cash? Hop over and enter my gift card GIVEAWAY!!!

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  12. Hello...

    Welcome to Sunday Favorites, my friend! It's such a pleasure to have you join in with the fun of our little repost party! What a great post to revisit...I love your pinecone trees! I must confess that I have never worked with wool, although it sounds like great fun (minus the part about stabbing your fingers with that wool needle...hehe!) I think the little wool ornaments just make this pinecone Christmas tree...simply adorable!!! Thank you for sharing your pretties with us for Sunday Favorites...as well as that great tutorial! I hope that you'll join us again! It's so nice to meet you!

    I also wanted to thank you for the sweet note that you left on my post!

    Have a super Sunday, my friend!
    Chari @Happy To Design

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  13. These are super cute! Excellent job!
    You should come link this up to my weekly Thursday Making It With Allie Link Party! I think it would make a Fabulous addition!
    AllieMakes.Blogspot.com

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  14. These are just too cute! I love all the colors.

    Thanks for linking up. And don't forget to enter my along for the ride: designs giveaway! http://bit.ly/9cz33f

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  15. Oh, my goodness....these are the cutiest, Ever!
    Thank you for sharing!
    Leticia

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  16. Oh my goodness! I have some huge pinecones I got in CO last year--I wonder if I could do the same with them? Won't you share this tute over on Vintage Pollyanna on my Tell Me Tuesday link party? http://vintagepollyanna.blogspot.com/2010/11/join-me-on-tuesdays-for-new-link-party.html

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  17. These are adorable! Hope you link them up to my Pink Hippo Party @ http://pinkapotamus.blogspot.com/2010/11/pink-hippo-party-3.html

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  18. Adorable! Great tutorial- This would be great to make with the kids! Come on over and show these off tomorrow!

    http://kraftykat76.blogspot.com/

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  19. You are being featured TODAY!

    Congrads!

    To give you some extra exposure, I’m combining featuring you with this week’s DIY craft tutorial linky party, which obviously also opens today.

    So when picking up your 'I'm featured' badge, you could take a new project along and show of your talents, again and again.

    We love to showcase your tutorials and at time, feature your work. It’s excellent!

    http://www.FineCraftGuild.com/diy-linky-party-21/ will be up in an hour.


    Have a craftful, happy day, Rose

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  20. That is awesome!!! So cute I love it. I want to make one!

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  21. Fantastic, adorable project! Congrats on the cover!!! Thanks much for sharing your idea.

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  22. Great idea! I've been needle-felting for a while and I made a similar pine cone tree back in the '70s using small shells, so why didn't this thought occur to me? Glad it did to you!

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  23. What a fun project for the kiddos, too! With a little adapting :)

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  24. How original ! Never saw a pine cone tree before.

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  25. Beautiful! Your simple and ingenius idea inspire me to make my little trees (with little modification).
    Thank you and Merry Christmas!

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