Felting With Phoenix - Part 5

My friends, the time has come: Today is my last and final post for this project. For the last creation of this blog, I made a chipmunk. I'm very excited to show you guys this project, as I feel like it was a good opportunity for me to put together all of the new techniques I've learned from my book, Little Felted Animals. I noticed my major problem with my past projects is that the proportions are slightly off, making them look less realistic. To combat that, I put extra effort into creating "each part, referring to [the] full-size parts diagram as a guide" (Nishida and Tomoko 66). I used a new technique from the book that I learned in my first project, using a wire base to give the animal mobility. Putting wire through the base of the tail allows me to bend it into any position for display. I also learned how to add additional wool around the joints when attaching the parts to create a smoother look (Nishida and Tomoko 66). After I created all of the parts with reference to the full size image, this is what my base looked like:

Next, it was time to add the patterning. I expected this to be quick but actually took a lot longer than anticipated. The chipmunk has a series of stripes in light brown, dark brown, and a creamy white. I used the technique of "punching" in the lines to create a smooth finish, avoiding any fuzzy wool strands sticking out. Finally, I got to the face. I used an awl to pierce holes for the eyes, then put them in. I didn't have big enough eyes to give it the look I wanted, so I just punched in some black wool around them to make them appear larger. I added some wool to make the cheeks poke out in the signature chipmunk look, and punched in some stripes and ears. Finally, my last creation was finished:

In retrospect, I wish the face looked a little more realistic to match the reference picture. Despite that, I think that the body looks good and I'm proud of the patterning. The shape of the tail actually makes it look more like a squirrel than a chipmunk, but I don't mind.

Now that I've finished all of my projects, what do you guys think? Have I improved at all since the beginning, and what could I do differently? Have you ever tried to felt something on your own, and if you haven't would you want to?

Citation: Nishida, Kyoko, and Tomoko Kodera. Adorable Felted Animals: 30 Easy & Incredibly Lifelike Needle Felted Pals. Tokyo: Tuttle, 2015. Print.