Craft Focus - April/May 2020 (Issue 78)

98 REASONS TO STOCK • Suitable for children and adults • No previous experience needed • Shelf-ready packaging THE PRODUCT A recent Gift of the Year winner, The Crafty Kit Company’s Baby Bunny needle felting kit is aimed at crafters aged 10 and above. Suitable for beginners, the simple kit comes with everything that’s needed to complete the cute design, including wool, a needle, eyes and full instructions. It’s supplied in shelf-ready cardboard packaging and has a retail price of £12. The company has a selection of other kits available, including British birds, charming woodland creatures and exotic animals like koalas and pandas. HOW TO USE IT One of the kit’s strengths is its easy-to- follow instruction sheet, with each step clearly photographed. I shaped the bunny’s body and head, carefully using the needle to tangle the fibres and firm up the wool. A thin piece is used to fuse the body and head sections together. The ears are next. Layers of brown wool are felted into shape using the needle or a pair of scissors. Hair spray or wax can be used to stiffen and shape these pieces, with a little pink wool added to create a realistic look. The bunny is then covered in a thin layer of light brown wool, firming and shaping at the same time. Dark brown wool is felted in key areas to create definition along the thighs and back legs. White wool is used to If you have a product you’d like us to test, get in touch via editor@craftfocus.com HAPPY Andrea Ashfield gets to grips with The Crafty Kit Company’s award-winning needle felting kit bunnies The Crafty Kit Company +44 (0)1620 860 907 craftykitcompany.co.uk form a fluffy white tail. The eyes are fixed into position – the instructions recommend painting the back with black nail polish to make them look extra dark and beady. Dark wool felted around the eyes can be used to add definition. Once I was happy with the design, I used scissors to tidy and trim the bunny. As an extra finishing touch, bristles from a paintbrush can be glued on to create whiskers.