Well, what a wonderful turn out for the first Needle Felting Contest for 2009! There are so many lovely creations that YOU ARE ALL WINNERS in entering this contest. Each of these sculptures are precious for different reasons. I separated the entries into beginner’s and advanced categories. The beginner’s are made by people who have felted less than 12 felties. Some of these sculptures are the FIRST felted creation by the artist!!!I hope that this is OK with people as I thought it was more fair for the newbies not to compete against the more advanced sculptors.
I NEED YOUR HELP TO PICK A WINNER IN EACH CATEGORY!
**Please leave a comment with your vote and the reason why you chose a certain feltie. today. FREE WOOL of their choice and a CUSTOM MADE FELTING NEEDLE goes to the winners.
Please pick wool out of my Etsy shop or I can make a custom mix just for you! Click on WOOL/FIBER there on the right column to see some of the choices available.www.gfelted.etsy.com
SCROLL DOWN THIS PAGE TO SEE CLOSE-UPS AND MORE PICTURES OF EACH ENTRY.
THINGS THAT I LOOK FOR WHEN I PICK A WINNER:
IMAGINATION
EVOKES A RESPONSE
PERSISTENCE
UNIQUENESS
FUR QUALITY
TEXTURE
EXPRESSION
CUTENESS
BEAUTY
YOU CAN USE YOUR OWN QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE WINNER!!
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~BEGINNER’S DIVISION~PLEASE PICK YOUR FAVORITE IN THIS DIVISION
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ADVANCED DIVISION~PLEASE PICK A FAVORITE HERE ALSO~THANKS!
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I personally love the dragon for the simple fact i love dragons.
But I will have to cast my vote towards the waterlily picture. It captures everything i love about art. Colour, imagination. And the ability to dream. The artist has done a wonderful job of making a dream like word in which a could easily see fairies and dragons and little girls trying to catch frogs in.
By: Jocelyn on February 4, 2009
at 9:45 pm
Hi Jocelyn,
Thanks for your pick in the advanced division. Could you also choose your favorite beginners sculpture? Thanks!
By: gourmetfelted on February 4, 2009
at 11:34 pm
I thought I commented before. I like the Woodland scene on the tote bag in the beginners division, and the Water Lilies painting on the advanced.
By: Heather on February 5, 2009
at 2:15 am
I am going to have to vote for the the gnome and mushroom bag my daughter made, just cause I know how much work she did and how proud of it she is.
Also how much work she put into it.
I cant can’t wait to send you photos of her latest project. She is doing it for a silent auction for the Ottawa Human Society. She loves animals and come the end of this project she hopes to show that.
Would you like pictures of part way through the project?
The mom
By: Jocelyn on February 5, 2009
at 4:11 pm
[...] close and Gerry has requested us Craft Gossipers to come over and help judge her contest. Go over to Gourmet Felted and pick your favorite in the Beginner’s Division and in the Advanced division. There are [...]
By: Help Judge The Needle Felting Contest Held by Gourmet Felted · Felting @ CraftGossip on February 5, 2009
at 5:13 pm
Beginners: I love the Fire Dragon
Advanced: The SNOW POD, it is just lovely!
Good Luck to everyone!
By: Linda Lanese on February 5, 2009
at 5:22 pm
I posted the judging request on Craft Gossip, Please come over and comment:
http://felting.craftgossip.com/2009/02/05/help-judge-the-needle-felting-contest-held-by-gourmet-felted/
By: Linda Lanese on February 5, 2009
at 5:25 pm
Beginner: I like the mushroom house bag the best
Advanced: Those 2 squirrels are irresistable.
Such a terrific group of projects! It’s hard to pick favorites!
By: IamSusie on February 5, 2009
at 5:25 pm
Beginners – Would love to vote for myself, but dont think thats ethical, so my vote goes to the rose, just because I love roses
Advanced – Love all the kitties, but can’t choose a favorite out of them, so think my vote has to go to Baxter the Bunny
By: Lynne on February 6, 2009
at 2:24 am
My choice is Little Bluebeary in the Beginner’s category and for the Advanced, I have to pick Penelope!
It was a difficult choice!
Thanks Gerry for the contest, it has been amazing to see everyone’s work!
By: Marianne on February 6, 2009
at 3:42 am
In the beginners I love the dragon — darling!
In the advanced I love the Burmese kitty with the beautiful eyes, it looks very ‘real’.
Everyone did a wonderful job!
By: Whitney on February 6, 2009
at 5:27 am
I also thought that the rose was very original. The thin petals and the layered construction is very realistic. Great creation for a newbie.
By: gourmetfelted on February 6, 2009
at 7:15 am
My choice for Beginners is the needlefelted mammoth. The colour and texture is perfect.
My choice for the Advanced is the man and the dog. Looks so cosy and a lot of interesting details like the fire and the hot dog.
Amazing entries bot in the Advance and Beginners section. Thank you Gerry for organizing this contest !
By: Gunilla Rehn on February 6, 2009
at 11:28 am
They are all winners…Making a choice is so difficult with having such a variety of subjects….Each won in different categories…BUT
For Beginners…my choice is Lirael’s Tote Bag…
What talent at such a young age… Looking forward to seeing her new creation…
For Advanced…WOW! What talented artists! My choice is Helen’s Penelope….so REAL!
Looking forward to seeing more! Thanks, Gerry!
By: Lynne on February 6, 2009
at 2:45 pm
What a difficult choice all winners for different reasons, but my final choice………
For beginners – the Woodpecker it’s eyecatching and its markings so defined.
For Advanced – Penelope she is so gracefull and realistic.
Congratulations to everyone!
By: Dawn on February 6, 2009
at 7:24 pm
for the beginner, the wooly mammoth, and for the advanced, the dragon with the rainbowy wings.
By: Carys on February 6, 2009
at 8:39 pm
wow this is an extremely hard pick they are all amazing. Wow!
If I really have to pick though it would be the woodpecker because of the detail and the realisim to it and for the secound one it’s would be the pursian cat standing on the pillow because it reminds me of my own cat
By: Jessica Wright on February 6, 2009
at 9:14 pm
I think the dragon is great! But my FAVORITE is the furry white kitty because I am a cat Lover.
By: Sharon D. Unser on February 7, 2009
at 12:21 am
Do you mean the cat on the pillow? I guess I should have put titles with them. It is a hard pick for sure!
By: gourmetfelted on February 7, 2009
at 12:59 am
tough decisions! so much nice work here.
but, since we must choose, I pick that darling Peter Rabbit for the Beginner’s category (because he is darling… do we really need another reason
). And, for the Advanced category, I must choose Penelope the prancing white cat… the artist just captured a cat’s gate so nicely… it’s a lovely, realistic work of art!
By: kim on February 7, 2009
at 1:24 am
So hard to choose!
Beginning: The woodpecker
Advanced: The crouching cat really made me go ohhhh
By: Jackie on February 7, 2009
at 2:20 am
Beginners: Alan the Siberian husky because I worked really hard on it and am proud of myself.
Advanced: Fluffy standing cat on the purple stand (sorry, couldn’t find the original post with name)
Thanks.
By: comatosemantra on February 7, 2009
at 4:35 pm
I love the sheep with 3 bags full for the beginner category, and the fluffy cat on the pillow is definitely my favorite for the advanced category. So many fun and unique entries!
By: Lesley on February 7, 2009
at 5:11 pm
I will have to vote for the little girl who did the bag, I think it is wonderful that she is that talented.
And for the advanced I am partial to the squirrels.
Hope that my vote helps, And i love your site.
By: Cathy on February 7, 2009
at 5:50 pm
Thanks so much for your comments. It will be interesting which ones will win! I have favorites in each group. It is hard to just pick one in each. Thank you for your help!
By: gourmetfelted on February 7, 2009
at 6:04 pm
It is so hard for my wife and I top pick but we both in the end found we had our own personal favorites.
Here is what Jen has to say:
I have been spinning and felting since i was in university, and I found your website via a blog from a friend. I was shocked to see the talent. They are all so skill.
Anyhow here is my vote.
Sore experienced I will vote for the grey cat playing with the ball. It is unique in the fact most cats i see are ultra cute kittens or long hairs, I think also the fur quality shows shadding and mussle variations. And the expression is realistic and very thought invoking.
When it came to the junior section it was much much harder as there where a couple that were just very unique and stood out above the rest.
I ended up choosing one that though is not as talented as the others, shows talent, creativity and whimsical quality.
And so i vot for the little 7 year old, girl who did the bag. Her mother should be very proud and congratulation on teaching a skill that will serve her in many respects in the years to come.
QAnd now here my husband Robert.
Hey I am a simple farmer and such am not as artsy as my wife.
My votes are based on pure visual / practical appeal.
For senior section I will vot for squirrels. and the junior section i will also vote for the bag, I know that our daughter would love such a thing.
By: Robert & Jennifer on February 7, 2009
at 6:09 pm
I vote for the waterlilies picture – the one after the bunny. It seems animals are so commonly made – the picture has more imagination to it. It takes a talent for composition. It isn’t just a replica of an animal. Just my opinion….
By: Lin Moon on February 8, 2009
at 4:26 am
In the beginner’s I vote for the bird. I have felted a bird and it is really hard. The bird has a lot of parts – it’s not just all rounded shapes. Add to this the colored parts that give the bird its personality, and this is the one I like!
By: Lin Moon on February 8, 2009
at 4:29 am
Congratulations to all participants! Fabulous entries in both categories. A very difficult decision for sure.
In the beginner’s category I vote for the fire breathing dragon for the use of color, articulating limbs and of course, the fire.
In the advanced category my vote if for the impressionistic water lilies. Very well done.
By: Susan on February 8, 2009
at 9:39 pm
Well I am going to mix it up a bit because I always worry about contests and feel everyone needs a vote! My sensitive side tends to feel bad when some do not get votes. In this case it is merely because of the amount of the entries..as every single piece in both categories are fantastic!
So my votes are for the cute little snowman on the teaspoon in the beginners category. I happen to know this was the 1st ever felting by the creator.
In the advanced category my vote goes to the snowboarder! It is so difficult to needle felt ‘motion’ and the creator of this piece nailed it…the movement is wonderful!
By: Rachel on February 8, 2009
at 11:41 pm
Forgot to add my thanks to you Gerry for this contest…it has been a lot of fun both participating and voting! Can’t wait to see the winners!
By: Rachel on February 8, 2009
at 11:43 pm
Great contest, Gerry, and all of the entries are so amazing! I recognize some of the artists and their work so it is very hard to be impartial. So, if I could, I would pick everyone – but since I can only choose two…..
Beginner is the Fire Breathing Dragon – I just love the playfulnes of it.
And Advanced, oh boy…I think I have to pick the Snow Pod – there is just something about it – simply gorgeous – I want snowpods hanging from my trees!
By: Kay Petal on February 9, 2009
at 9:05 pm
Thanks Gerry for the contest
,
I think everyone is talanted on their own way, And I wish I could give my vote for all these work we can see here, but a contest is a contest
So my vote goes to:
beginners category: Peter Rabbit, he is so cute!
advanced category: Penelope, she is outstanding!
I hope all of these felters will go on working with this amazing material and find the joy of creating! I personally just love felting and I do it with all of my heart
!
I promise to visit your blog time to time, it was a very nice surprise to find my way to this site!
, it would be nice to have some comments from you too 
. (I know, my site is written in finnish, but you can use the “google toolbar” to translate it to english 
….)
I wish you also welcome to visit my blog
Happy Valentine´s Day!
-Sari-
By: Sari on February 13, 2009
at 6:37 am
Thanks so much Sari! I looked at your site and it was wonderful even not translated! I will be adding more new posts soon as soon as I am feeling better.
By: gourmetfelted on February 14, 2009
at 2:59 am
My choice would be
Beginners – fire breathing dragon
Advanced – the squirrels.
They are all fantastic.
By: Fionaken on February 15, 2009
at 5:57 pm
I’d have to say ” Pritten”. I”m not a huge cat lover but that gray/white cat looks REAL/ALIVE!! WOW!
By: Sandy on March 31, 2009
at 12:15 am
the novice one that caught my eye was the woodpecker for it was just like the real one so much it was hard to tell that it was made from felt.
The advanced one Iliked the best was the gray cat with the blue eyes. And the reason I liked it so much was the way it was posed. It really looked like it was ready to pounce on the ball.
By: marcie luebbert on August 2, 2009
at 4:51 am
Hi Marcie,
Welcome to my blog! Thank you for your comment. This was a spring contest that is over.
I am having a new contest now in my One Year Celebration. Everyone can enter their first feltie and a current one. There will be a vote later in the month on my one year anniversary date! The prizes are wool of your choice or a multi needle tool. Thanks again!
By: gourmetfelted on August 2, 2009
at 5:51 am