I decided to needle felt some lips that I can turn into brooches. I started with some red heavy wool felt. I created the outline and then filled in the blanks. I am using reds, pinks, fuschias, oranges to create some color and a little dimension. After a few in the warm color palette, I plan on moving to blues and other colors.

Journal

2016-10-27: First pair of lips felted. I ordered some pin backs, so I won’t be able to complete anything until they arrive.
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Second pair of lips felted. I added more yellow to this one.
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Third pair of lips felted. The outline wasn’t deep enough, so i kept these lips closed. I think I like the open lips better. I also need to work in some different colors.
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Fourth pair of lips felted. Tried to start with purple but I ended up covering a lot of it up.

2016-10-28: 5th pair of lips felted. I succeeded in getting some blues into this one.

2016-10-30: Sew pin backs onto first 5 lips. Complete 6th pair of lips. Didn’t like the method I used for this one. The outline of the lips was not as crisp.

2016-10-31: Complete 7th pair. I went back to my original method of outlining with the Palette first.
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Complete 8th pair. This pair uses too many colors. I tried to stay in the orange to brown range.
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Complete 9th pair. I went back to pink and used only shades of pink.
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Complete 10th pair. Used browny oranges with a touch of pink.
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Sew on pin backs to remaining 5. I’m calling this one complete for now.

2016-11-20: Decided to do some more lips; this time closed.

Outline First, Fill in Second

• I created a basic template that i use to create the outline. I use Palette to outline my lips following the template outline.

• my template has 2 holes at the corner of the teeth. I use a sharpie to mark this on my felt. I then come in with the Palette and create the division between the lips using my marks.

• Now I start filling in the lips until I like the color balance.

• Now fill in the white for the teeth.

• Cut out and clean up any fiber that overlaps the black outline. Use the needle to felt both the back and the front.

Fill in First, Outline Second

• Place my template on the felt and draw an outline around it with a sharpie. Mark the 2 mouth corner points and draw the lip division and the mouth.

• Fill in the lips

• fill in the mouth.

• Using Palette, complete the lip outline.

Tools

• 36 gauge triangular single
• 6x36 gauge triangular.