Alpacas!

 

The art department at our school district received a grant this year to experience fiber art at it's best! We went to the Waldron Alpaca Farm in a nearby town where the students learned all about making felted wool tapestries.

 First we got to meet the alpacas. They are so cute! The photos really do not do them justice. They have such personality...and bangs. Such awesome bangs.

My students were completely smitten. It's hard to tell who's looking at who.

 After learning about the alpacas we all got to make our own felted wool tapestries. Susan Waldron who owns the farm sheers the alpacas every spring, cleans the wool and dyes it all herself to use in her own fiber art. She has piles of the softest wool in an amazing array of colors She makes gorgeous colorful tapestries and even some beautiful ponchos and jackets.

The wool we used started off all soft and fluffy.We used a barbed needle to poke through the wool so it would stay attached to the felt backing. 

 So here are my very first attempts at felting. The koi fish is small at about 8x10. All the students made one in preparation for the big 16x20 project.

My robin tapestry isn't quite finished yet. I need some more berries but over all not too shabby for a brand new medium. All the students created such wonderful artwork and it was a great experience for all of them. I know they were all exhausted by the end of the day because most of them napped on the bus ride home!

Thanks so much Susan!