Salamander Feltworks

Further adventures in construction technique: a Long-eared Jerboa – one of the clear winners in an ongoing search for the world’s cutest rodent – as a step-by-step study of a work in progress. Rest your mouse pointer on each picture for more info. (Best viewed in full screen on a large monitor.)

Pic #1: Experiment with wire Pic #2: Shrinkage test Pic #3: New magnet

1. Lanyard-braiding experiment, May 8 2. Measuring wire-to-braid ratio, May 9 3. New magnet style, May 24

Pic #4: Real braid in progress Pic #5: Close-up of magnets and notes Pic #6: Armature

4. Braiding onto a magnet, May 24 5. Notes and wrapped magnets, May 24 6. Finished armature, May 26

Pic #7: Bum foot Pic #8: New foot Pic #9: Two feet

7. First try at a foot, May 27 8. Replacement (three tries later), May 28 9. Two feet and a leg, May 28

Pic #10 Pic #11 Pic #12
10. First coat on the legs and tail, May 31 11. After wet-felting to compress the loose wool, May 31 12. Filling in the body, May 31

Pic #13: Head looking at ears and eyes Pic #14: Developing the shoulders Pic #15: More shoulder wrapping

13. Ear armature and eyes, June 2 14. Wool for shoulders, June 2 15. Wrapping the shoulder, June 2

Pic #16 Pic #17 Pic #18

16. Loose wool for the ears, June 2 17. Needle-felted wool for the ears, June 2 18. Wet-felted wool for the ears, with tools, June 2

Pic #19: Eyes as first added Pic #20: Repositioned eyes Pic #21

19. Eyes in initial position, June 2 20. Eyes tied together, June 2 21. Filling around the eyes, June 2

Pic #22: Loose core Pic #23: Compacting the core Pic #24: Building up the eye socket

22. Switching to body work, June 2 23. Compacting the wool, June 2 24. Building the orbit, June 2

Pic #25: Shaping the facial structure Pic #26: Crash diet Pic #27: Revising the leg

25. Outlining the upper jaw, June 2 26. Trimming excess flesh, June 2 27. Lengthening the leg muscles, June 2

Pic #28: Ear sandwich Pic #29: New ear Pic #30: Ears on

28. Back to the ear sandwich, June 3 29. Revised ear design, June 3 30. Mounting the ears, June 3

Pic #31: Ears from back Pic #32: Hiding ear seams Pic #33: Coloring the face

31. Back of the ears, June 3 32. Masking the ear joint, June 3 33. Shading the face, June 3

Pic #34: Covered with fuzz Pic #35: Preliminary finish Pic #36: New round of compression

34. Full body fluff, June 3 35. “Finished” color coat, June 3 36. On a diet, June 4

Pic #37: Weight loss successful Pic #38: Final body shape Pic #39: First part of tail tuft

37. True proportions, June 4 38. Really finished color coat, June 4 39. Starting the tail tuft, June 5

Pic #40: Adding tail hair Pic #41: Felting down the final tuft layer Pic #42: Tail trimming

40. Third tail tuft layer, June 5 41. Double-felting the tail hair, June 5 42. Trimming the tail, June 5

Pic #43: Whiskers Pic #44: Final bench shot Pic #45: Portrait

43. Adding whiskers, June 5 44. Almost done, June 5 45. Final portrait, June 5


1. Lanyard-braiding experiment, May 8	2. Measuring wire-to-braid ratio, May 9	3. New magnet style, May 24

4. Braiding onto a magnet, May 24	5. Notes and wrapped magnets, May 24	6. Finished armature, May 26

7. First try at a foot, May 27	8. Replacement (three tries later), May 28	9. Two feet and a leg, May 28

10. First coat on the legs and tail, May 31	11. After wet-felting to compress the loose wool, May 31	12. Filling in the body, May 31

13. Ear armature and eyes, June 2	14. Wool for shoulders, June 2	15. Wrapping the shoulder, June 2

16. Loose wool for the ears, June 2	17. Needle-felted wool for the ears, June 2	18. Wet-felted wool for the ears, with tools, June 2

19. Eyes in initial position, June 2	20. Eyes tied together, June 2	21. Filling around the eyes, June 2

22. Switching to body work, June 2	23. Compacting the wool, June 2	24. Building the orbit, June 2

25. Outlining the upper jaw, June 2	26. Trimming excess flesh, June 2	27. Lengthening the leg muscles, June 2

28. Back to the ear sandwich, June 3	29. Revised ear design, June 3	30. Mounting the ears, June 3

31. Back of the ears, June 3	32. Masking the ear joint, June 3	33. Shading the face, June 3

34. Full body fluff, June 3	35. “Finished” color coat, June 3	36. On a diet, June 4

37. True proportions, June 4	38. Really finished color coat, June 4	39. Starting the tail tuft, June 5

40. Third tail tuft layer, June 5	41. Double-felting the tail hair, June 5	42. Trimming the tail, June 5

43. Adding whiskers, June 5	44. Almost done, June 5	45. Final portrait, June 5