NEEDLE FELTING BUTTERFLY

 The Art of Felting Butterflies: A Beginner's Guide

WHAT IS NEEDLE FELTING BUTTERFLY?

Needle felting is a technique that involves using a special needle to manipulate wool fibers into a desired shape. A needle-felting butterfly is a small sculpture of a butterfly that has been created using this technique.

A maker often starts with a base form of wool roving, a long and narrow bundle of wool fibers, to create a needle-felted butterfly. The crafter then uses a special barbed needle to repeatedly poke and prod the wool, causing the fibers to interlock and become more compact.

The "felting" procedure enables the maker to manipulate the wool into the desired butterfly shape.

One of the basic butterfly shapes has been created; the crafter can add details such as wings, antennae, and markings using additional wool fibers, and the needle is a cute and colorful butterfly sculpture that can be used as a decoration, a toy, or even a piece of jewelry.

HOW DO YOU NEEDLE FELT WINGS?

To needle felt wings, you will need some wool roving in the color of your choice, a felting hand, a foam pad, and a reference image or template of the type of wings you want to create. 

Here are the steps:

1.  Begin by tearing off a minor wool roving and rolling it into a tight ball. Place the ball on the foam pad and use your felting needle to poke it repeatedly, ensuring the hand goes in and out at different angles. This will start to compress the wool and create a flat surface.

2.  Add more wool to the flat surface and poke it with the needle until it becomes thick and firm. You can use your fingers to shape the thread into the rough outline of your wing shape.

3.  Use a reference image or template to help guide you as you create the shape of the wings.

Add more wool and use the needle to shape and refine the branch. Be sure to add more thread to areas that need thicker, such as the wing's leading edge.

4. Repeat the process to create the second wing, making sure that both wings are symmetrical in size and shape.

5. Continue to refine the shape of the wings until you are happy with the final result.

PRECAUTIONS WHILE USING FELTING NEEDLE BUTTERFLY:

When working with felting needles to create a needle-felted butterfly or any other project, it's essential to take precautions to avoid injury and ensure that your work turns out as intended.

1. Use a foam pad:

Always work on a foam pad to protect your work surface and your fingers. The foam pad will also help hold your work as you needle felt.

2.. Keep your fingers away from the needle:

Felting needles are sharp and can cause injury if you accidentally poke yourself. Always be aware of where your fingers are about the hand, and avoid holding the wool too tightly while felting.

3. Use caution when changing needles:

Different needles have different sizes and shapes of barbs; some are sharper than others. When changing hands, handle them carefully and avoid touching the short end. 

4. Store needles safety:

When you're finished using your felting needles, store them in a safe place, such as a container with a lid or a needle storage case. This will help to prevent accidental injury and keep your needles organized.

5. Work in a well-lit area:

 Good lighting will keep you to see what you're doing and avoid accidental injury.

WHAT IS A SEA BUTTERFLY NEEDLE?

A sea butterfly needle is a plankton net designed to collect tiny, floating organisms known as pteropods.

 Because of their wing-like appendages, pteropods, called sea butterflies, are marine snails living in the open ocean. 

These delicate creatures are essential indicators of the ocean's health and an important food source for many other marine animals.

The sea butterfly needle is a fine-mashed net towed behind a research vessel or other type of boat. The catch is designed to capture pteropods without damaging their delicate shells or wings. 

Once the trap is on board, the collected samples can be carefully removed and preserved for further analysis in a laboratory.

 Sea butterfly needles are commonly used in oceanography, the abundance of pteropods, and their physiology, behavior, and ecology.

USES OF SEA BUTTERFLY NEEDLES:

Sea butterfly needles have several vital uses in marine science research. 

1. Collecting pteropod samples:

 As mentioned, sea butterfly needles are designed to collect pteropods, a type of tiny, floating marine snail. 

These delicate creatures are essential indicators of the ocean's health and an important food source for many other marine animals.

2. Assessing ocean health:

Pteropods are sensitive to changes in ocean chemistry and temperature, making them critical indicators of ocean health. 

By studying the abundance and distribution of pteropods, scientists can assess the impacts of climate change and other environmental factors on the ocean ecosystem.

3. Understanding ocean food webs:

Pteropods are an essential food source for many other marine animals, including whales, seabirds, and fish. 

By studying the abundance and distribution of pteropods, scientists can gain insights into the structure and function of ocean food webs.

4. Investigating ocean circulation:

Pteropods inhabit different ocean layers, and their distribution can provide insights into ocean circulation patterns.