Needle Felting a Teddy Bear Skull: Unnatural History in the Making

Stephanie Metz creates one of her needle-felted teddy bear skull sculptures-- in time-lapse. Taken from industrial origins, needle felting is the process of compressing and tangling wool fibers into three-dimensional forms through repetitive hand work with barbed needles. Sculptor Stephanie Metz has been blazing a trail with this unusual medium since she stumbled upon the technique in 2002. Unburdened by any formal training in textiles or preconceptions about craft-based techniques, she turned her traditional sculpture education and curiosity to the unique and unexplored material. Thanks to subject matter and execution, her sculptural use of felted wool makes a marked departure from the more familiar craft-focused, utilitarian, decorative traditions associated with the medium. Stephanie's iconic teddy bear skulls reveal 'unnatural history': believable specimens of the fossil record of manmade creatures. www.stephaniemetz.com

[@drunksimian]

Um...... this has got to be the coolest thing I have seen in a long time

[@dspencerluyao1088]

I LOVE THIS. I love teddy bears, I love needle felting, and I LOVE the skeletal system. This. Is. Perfect.

[@natalielor4355]

This is the most confusingly awesome thing I've ever seen

[@AndieDenise]

Do you ever sell these? That would look cool on my shelf lol. Great work!

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Andrea Doles Hi Andrea, yes I do sell them, although I don't have any available right now. If you'd like to discuss commissioning one you can contact me directly at stephaniegmetz(at)gmail.com. Thanks! Stephanie

[@tumblrcrafts851]

I just started needle felting today, and I learned it takes TONS of patience! I can't even believe how much time you put into this project!

[@flansolo94]

This is amazing. It must have taken you ages!

[@flansolo94]

of course, I commented before I finished watching the video XD

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thank you-- I'm so pleased to hear that my work inspires you. It truly is such a simple but endlessly fascinating technique; you just have to be patient and stick to it.

[@linkguist6861]

this is both adorable, and badass.

[@abbymurer]

You should make more! This is the coolest thing ever!

[@Mew2501]

I have never felted before but love crafts of other kinds and stumbled onto this video after being gone curious about a friend picking up felting and saying "you basically just stabby stabby a whole bunch until it takes shape" she wasn't kidding but wow! you are incredibly talented! No wonder you are considered an artist, not just a maker. ♡

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

+Lacey Prager Thanks, Lacey! My background is in traditional figurative sculpture with a focus on anatomy, and I hope that shows in my work. Welcome to the world of felting!

[@Mew2501]

It definitely shows!

[@spencerc.3080]

I love how creative this is compared to other needle felting on KZbin!

[@kimbrown641]

You creativity and sense of humor is inspiring to me. Thanks for sharing this incredible process.

[@tobiasware]

It's wonderful to see such artistry in needle felting sculpture. You have inspired me to work on some skulls I have put off for while now. I'm blown away by your former comment that you only use a 30 needle as I use at least three sizes in my sculptures. Fantastic work, I'm extremely impressed.

[@connerdavison3475]

I am amazed and impressed and exhausted all at the same time!! You are truly a gifted artist!!

[@mr.morgenstern9107]

This is incredible! I just got in to needle felting and have only completed two small projects. This is inspiring.

[@hugos1la5]

Saw this come up in suggested videos and thought I recognised it- I saw your work at the National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford and loved it! It's absolutely remarkable :D

[@Kelpiiii]

You are a rlly talented person and I hope that you will continue making these videos

[@fiddleanddrum]

This is the video that made me buy a needle felting kit XD What a truly excellent piece!

[@Laneth]

Arrived here via Tumblr and so glad for it, this is simply incredible!

[@arcticfox3861]

And this is how teddy bears are made

[@JohnEvansChaoseed]

This is kind of amazing on a whole bunch of levels.

[@GaabrielBecket]

And I have to say that this video and your bear skull are absolutely gorgeous. It totally made my day and I want to show it to everyone. It's art, it's whimsy and it's science-y and I totally love it!

[@leafy2015]

Wow. All I can say is WOW

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thanks, Taylor-- sappiness is welcomed. Glad to be spreading the art form!

[@Darimonster]

This is absolutly amazing. Ive just started selling my needle felted dolls and figures and have been having a hard time keeping up with my projects and goals and finishing them on a weekly basis. So its really nice to see other amazing needle felting artists to inspire me to keep going. :) I know this may sound sappy but Thank you for presenting this the world.

[@deewas5728]

I'm suprised anyone would have the patience and money to do something awsome like this

[@megan21268]

Needle felting equipment isnt too expensive to be honest

[@Lisargarza]

Meg Dun I agree. The supplies are relatively inexpensive and beginner’s stuff is available at most larger craft stores. And it doesn’t require patience so much as it requires the ability to channel creativity energy through a tiny barbed needle. Patience is what I need while sitting in a waiting room or traffic jams.

[@ebondwat]

Thanks for sharing the sweet video Stephanie. Watching your process is almost as beautiful as the awesome finished sculpture! I REALLY want to touch it.

[@admiralcheesecake]

I'd love to commission you for a cat skull sometime in the future! This is absolutely incredible work.

[@matthewroles7438]

and cool needle felting

[@sodapopcandyshop97]

This is terrifying.... And pretty awesome

[@plantsforlife1120]

Great work and great teacher!! Nice to see you on KZbin!

[@ghoul7675]

that's incredible, great work

[@deborahikeda1362]

Extremely well done, just like your sculptures. I wish I could even slow down portions.

[@CHloE748]

Wow.. Just wow! You are INCREDIBLE!! And not to mention freaking patient!! Lol

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

: ) Thanks. I have a lot of patience for certain things, not so much for others. The ends have to justify the means!

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thanks for your response to my work and my video. I suppose I could use a finer gauge needle, but I feel like I get a good balance between detail (small enough holes are left) and speed (rougher needle make it faster)... Perhaps I'm just used to what I'm used to!

[@erininwood8131]

wow, truly amazing. Inspires me to keep at my needlefelting, something to aspire to for sure!

[@elizabethtaylor4448]

Fabulous! What a lot of detail!!

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thanks! I do have prints of my Teddy Fetal Development available at my etsy store-- can't link from it here, but you can look up my name on etsy. Plus I now have a zazzle store selling graphic design-y images of the teddy skull on lots of different shirt designs.

[@huskykinz12]

wow that is amazing hopefully i will start felting soon because me and my friend think its super cute to do!!

[@oonaphoebe]

Loved your class, Stephanie! This video is so fun and informative. Love your work!

[@SwandogStudio]

Thank you for replying, and so true! I'm working on my second one now, an arctic hare (my first was an ermine; I can note you a link to it, if you'd care to see). I haven't been this excited and motivated to work with a new craft for years! :D

[@cairabeth9819]

I quilt and see which has become impossible with little ones but this I think I could with them around! this is awesome!!! And extremely cheap compared to quilting!

[@cairabeth9819]

ps I hand see everything so patience isn't an issue! Can't wait to get my stuff!!!

[@cairabeth9819]

sew* oops 😆😆

[@Riley-su1te]

Wow that's really good! Great job!

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thank you!

[@kennedyj-a8689]

Really cool idea! I'm making a renamon and this gave me the idea to make a skeleton for it!

[@charlottesteinman2913]

Wow I don't get how you can get it so smooth!!!

[@SwandogStudio]

Just wanted to say that this video is what motivated me to start needlefelting myself, and I love it! :D Thank you for all the awesomeness, and please keep up the wonderful, inspiring, beautiful work!!

[@angelsandfaes]

This was sooo fun and interesting to watch. thanks for sharing

[@THIESKO666]

brilliance! Love your creativety..............

[@seysamato]

You should make the rest of the skeleton

[@lolcat4ever653]

It would take a year to do that!

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Lolcat4ever No kidding-- all those tiny bones would not be as fun to make, either!

[@Bug_teeth]

Oh man I hate how absolutely amazing your stuff is! >-< Anyways great job, I really love this!

[@GothKiitsune]

Amazing o.o This inspires me to try needlefelting out

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

great- I hope you do! But be prepared to exercise patience. ☺

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thanks, Conner!

[@briannalowe357]

Wow really nice! Must have taken you like 100 years!!!

[@Najmille]

it says 35hours over 10 days in the video you know ?

[@SkanRashke]

You're amazing and an inspiration to all craftsfolk!

[@MBrusaZappellini]

I just love your work Stephanie! I think I may need to buy one this year...Hope to see you at Yuma!

[@dlanghans]

I am in love with this!

[@manueldriggs7099]

Simply mind blowing. Incredible work. I am simply blown away with your incredible skill and talent! = )

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

+Manuel Driggs Thank you for your kind words!

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thanks for all the comments! My finished felt sculptures are VERY firm-- they can't be squished any smaller than they look-- simply because I add and compact a lot of fiber until the form and density suits my standards of 'done.' The more densely the fibers are felted together, the more fine detail you can show. But the effect of softness persists...

[@AleMommy415]

Amazing talent!

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

They're just called 'felting needles'-- you can find them online or at some craft stores. I use 30 gauge, and generally put three in a multi-needle holder, basically a wood handle the holds several needles.

[@Lisargarza]

An amazing marriage of a brilliant idea and superior artistic talent. And creative camera work! Ok, that’s three things, so the marriage metaphor kind of doesn’t work any more, but you get the idea. And editing! Each tooth is set in time to music! So now that’s four things...

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Thanks for noticing all the details! As you may have noted from my process, I am accustomed to precise control...and that goes for editing, too!

[@Jessicaxyl]

This is beautiful! Felting has always fascinated me as I've only ever watched it happen and I still don't understand the process. Maybe I should get my hands on a kit! :D

[@simonwest6591]

WOW,,,Thankyou, for the inspiration Stephanie, it's beautifull stuff!

[@funtoybox3422]

Can't believe that this is made out of wool!

[@glennmartin6492]

I love the addition of foramena. I didn't know teddy bear ears had bones!

[@libbylu111]

Wow I'm blown away

[@SAKSOON]

Wow this is so neat and perfect!!!

[@XXanimeseekerXX]

This is really really amazing!

[@StrawberyBubbleCakes]

so strange yet so amazing!

[@TomatoSoupxD]

I'm just starting out felting, you are my inspiration =3

[@laylagava7439]

Woooooow... I thought needle felting was just for making things that 1, weren't hollow & thin , 2, non realistic and 3, not that large! Lol, any way AMAZING vid Steph.

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Layla Gava Thanks! I came into it from a sculptural background, and had no fibers experience-- so I wasn't burdened by knowing anything about what one could or couldn't do with it...

[@alvar0pere7]

Completely impressed!!

[@cheroxiecatstopmotionandga2180]

In the morning I'm gonna ask my mum to buy a needle felting kit now :D

[@ThereseMayQuilter]

This is very cool! I enjoyed watching.

[@happymel-vz4tv]

very cool

[@ora8711]

Love this a lot.

[@brianawelch5452]

Woaaa I'm speechless!

[@ChrisJKenney]

I always knew that teddy bears had skulls. Nice sagittal crest.

[@Frightline777]

Awesome

[@dironman86]

This is amazing!! I just picked up a felting kit from Maker's Faire over the weekend. Quick question. Is the black foam block you use rigid foam or is it a soft block??

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Ack, sorry I missed your post so long ago. It is kind of in-between, but my work surface of choice is a brush mat, like an upside-down scrub brush, sold by Clover. You can find them online...

[@underscore1792]

this is so inspiring omg i really eanna start needle felting :0

[@claresearle9941]

Wow!! Amazing!

[@ladyjarhead]

so cool, lots of work i just dont know how you do it!!

[@stormicash]

This is a late comment so it's ok if you don't see this, but can SOMEONE tell me how she gets the edges so smooth?! Thank you!

[@poiuytrewqqwertyuiop1054]

I'm not experienced with this, but I'm guessing it just takes A LOT of time and patience

[@gymnastkenzie68]

You have earned yourself a new subscriber!

[@natalieradicke383]

You should make a full body one

[@pastelsquishymeow1289]

woww... you're talented

[@ogod8270]

I find this funny that it is supposed to be a teddy bear skull. The teeth just make it look like a real bear skull.

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

I like to think that with the teddy bear even though we've taken the basic form of a bear and stripped it of its wildness by making it baby-like and dressing it up in silly clothes, it still has teeth in there. We just don't think about them.

[@admiralcheesecake]

Stephanie Metz It's like chihuahuas or pomeranians. If teddy bears were real bears they'd have gone through the same selective breeding to get the 'cute' characteristics, but they'd still have the same parts to the skull. Teeth included.

[@personofaperson7814]

Amazing, great job :)

[@chloeb7119]

this is SO FREAKING AMAZONG!!!!!!!!!! I love it

[@baokachi9767]

Wow, incredible.

[@HanhNguyen-xk1mz]

Wow, this is amazing! May I ask what kind of wool you are using for this?

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

I use corriedale cross.

[@bluerabbit4010]

This is truly awsome. 😊

[@liverbird46]

Absolutely incredible! Amazing!

[@bubblegumcreations9633]

awsome

[@margueretlewis5545]

Hi Stephanie Metz, Where can I purchase your actual video in real time? I would like to give this a go... Always looking for new projects in needle felting.. Thank You

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

+Margueret Lewis Hi, sorry but this video doesn't exist in real time-- it was filmed so that it would work as time lapse, but that's all. There are tons of other videos on KZbin that do things more slowly; mine wasn't meant as a learning tool, exactly, but more to give a quick view of how it works. Thanks for asking though!

[@FilmerOfBobcats]

Wow! Foramens and everything!!! It would be fun to try this with a sabertooth. Do you spray the finished product with anything to keep moisture out and protect it?

[@StephanieMetzSculpture]

Glad you appreciate the anatomy! I've actually made a sabertooth skull- a commission by someone who saw my teddy skulls years ago. I visited the La Brea Tar Pit Museum and drew some of the specimens there to prep for the sculpture. I just protect the finished pieces under glass domes.

[@cfdfire]

Love this :)

[@JesseTF2]

This is kinda neat.

[@waldowaggins1330]

Your very good at this