Hand-felted owls crafted in a Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association workshop led by Isabel Stearns. (Photo courtesy Isabel Stearns)
Some people look forward to winter for all the only-when-it’s-cold outdoor recreation it invites. Lakes and ponds freeze for skating, ice fishing, and ice boating (see Midcoast Boaters Journal for columnist Bill Anthony’s profile of the sport). Snow draped fir trees transform familiar trails to bright and crystalline wonderlands. And, of course, there’s plenty of sledding, skiing, and snowman-making right outside the door.
But for those who prefer to stay warm and cozy inside during winter, learning a new craft can turn the season of hibernation into a creative one, too.
The Felted Acorns’ Isabel Stearns hosted a needle-felted fairy workshop at Sheepscot General Store in Whitefield on Jan. 9. Two people signed up for the $45 class that included plumes of Merino wool in just about every color, needles and felting pads, hands-on instruction, plus a cookie and hot drink provided by the store.
Stearns likes to teach needle felting because it’s an “accessible and forgiving art form for kids and adults,” she said. “You get tangible success in about an hour and a half to two hours.”
There’s also the “awe element,” she added. “You turn all this fluff into something and take it home with you.”
Kelsey Preecs, of Augusta, took home the fairy she made for her two-year-old daughter to hang above her bed.
“She’s all about ‘Frozen’ and Disney princesses,” Preecs said, as Stearns showed her how to style the fairy’s hair in a bun.
Needle-felted fairies are one of Stearns’ favorite projects to teach. They are also one of the most popular items that she makes. In 2020, Downeast Magazine featured them in its annual holiday gift guide.
You can buy a fairy ready-made by Stearns at Sheepscot General, along with other Felted Acorns items. There are also kits to make your own owls and acorns.
Stearns’ first experiences with needle-felting happened as a Waldorf student on Cape Cod. Waldorf education integrates the arts, including handcrafts, in its curriculum. She went on to teach at Waldorf schools after college, including Maine Coast Waldorf School in Freeport.
But she credits working in a program with young adults with special needs with rekindling her love of needle-felting as an adult.
“It’s therapeutic and meditative,” Stearns said, and it seemed to help the people she worked with. Before long, she found herself visiting the art studio to work on her own felted creations.
Stearns began offering needle-felting classes about 5 years ago. She teaches in-person at various locations, and over the last two years, on Zoom, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A friend introduced her to the Sheepscot General Store two years ago, and Stearns started selling her felted work on consignment.
“It is … for what I create … a really wonderful place for my things. I definitely feel there’s a community there that supports local artists,” she said.
Stearns is the director of Small Point Summer School in Phippsburg during the summer, which frees her up in winter to teach and travel.
A self-described wanderer, she is happy to put together felting workshops for birthday parties, team-building retreats, baby showers, or other gatherings. For more information, go to isabelstearns.com, find The Felted Acorns of Instagram and Etsy, or email thefeltedacorns@gmail.com.
