Fun Faces in Five-Minute Felting
Marilyn Halcomb
Merrylands, New South Wales, Australia • www.marilynhalcomb.com

Thursday, April 27, 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Under Marilyn’s expert guidance, students learned two techniques in this class; sculpting a face and creating a face mask. First, they sculpted a face with polymer clay, using Marilyn’s highly successful “sausages and balls” method. They were given detailed notes on methods and proportions so they will always know exactly what to do. Once the “Face” was baked and cooled, it then became a mold over which a second face could be created from felt. Students then learned how to create several different types of face masks using the “five minute kitchen sink method”. Felted faces can then be made into wall hangings, brooches, or even a full head for a doll.

Australian doll artist Marilyn Halcomb has been making dolls ever since she can remember. She used to leave them out for the fairies at night, who would leave a little gift in return. It wasn’t until she attended an epb workshop in the early 90’s that she realized she had been making and actually designing cloth dolls. She tested her designs on the market and they were snapped up. Marilyn is adept at all mediums but fabric manipulation is her passion; she is regarded as “Australia’s Queen of Soft Sculpture”. Marilyn is an active teacher and she has recently expanded to teaching on-line in the USA. Marilyn is also a qualified competition judge.

Marilyn explains the process of felting.

A few of Marilyn's dolls.

Another batch of heads for the oven.

A closer look.

Getting together to go over the next step.

Faces are being covered.