Fancifelt

About Fancifelt

About Fancifelt

I am a self-taught fiber artist making realistic animal portraits out of locally sourced sheep's wool and other natural fibers. I especially love to portray farm animals, birds, and housepets.

My family is very artistic, including painters, woodworkers and sculptors. Being surrounded by creativity all my life, I have loved making art ever since I could hold a pencil. My parents have always encouraged me to pursue creativity, so when I found out about needle-felting when I was twelve they bought me a kit and I figured out the techniques on my own. My parents have supported me in my artwork every step of the way and I wouldn't have come this far without their encouragement.

I discovered that I love working with wool, capturing my favorite animals in felt, and having my artwork go to other people's homes. Along my art journey I met some great people and I love to connect with my customers. There is great satisfaction in making something by hand, sending it out carefully wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon, and then hearing about someone's joyful or bittersweet reaction to opening the package and seeing their favorite dog or cat looking up at them.

From Bolton, Massachusetts to the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, I continue to offer detailed, realistic, and personalized portraits, working hard and communicating with my customers to achieve the perfect final product.

Thank you for 5 years of supporting my small business!

~Katelyn Mumford

Fancifelt est. 2013

[email protected]

Timeline: My Art Story

I've loved every minute of my journey

An Idea is Born

I taught myself to needle-felt at the age of twelve from a library book, beginning with three-dimensional animal sculptures. I felted just for fun for a few years.

2013: The Bolton Fair

A friend invited me to set up a table in the Fiber Tent at the annual Bolton Fair. This was my first time showing my artwork and demonstrating how felting works. It made me start to think if felting could turn into a business.

My First Commission

I was asked by a friend to create a 2-D felted portrait of a Havanese dog named Snickers. The pet portrait business idea was born.

Summer, 2013: The Alpacas Join the Farm

Cynnabar, Monique, and Tallulah came to our home and made it a farmette. I still remember constantly looking out the windows with excitement and disbelief that there were REAL farm animals in our backyard...and they were "huge!" It was one of the happiest days of my life.

2014: My Logo

I entered the 2014 Student Arts Competition hosted by the Fruitlands Museum in Massachusetts. One evening at dusk, we pulled to the side of the road to take pictures of a crescent moon rising behind a silhouetted tree at sunset. I used the photos as a reference and created "Sunset Over Fruitlands", which took the first prize. It was a big step for my artwork and confidence, so I adopted that design for my logo.

Summer, 2015: My First Art Exhibit

The Bolton Library (MA) hosted my art exhibit for the month of June, beginning with an artist's reception. Then the library contacted me and asked if I would like to extend the display for another month. It was great exposure and I loved reading all the notes visitors wrote for me in my guestbook.

Fall, 2018: Art Feature

I was more than excited to win the cover art competition for the Fall Fiber Festival and Montpelier Sheep Dog Trials in Montpelier, Virginia! This was the first time my work has been featured on a catalog cover as well as t-shirts, totes, and notecards. The winning artwork was raffled off and the t-shirts sold out. It was amazing.

Fall, 2018: My First Store

I opened the doors of my very first online shop, fancifelt.com. I am excited to see where it goes.

How Does Needle~Felting Work?

If you take a look at wool underneath a microscope, you will notice little scales on each fiber. This is what makes wool feel scratchy. Alpaca fiber, which is softer to the touch, has smoother, smaller scales. When a barbed felting needle is poked into the fiber, these microscopic scales interlock like puzzle pieces. The more the needle is poked into the fiber, the tighter the wool becomes. After a lot of tapping with the needle, the wool forms into a sculpture or a finished portrait.

Below is a time~lapse video of me needle~felting a portrait of one of my alpacas, Monique. Enjoy!

Fancifelt

Needle-Felted Art, Custom Pet Portraits, and Prints

About Fancifelt