Calendar and FAQs
Click Here for our Calendar
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are you open for in person shopping?
We are open by appointment, Monday through Friday between 10 am and 4 pm. Please email admin@sarafinafiberart.com or call 443-207-5576 to set up a time to come in.
I am brand new to needle felting. What should I do to get started?
Check out our Felting for Beginners page which will link you with a bunch of resources and information. Welcome to the fun!
What do the different needle gauges mean, and how are they used?
We offer several different gauges of felting needles:
The 36 gauge needle has a star blade, which has 4 barbed edges instead of three which increases efficiency with a better feel and less pull. The 36 gauge needle is your strongest needle and is best for felting the core of your project or can be used when you really need something to stick.
The 38 gauge needle is also a star blade, which has 4 barbed edges instead of three which increases efficiency with a better feel and less pull. The 38 gauge needle is your general-purpose needle that you can use for most of the felting work that you will do. It is also used to refill the pen tool.
The 40 and 42 gauge twist blade needles are perfect for your finishing and detail work. The twist gives a smooth effective stab without denting your finished surfaces. The 40 gauge needle can be used to refill the punch tool.
The reverse needle will pull fiber out of your piece. It works best in well felted areas. It is great for fuzzing out an area to blend or to add interest by pulling out the different fiber underneath.
My needles got mixed up. How can I tell them apart?
Probably the best way to tell your needles apart is by using them. The stronger needle (36 gauge) will feel very different than a fine needle (40 or 42 twist), and the one in between (38 gauge) will be "just right" most of the time. Sara does not mark her needles to identify which is which. However, if you are someone who likes to have the needles identified by gauge and they got all mixed up you can use the following information: The 40 and 42 gauge needles have a twisted blade. If you look at the tip of it and spin it in your fingers you will see the twist of the shaft. When stabbing the 40 gauge will have more power than the 42 gauge. The 38 and 36 gauge needles look very similar. The working end of the 38 gauge needle is slightly longer than the working end of the 36 gauge. If you hold them side by side, the working end shaft of one will be a little bit longer than the other. The 38 is longer. By working end we are referring to the barbed area, before it widens as it goes to the top of the needle where you hold it. If you want to identify your needles we have seen some people use nail polish on the tip where you hold it to code their needles when they open a new packet. A permanent marker could do the same.
Which gauge wire should I use for my project?
If your project is going to be under 6 inches in length you would use the 22 gauge cloth covered wire. If it is over 6 inches you want to use 14 gauge aluminum wire. If your project will be over 12 inches you will probably want to use 12 gauge wire. If that project will stand taller than 10 inches at the shoulder you will want to use 12 gauge wire. Any time you use aluminum wire you need to also wrap it in pipe cleaners so the wool will have something to grab. The other wires gauges are used as follows:
22 gauge wire- Antlers
26 gauge wire- Tiny Fingers and Toes (person or animal)
32 gauge wire- Extra Tiny Fingers and Toes (animal)
Will Sarafina Fiber Art offer tutorials for the larger scaled projects, such as the lion head or full sized wolf?
It is exciting that people are thinking about tackling large projects. They really push you to achieve more detail and understand the possibilities with armatures; the larger the project, the more accurate the armature and more detail it needs to have to have good structure and look correct not cartoony. Sara will most likely not teach those extra large projects. Each one takes a really long time to complete and are truly one of a kind. In other words, they are not something Sara is likely to replicate over and over and therefore she does not have a method in place to teach. You can build up to larger projects. We can help you if you have any specific questions about armature structure.
If an item is out of stock when will it become available?
Our website allows you to request that you be emailed when a product is back in stock (unless that item has a drop down menu with options, you can not be auto notified for those items). If an item is our of stock, please be assured that Jennifer is doing everything in her power to get the items back and available for you. Unfortunately, sometimes she needs super powers!
Can I add items to an open/existing order?
We are not able to add items to an existing order without you authorizing the payment for the additional items. Shipping costs are also based on weight, and adding items affects the weight of the items and therefore the shipping cost and possibly also the method of shipment. If you place an order and realize that you need to add more items what you will need to do is place a second order. If possible, we will ship your items together. (See next question.)
Can you combine multiple orders into one shipment?
We will combine multiple orders into one shipment whenever possible. If our shipping people see that there is more than one order for someone they will send them together. However, if an order has already been packed and the shipping label has already been created (ie, the order has been processed) we are no longer able to ship items together. If a shipment contains combined orders and the customer has paid extra shipping fees we will refund when applicable. **Sometimes international customer wish to have multiple orders to offset import tax. We will not combine international orders unless requested.
What is this I hear about Fiber Fairy Fridays?
The Fiber Fairy visits on some Fridays with a special offer of some kind, typically every 6-8 weeks. Sarafina has different fiber to share with certain order specifications, it is always different and (hopefully!) fun. If you wish to participate in the future, go to our business Facebook page Sarafina Fiber Art on Facebook and "Like" it, then check in on Friday mornings for the offer. We also send a newsletter with the FFF info so make sure you are subscribed! We send the fiber goodies that you qualify for in your package along with your order. Offer only good on the day of the offer. We also list upcoming FFF offers on our calendar here.
An example of a Fiber Fairy offer is as follows: 3 tiers of an offer, each tier has a price point. If you order $25, you get level 1 in your box. If you spend $45 on your order, you will get levels 1 and 2 added to your shipment. For a $70 purchase you will get all 3 levels included with your order. You do not purchase the FFF giveaway items, you shop on the website and they are added to your shipment based on your purchase amount.
You can place your Fiber Fairy Friday order at any time on the day of the offer. Some people prefer to wait until we are Live to see if they want to add anything else to their cart. Others get in the order at 12:01 am so they get the items they want--on occasion things do sell out.
We often go Live via our YouTube Channel on the morning of the FFF offers to chat about the giveaway and anything else that is upcoming or noteworthy. Looking forward to having you join in!
What is your rewards program?
Starting in August of 2022 we reward with Smile. You can sign up using the green "Sarafina Rewards" launch button on the lower right side of your desktop or the green "Rewards" button on the lower right side of your tablet or phone. The program is very user friendly! Please note that you can not stack rewards discounts with sales. Save them up and use them on an order that does not have any other discounts to maximize your shopping with us! Please direct any questions to admin@sarafinafiberart.com
May I sell work created from Sarafina Tutorials?
You may sell your sculptures made following tutorials. If you have learned a specific animal from a tutorial, we ask that you give Sarafina credit in your presentation whether online in social media, a website description, Etsy, or on a tag if you are at a show. It might say something like “...made following a tutorial by Sarafina Fiber Art.” or “Inspired by Sarafina Fiber Art.” We also would love some credit on social media. Please use the #sarafinainspired to tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram, etc.
What is Sarafina FELT on Earth?
FELT: Felt Eagerly and Leave Treasures Sarafina FELT on Earth is our place to share our endeavor to spread needle felted pieces far and wide. The process of creating with wool and needle felting can be rewarding enough, but knowing that you have brightened another's day by leaving it for them to find makes it even better. Felters leave a small creation in a public place for someone to find. We recommend packaging that clearly states the gift is for free and to be taken home. Other felters have gotten fun and creative with packaging. Sarafina FELT on Earth cards to label your gifts are available through our website sarafinafiberart.com. Finders hopefully post on our Facebook Group (and add the hashtags to other social media sites) so we can see where they found their gift. **Once a year we try to engage everyone in a fiber giveaway on the same weekend or in the same timeframe, typically in the spring.
I've seen terrible videos on the internet about animal cruelty. You all seem like animal lovers. Do you source your wool from companies that use humane practices?
We are indeed animal lovers! We are often asked specifically about the treatment of sheep and source of our wool. Our wool comes from about six US mills and also from small farmers. Some of the US mills import wool from NZ and Canada. We have not physically been to the wool source of each mill and can not attest to the conditions on each farm. However, Shepherds, are hard working families who love what they do and care for their sheep. Even on large farms, sheep are shorn efficiently with as little discomfort as possible. Sheep have been bred to create and hold onto their wool and if not shorn would become uncomfortable or even ill. Sara has her own sheep and goats and knows first hand that shearing is in no way traumatic to them. They relax in the hands of the shearer and seem to feel liberated after their haircut.
Our Merino, which is the breed on which museling might be practiced, is sourced from Italy and mulesing free.
Angora rabbit fur is another fiber that people question. All of the angora that we use is from small US rabbit owners. Some breeds are plucked and some are sheared. Sara has two that are plucked, one that is sheared. The English Angora rabbits shed or release their fur, just as dog does, every season or so. Like sheep, they also require and enjoy the grooming or else they will come matted and infected.
Every individual needs to define their own line in regards to using animal products. We thank you for your concern and care about this unfortunate circumstance. Know that we honor these critters and appreciate the gifts they provide us with their amazing fiber.
Where did Sara get the draft horse harness made? And what about those little metal tags that she sews on her sculptures?
The draft horse harness was made by a company called Kulp Model Horse Store, The little metal tags were from an Etsy shop that is no longer in operation, unfortunately,
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