You’ve just purchased one of our ARCangel kits and now you’re back at home ready to get your craft on! Luckily for you, our angel crafters, Pat and Adie, are here to craft alongside you! They’ll walk you through exactly how to make a beautiful ARCangel of your very own. We’ve also created a playlist guaranteed to bring you Black Joy whilst you relax into your crafting session (scroll to the end to check it out!).
ENJOY!
Making the head: Gather your felt for the head rolling it into a tight ball. The tighter you make the ball the better! Start felting with the needle moving the ball around while felting. Top Tip: if you feel the ball is loosing its shape roll it in your hands and then continue felting with the needle. Alternate hand rolling and felting till you have a firm ball.
The finished head should be firm and tight and look like this (see above).
2. Creating the body: Take the felt for the body, unroll it and make sure that it is flat. Then place the head in the middle and gather the rest of the felt around the head. The head should be covered in another layer of wool. Then needle the felt in place all over the head. Then secure the felt at the bottom of the neck. Twisting the felt so that it is narrow to form the neck. You should have a clump of wool at the bottom for the body.
When you are done it should look like this (see below).
3. Make the arms: Take the felt for the arms and stretch it into a thin strip. Wrap the wool around the pipe cleaner making sure you are winding in the same direction to keep the wool tight. If you have access wool, gently pull the excess off. If you need to you can attach the end with a needle.
Be careful not to snap the needle on the metal in the arms. Going slowly should do the trick.
Split the body felt in half and place the arms as close to the head as possible. Close the felt around the arms and carefully needle in place.
4. Adding clothes: Take the clothes felt and lay it flat. Then tear a small hole in the felt and push the arms and head through. Then secure the clothes around the neck of the ARC Angel. Gently shape the clothes around the body gently tapering to a point at the bottom. Don’t be too heavy handed here. Unlike the head you want the body to be a little softer, so don’t over use the needle. Any shape you think looks good is perfect.
There will be a complimentary colour for you to make a belt, stripes, head scarf or any other decoration to your ARC Angel.
5. Adding Hair: You can add your hair in whatever style you desire. This is where you need a firm head as you will have to pinch the head as you attach the hair.
6. Adding the wings: Take your wing felt and lay it flat. Bring in the sides into the shape you want. You might want to make heart shaped wings, butterfly-esqe wings or a simple strip. Whichever shape you choose, start by bringing in the ends to keep it neat . Felt until you have the desired shape. Then attach the wings to the back of the angel down the centre.
7. If you want to hang your ARC Angel pass some thread through the head. If you would like your angel to stand, flatten the base with the needle.
Now all you have to do is let your ARC Angel bring you Black Joy!
For even more Black Joy, listen to our Black Joy playlist!
A Good Day (to Fight the System) -Shungudzo
Golden – Jill Scott
Life Will Be – Cleo Sol
God Gave Me Feet For Dancing – Ezra Collective
Little Q Part 2 – Lil Simz
Hello Sunshine – Aretha Franklin
The Revolution will not be televised – Gill Scott Heron
What’s Going On – Marvin Gay
Ancestral – Nitin Sawhney
AD 2000 – Erykah Badu
Revolutions – Shingai
Soubour – Songhoy Blues
Nterini – Fatomata Diawara
Survivor – MIA
Vision – Mo Kalamity
Nobody Knows – Loyle Carner
Revolution – Tracy Chapman
I Try – Macy Gray
As – Stevie Wonder
Three Little Birds – Bob Marley
Spanish Harlem – Aretha Franklin
Someday We’ll All Be Free – Donny Hathaway
Dreamtime – Abdullah Ibrahim
Woman from Salt Rain – Susheela Raman
One People, One World – Felt(er) Kuti + Femi Kuti
Buffalo Stance – Nenah Cherry
I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor
Simply the Best – Tina Turner
Freedom Street – Ken Booth
Redemption Song – Bob Marley
Feelin’ Good – Nina Simone
I am the Black Gold of the Sun – Rotary Connection
There’s Nothing Like This – Omar
Cuddly Toy – Roachford
