This cute needle felted gray bear was handmade using alpaca wool fiber, and a process called needle felting. She has small dark eyes, white snout, a round white belly with a small pink heart, holds a purple flower, and has a happy smile. She measures not quite" 7 tall, and would make a very unique gift or keepsake.

The process of needle felting used to create this bear involves repeatedly pushing a barbed needle into a tuft of fiber, agitating, compressing, and locking the fiber together into a more dense mass of fiber. This bear began with a nylon knee high stuffed with alpaca fiber, then wrapped with alpaca wool roving. Different techniques are used for adding arms, legs, ears, tail, and facial features. The entire process involves many hours and lots of poking with a felting needle to shape and create the finished piece, kind of like sculpting, but with fiber rather than clay. Each felted piece is a labor of love.

Though soft and wonderful to touch, please keep in mind this is a handmade collectible item, not intended for play.