A tip for everyone, get a dense bristled pet brush and seperate the fibers. It makes layering easier, the final product looks "smooth" and becomes more light!
Came here to say this! I don't do much felting because my sinuses don't appreciate the dust but the brushing makes a huge difference. Also if you are handy with a hook you can crochet the body and felt the colours on 😁 Saves a ton of felting material.
I had the thought throughout this “oh she can get the little frog knight and make him ride appa!!!” But then I realized. You don’t have a frog knight. You have banjo frog, and mouse knight, but not frog knight. I think this is a wonderful testament to your slowly growing Army of Little Guys. I do still think the next Little Guy should be built to ride appa.
I came to say the same, maybe two loops and make the one on the front longer so you can pose it as if Appa was flying down, and you could see his markings.
Tips for bigger needle felting projects: Sculpt your base shape out of melamine sponge (the stuff magic erasers are made out of). You can buy a lot of it hella cheap online and it's very light weight. The wool attaches very easily. Also recommend the multi-needle handles for large surfaces. Needle felting is so fun but can be very time consuming on larger projects.
I honestly feel like you're way too rough on yourself about how interesting you are. I would happily watch you make and do just about anything, because it's so much fun watching YOU have fun. Please please PLEASE never not do something because you don't think we're interested-- I promise you, we very much are, and we love you for it. ❤
^ THIS! 100% I mean, I'd even watch her tidy up her barn or take out her trash! Haha. I just love her personality and sense of whimsy. Also, all her film and tv references and memes are spot on, right up my alley! We love you, Rachel!
Yes! This! You are wonderful and we love watching YOU, especially when you’re so excited about something. It makes me smile and want to try out a new hobby. :)
I know your "little guy" creations are primarily for your mental health, but I cannot thank you enough for sharing them with us! I love all the little guys you make, and seeing the pure joy you get from making them really warms my heart 💖 Thank you for taking care of yourself, Rachel.
FYI, for future reference, you can use baby oil as a polymer clay softener. Tip, TINY amounts of oil at a time and smoosh it in, folding the clay to help blend it in.
Further tip; if you accidentally over-oil your clay, place it on a piece of (simple copy) paper for a few (3 or 4 max) minutes to leach off the excess. Don't let it sit too long though, or you are back to adding oil again.
Hahahahaha, other than fine cots, they have silicone or leather gloves and hand pieces, but most of us are too stubborn........or we lose them momentarily after using them. 😆 Which is my case. Lemme tell you, get a lil kit, and get to stabbin!!!!!! Bad day? Stab shit and make something! Great day? End it stabbing something adorable! 😆😁😘
Or remind her to use the fingers WITH the protective sleeves to hold the wool. I was cringing the entire time watching her hold the protected finger and thumb safely out of needle range while putting the unprotected fingers on the front line.
yep, I agree! I don't remember what his canon saddle looks like, but if LittleGuy!Appa's saddle had multiple belly straps, that would give him more even support across the underneath side.
Making little guys for mental health reasons seems healthier than my habit of buying little guys for mental health reasons. I'm expecting a new one tomorrow. In my defense, she's really cute and has Spring vibes.
Rachel: This week I wanted to do a small, easy, fun project. Rachel two days later: Sooo, the project is actually huge, elaborate, and kicking my ass. Rachel at the end of the week: I hate my life, but the final result is amazing.
"The shaved off hair of sheeps unknown" is such A Way of describing wool and I very much love the vibe. 💖 I am always so impressed by these "little guy" videos. Watching each small creature come together from a pile of wool is so therapeutic. AND OH MY GOODNESS, HE IS SO BABY!!! THE MOST MAGICAL BABY, LOOK AT HIM GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
"What is home decor if it's not something that you can look at and just go 'howh :')'" this is exactly the kind of energy I bring to my home decor and Rachel, your Little Guys (TM) are always an utter delight. Please never apologize for making them.
11:25 If your loose leaf tea isn't properly steeping, you might need a bigger tea ball to hold it. The leaves need room to bloom, so they can properly steep.
Rachel, Ever since you made your needle felted mouse, I have spiraled into the world of Wool and very painfully 'barb'ed needles. It has quite frankly become one of my favorite things to do in my downtime. So thank you for your creativity that has brought so much joy into my life over the last couple of months, it means so much to have something to create and I am actually really good at. You're the best!!
Oh my gosh that comment touches me. I feel similar on so many levels because watching Rachel always inspires me in some way and has, as cheesy as that may sound, changed my life since I first found her. so, thank you for being honest about your own whimsical wool journey and all the best to you! :)
Not sure if anyone else will have suggested this already, but since you asked for some ideas to suspend the precious smol with a little more stability, what about making a sort of harness for him with clean fishing wire? that would spread the weight more across a wider area and being a harness it won't pull from the inside. and also then if you ever want him to come down for cuddles, you can free him from his harness without it harming any of his insides. you have done well crafting such a glorious loaf. Frodo is such a good boy. have a nice day!
I LOVE HIMB Do I know how to felt? No. Do I have the supplies to felt? No. Do I want my very own Air Bison flying through my room immediately???? Absolutely yes
I have trouble with the six-needle handle; I think the extra needles distrubutes the pressure more so it's harder to stab. I'm going to try a three-needle handle at some point. It might be the happy medium
tip from my own needle felting: you can use polyfill stuffing as a base!!! I find it usually attaches to itself easier than wool, less stabbing time overall. you just cover the colors on top with the wool roving
Yes!! I do the same!!! Got the tip from a friend who is an avid needle felter and they said: Thinka bout it as making a plushy inside to outside and it makes so much sense. Plus, if you think about old pillows and plushies, that polyfill is usually really matted together, so it just makes sense it works really well for felting!!
my dearest floor troll, your mental health projects are ours too. i don't think you realize how much you help us with ours simply by being you. i love your little guys and cant wait for the next one
the way i rushed when I saw the notification and said" NO SHE DIDNT JUST MAKE OUR LIFES AND CHILDHOODS BETTER!" Ma'am you've just made our lives better once again!
watching rachel maksy make a little guy for her mental health is improving my mental health which severely needs improving... appa is so cute and the way the light hits him is so pretty he's like a cloud! also please give frodo a hug and some cheese from me he's such a good boy and I need him to know that
He looks like a startled cat and I love him 😂 for suspension, maybe a net of fishing wire under his belly so he can kinda lay in a cradle instead of being dependent on one anchor point? That would also allow you to adjust the angle of his flight
He looks absolutely stunning and cuddly!! What makes me super emotional everytime is that "Appa" in korean means basically "Dad" 🥺 And it has been making me soft ever since 🥺
My daughter is a NEW fan of The Last Airbender series, we watched the whole show together while house sitting for a month. We are both sitting here seeing the reveal with happy tears! Your Appa is 100% pure Wholesome Whimsy!! And we need a Merry Montage of all your little guys!! 🥹🥹🥹
You might have luck using a big, upholstery tufting needle to secure the fishing line deeper inside the body. They're pretty heavy duty and long, intended to punch through couch cushions and pillows, so it should be able to get through that wool pretty easily.
To help suspend him without damaging him, appa does have a saddle, you could give the saddle under belly straps and the saddle could be what holds him and is connected to the ceiling! Just a thought 😄
Frodo is so good! He didn't steel your cheese AND he is the best sheet model ever! I believed the sheets were comfortable because Frodo looked so cozy!
I love the little guys videos. I always make myself little guys for comfort in bad mental health times. Recently I have been crocheting tiny frogs and snails with fruit for shells, and they bring me so much joy. Squishmallows are an acceptable store bought substitute, but there's just something about creating a little guy for your self creating a huge serotonin boost 😅
The reason I first started watching you during the pandemic was because you were in touch with your inner child as I am. LOVE everything you post! Thanks for all your hard work doing so!
We all need more Little Guy content!!! Am glad you're making things that bring you joy. ALSO a suggestion: Making a couple loops of fishing line and loop it around his body either around the neck area in the front or between the leggies in the front and back like dis: ____/__\__ (. ~)_| |x| |x| |\__ '" '" '" where the x's are where the fishing line would go (and maybe blending some wool over it on the bottom and sides? dunno) so that way he's nice and secure in his little fishing line harness without having to worry about anything pulling out! HUZZAH! (also I did my best to make an ASCII Appa for demonstrative purposes, I hope it works)
you could make a saddle for him and integrate the ceiling suspension into that. and for the legs you can probably feed a wire through the bottom of the foot into the leg and cover it up so the legs are able to be positioned
Please never stop the two-second bits. Good lord, I needed that laugh. XD Also, the sleeping cheese test, imo, is a little of column A and a little of column B; the combined INT of knowing when they're being offered a treat and what they do in that case, and the WIS to know what actual sleep looks and sounds like. ;P
You could make Appa's saddle with a chest/waist band on and then attach the hanging wires to the saddle. You could then also make the saddle come off and have Appa cuddles when needed.
That is actually such a cool idea, well done. But I can't help thinking that then Rachel would definitely need to do little Aang, Katara and Sokka on that saddle if she does it, hehe.
you could always make the cart thing that wraps around him that everyone sits on and attach the fishing wire to that to hang him, could make it wrap around him completely so its not hanging by him but by his accessories. plus, you could make it a miniatures build of the travel area
There are multi needle headed felters that can be bought for working over larger areas, and honestly the best thing that can be done is to keep working on him. When felting a project, you kinda have to keep going until it forms a solid lump, and that's more of a half solid lump. When looking at other finished felt projects, the finish is smooth and the surface consistency is all uniformly felted, kind of like a felt mat/sheet you'd get from the craft store. You gave it enough stabs to tack it down, but it isn't fully felted all the way in spots.
It’s wonderful to see someone who knows what makes her happy and does it. Whimsy away, Rachel! I, for one, am enjoying the ride. And learning to freely express my whimsical side by your example!
Fun fact that I learned from listening to Braving the Elements (Avatar podcast) Appa is part Bison part Manatee! 🥹 Glad you made him as part of your lil guy army
BIG lil guy 😂 He's adorable! But yes, I think shaping the legs backwards a little and also attaching another fishing line to the tail to make it flip up would make it look more like he's flying
Love how this turned out! Especially seeing the feets come together so well. For suspension, there are doll needles that are extremely long, made for going through an entire complete doll for shaping. Not sure how well they'll stand up to felted material instead of loose stuffing but might be worth it if you want the lines really anchored through the body. Also you make me so nervous holding the thing youre felting with your uncovered middle finger while your protected pointer finger is delicately held up away from the needle lol. Maybe having more of a full glove would let you hold and maneuver it easily without having to worry about where your fingers are. Anyway I love the little guy videos never apologize for making little guys ever. I don't currently have the time or space to make little guys so these videos truly sustain me
If you wanted you could add some blue/white wispies around the ceiling hooks so it looks like he's among the clouds! He is such a beautiful boy 🥰 This video made me wanna try needle felting!
I LOVE the little guys!especially this one. my soul cat was named Appa after this silly sky bison, and even though my boy crossed the bridge in 2021 at only 10 years old, this Appa still brings me joy and reminds me of how awesome he was.
Rachel I am mad at you! I have been embroidering something for a con to look like moss after seeing you do it and MY HANDS HURT!!!! Keep doing what you're doing :D
11:48 I've seen either NerdECrafter or Moriah Elizabeth use baby oil to soften their polymer clay and then run it through a noodle making machine to blend it together. So, maybe that'll help.
Love your little, or not so little, guy videos. He so cute. You did a great job. You could always put him on a cloud if you scared he will be damaged hanging on his own weight.
Oh my golly goodness!!!! 🥰 He's beautifully made and unbelievably cute! Enjoy the giggles of whimsy every day you glance at this little (big) guy. Much love 💞😊
Every time you do a needle felt project it makes me want to go to the store and get a whole new stash of crafting materials. ALSO!! As a person who JUST had a smol human I can say all of your feelings towards fuzzy APPA are totally valid and I caught myself feeling all the same things towards my new little guy. ❤ Currently recovering so this bit of whimsy was very needed. Thank you @rachelmaksy !!
I love him 😭 Re hanging: you could loop fishing line around his torso so he's supported underneath. His current leg position looks like he's hovering out coming in for a landing.
This looks awesome !! I absolutely love him omg. Kinda want to make my own now !! As for advice I could give you... I guess you could start by giving him a pass over with the multi-needle tool instead of a single needle at a time ; it would make the wool felt way faster and stronger and he would be more "solid" if you know what i mean. Much harder to rip appart at least ! For the wire I don't really have any better ideas than you did so I don't know..... If you are motivated enough you could make his saddle out of faux leather/scrap fabric and integrate a way to suspend him with it :)
next time you want to make a little guy I would highly recommend getting some wool batting instead of roving to make your base! in roving all the fibres have been brushed into a single direction, which makes them take longer to felt and makes the overlapping layers more obvious. batting felts wayyyyy faster and looks much smoother imo!!! happy felting :)
Your Appa came out so cute! Different types of wool will felt better than others; the ball of cream wool looks like it might be merino which doesn't felt easily. Coarser would might be easier to use.
He is adorable! Right before you kissed his snout, I let out an audible sigh of cuteness. I bought the plush Appa from Temu (my craftiness does not yet extend to needlefelting, although I have purchased some supplies to start in that direction, eventually). Yours is equally sweet, & has the added bonus of being handmade & full of all the love you have for your little guys. 10 out of 10, would recommend 💞
Beautiful. I love how big he is. You should totally make some clouds. You can even build the flank of the airbender’s mountain in that corner. Ya know, if you wanna loose your mind.
I love him!! Next time you're felting, I recommend *not* cutting the wool off where you need it to stop but instead pull it apart to leave feathered edges that will blend better when attaching. It may take a bit of finagling but it's worth it.
For the ceiling suspension, you could use some leather scraps or worbla or something to make Appa a saddle, with a little harness going under his belly, and have him suspended by the saddle instead! So his weight is supported from below rather than pulling at the top.
Appa 💛 4EVR 🥰 Side wool felting tip: you can save on wool by using batting (vegan pillow fluff) at the center of your shapes and wrapping them with your poked & prodded wool sheet shapes (I hope that makes sense)
I would also recommend a fishing line sling/harness to go under and support him, and maybe giving his tail some lift would also help with the flying illusion! His face did turn out so stinking cute!! I’ve been meaning to felt a Beatrice for my Wirt cosplay for a while. Maybe I need to watch all your little guy vids again to make it happen XD
If you have a tack or IFA store near by maybe try and find a curved needle and you can just loop it under the wire base. The curved needles are usually pretty hefty because they are used for leather work and saddle stitching.
I don't know how I found your videos. I'm not really into Cosplay, I don't make costumes, but I absolutely love your energy. Thanks for the great entertainment.
I love all the chaos crafting you do.. it’s so inspiring and fun!! Okay onto business: garden stake staples go through from under making sure to hook his spine cut just above his back make loops and hang securely 👍🏽
He's so stinking cute! I've bailed on all my large scale projects because they spun wildly out of control. As far as suspension goes I would take some fishing line, loop it around his body at your 2 anchor points, pull up your fibers a bit and felt over the fishing line to hide it. That way you get full support all the way around under the tum!
Babe wake up, Rachel Maksy’s making another Little Guy™️
Best comment.
Stole the comment right from my fingers, well said 😂
What’s the matter babe, you’ve barely touched the Little Guy ™️
Oops! It's all Little Guys™
LITTLE GUYS NEVER LET US DOWN!!!
At this point we need a “little guys” playlist. I want to binge them all.
I SECOND THIS 🗣️🗣️
Definitely!! I 3rd this
4rth
5th this. The court has spoken
Plsss
Can you make Toothless next? I think he and Appa would really get along.
Ooo!
Or Falkor from The Neverending Story!
Yes, please!
PLEASE
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! yis.
A tip for everyone, get a dense bristled pet brush and seperate the fibers. It makes layering easier, the final product looks "smooth" and becomes more light!
It can also be used to blend colors together!
Came here to say this! I don't do much felting because my sinuses don't appreciate the dust but the brushing makes a huge difference. Also if you are handy with a hook you can crochet the body and felt the colours on 😁 Saves a ton of felting material.
Is this like carding?
@@nefertitimontoya yes! In fact some ppl use pet hair brushes as much cheaper makeshift carders :)
I had the thought throughout this “oh she can get the little frog knight and make him ride appa!!!” But then I realized. You don’t have a frog knight. You have banjo frog, and mouse knight, but not frog knight. I think this is a wonderful testament to your slowly growing Army of Little Guys.
I do still think the next Little Guy should be built to ride appa.
just use fishing line. loop it under your little guy. it won't show. attach to hooks in ceiling. LOVE IT.
That's what I thought!
+
You could even use a long Sashiko needle and sew through him to dangle him.
I came to say the same, maybe two loops and make the one on the front longer so you can pose it as if Appa was flying down, and you could see his markings.
Yes! I was thinking a fishing line harness to help distribute the weight
Tips for bigger needle felting projects: Sculpt your base shape out of melamine sponge (the stuff magic erasers are made out of). You can buy a lot of it hella cheap online and it's very light weight. The wool attaches very easily.
Also recommend the multi-needle handles for large surfaces.
Needle felting is so fun but can be very time consuming on larger projects.
Another great thing about needle felting is you can easily revisit old projects to refine them, smooth them out, and bulk them up if you so choose.
+
I also like to use just regular polyfill stuffing to do the initial shaping. Works the same way in my experience
@arthurzackaryabrin whattttttt, and that would be so much cheaper bulk fill for bigger projects!!! 🤩
I was thinking this too, she wasted so much wool omg.
I honestly feel like you're way too rough on yourself about how interesting you are. I would happily watch you make and do just about anything, because it's so much fun watching YOU have fun. Please please PLEASE never not do something because you don't think we're interested-- I promise you, we very much are, and we love you for it. ❤
^ THIS! 100% I mean, I'd even watch her tidy up her barn or take out her trash! Haha. I just love her personality and sense of whimsy. Also, all her film and tv references and memes are spot on, right up my alley! We love you, Rachel!
Yes! This! You are wonderful and we love watching YOU, especially when you’re so excited about something. It makes me smile and want to try out a new hobby. :)
Ditto!
100000%
😊😊
I know your "little guy" creations are primarily for your mental health, but I cannot thank you enough for sharing them with us! I love all the little guys you make, and seeing the pure joy you get from making them really warms my heart 💖
Thank you for taking care of yourself, Rachel.
FYI, for future reference, you can use baby oil as a polymer clay softener. Tip, TINY amounts of oil at a time and smoosh it in, folding the clay to help blend it in.
very useful, thanks :)
That’s a great tip! (Commenting to boost so Rachel might see it!)
Yep! Personally, I prefer unscented mineral oil. (Baby oil is just thin, scented mineral oil.) Both work!
Further tip; if you accidentally over-oil your clay, place it on a piece of (simple copy) paper for a few (3 or 4 max) minutes to leach off the excess. Don't let it sit too long though, or you are back to adding oil again.
Please don’t stop making little guys. DON'T STOP EVER. 😁 I mean, would we have Labyrinth if Jim Henson stopped making little guys? Loved it 🥰
You could even make a cursed Fuzzle!
Petition to get Rachel a leather mit to prevent lil stabbies?
This is so cute!!!!
I was thinking 5 separate fingie armours
@@greatauntlizbethg9137 that could work too!
Hahahahaha, other than fine cots, they have silicone or leather gloves and hand pieces, but most of us are too stubborn........or we lose them momentarily after using them. 😆
Which is my case.
Lemme tell you, get a lil kit, and get to stabbin!!!!!!
Bad day? Stab shit and make something! Great day? End it stabbing something adorable! 😆😁😘
yes! and maybe some of those felting tools with multiple needles for larger areas
Or remind her to use the fingers WITH the protective sleeves to hold the wool. I was cringing the entire time watching her hold the protected finger and thumb safely out of needle range while putting the unprotected fingers on the front line.
Oh! For the suspension thing - maybe the saddle? Maybe that could hold the string in some way?
My husband said the same thing. He definitely needs his saddle.
Was about to say the same thing!
yep, I agree! I don't remember what his canon saddle looks like, but if LittleGuy!Appa's saddle had multiple belly straps, that would give him more even support across the underneath side.
@alghirab it didn't have any belly straps at all it just sat on his back by being braided into the fur
@echoless3474 stfu and come get tea with me you freak! 😘😆😆
All hail the canon pieces, and us weirdos that worship the 'little' show 🙌 🙏 👏 😍
Appa and Momo are always relevant. Never hold back on anything adorable
71 year old, watching you as I sew clothes for my clay people... Keep up the good work
Making little guys for mental health reasons seems healthier than my habit of buying little guys for mental health reasons.
I'm expecting a new one tomorrow. In my defense, she's really cute and has Spring vibes.
What is she??? Curious
@@azrani2023 A Squishable Alter Ego Nymph Plague Doctor.
Rachel: This week I wanted to do a small, easy, fun project.
Rachel two days later: Sooo, the project is actually huge, elaborate, and kicking my ass.
Rachel at the end of the week: I hate my life, but the final result is amazing.
incredible timing to have the Stabbing Hobby video come out on the ides of march
😂😂😂
Oooo! So true!
🤣🤣🤣 serendipity
Oh my gosh HAHAHA
stabby time!
@deadlykota Knowing this tickles me. Thank you for pointing it out.
"The shaved off hair of sheeps unknown" is such A Way of describing wool and I very much love the vibe. 💖
I am always so impressed by these "little guy" videos. Watching each small creature come together from a pile of wool is so therapeutic. AND OH MY GOODNESS, HE IS SO BABY!!! THE MOST MAGICAL BABY, LOOK AT HIM GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
"What is home decor if it's not something that you can look at and just go 'howh :')'" this is exactly the kind of energy I bring to my home decor and Rachel, your Little Guys (TM) are always an utter delight. Please never apologize for making them.
11:25 If your loose leaf tea isn't properly steeping, you might need a bigger tea ball to hold it. The leaves need room to bloom, so they can properly steep.
also don’t be afraid to add honey to it!
The "Look at my stuff... isn't it neat?" @21:58 is a frickin masterpiece of a delivery I tell you what, I truly guffawed
Rachel,
Ever since you made your needle felted mouse, I have spiraled into the world of Wool and very painfully 'barb'ed needles. It has quite frankly become one of my favorite things to do in my downtime.
So thank you for your creativity that has brought so much joy into my life over the last couple of months, it means so much to have something to create and I am actually really good at.
You're the best!!
Oh my gosh that comment touches me. I feel similar on so many levels because watching Rachel always inspires me in some way and has, as cheesy as that may sound, changed my life since I first found her. so, thank you for being honest about your own whimsical wool journey and all the best to you! :)
Oo me too! I started needle felting after seeing Rach learning with her mate and it makes me so happy!!
@@Mimjay that's awesome, what's your favorite project so far?
"Lackluster Skeleton" should be a band name. Hit singles include: "Boring Grave," "Monotonous Death," "Dull Skull," and many others!
Not sure if anyone else will have suggested this already, but since you asked for some ideas to suspend the precious smol with a little more stability, what about making a sort of harness for him with clean fishing wire? that would spread the weight more across a wider area and being a harness it won't pull from the inside. and also then if you ever want him to come down for cuddles, you can free him from his harness without it harming any of his insides. you have done well crafting such a glorious loaf. Frodo is such a good boy. have a nice day!
I LOVE HIMB
Do I know how to felt? No. Do I have the supplies to felt? No. Do I want my very own Air Bison flying through my room immediately???? Absolutely yes
And people are dropping tips; I feel a desire for a bison
I think one of the most helpful thing I ever used when needle felting was this handle that could hold like six needles. six stabs per stab!
Yes I was saying to myself, she needs more prongs lol. It helps so much with time
A serial killer advert if I ever imagined it to be.
I have trouble with the six-needle handle; I think the extra needles distrubutes the pressure more so it's harder to stab. I'm going to try a three-needle handle at some point. It might be the happy medium
You could always try just putting less needles into the six needle one, or if you need to have them in to make it lock, put broken ones in.
tip from my own needle felting: you can use polyfill stuffing as a base!!! I find it usually attaches to itself easier than wool, less stabbing time overall. you just cover the colors on top with the wool roving
This is so good to know bc I have wanted to make bigger little guys but don't wanna use all my wool up on one or two projects
Yes!! I do the same!!! Got the tip from a friend who is an avid needle felter and they said: Thinka bout it as making a plushy inside to outside and it makes so much sense. Plus, if you think about old pillows and plushies, that polyfill is usually really matted together, so it just makes sense it works really well for felting!!
Yes YES- your boy needs some clouds! He deserves a lovely habitat. Imagine an entire Appa corner!!!
my dearest floor troll, your mental health projects are ours too. i don't think you realize how much you help us with ours simply by being you. i love your little guys and cant wait for the next one
the way i rushed when I saw the notification and said" NO SHE DIDNT JUST MAKE OUR LIFES AND CHILDHOODS BETTER!" Ma'am you've just made our lives better once again!
You said it!🩵
Thissss!!!
SAME
Same this was our dopamine hit❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
The SCREAM I just SCRUMPT
Screamt?
@@ThinWhiteAxe Screamedt?!
I love the Little Guy videos. Share those dopamine hits with us. Dance Magic Dance!
watching rachel maksy make a little guy for her mental health is improving my mental health which severely needs improving... appa is so cute and the way the light hits him is so pretty he's like a cloud! also please give frodo a hug and some cheese from me he's such a good boy and I need him to know that
He looks like a startled cat and I love him 😂 for suspension, maybe a net of fishing wire under his belly so he can kinda lay in a cradle instead of being dependent on one anchor point? That would also allow you to adjust the angle of his flight
He looks absolutely stunning and cuddly!!
What makes me super emotional everytime is that "Appa" in korean means basically "Dad" 🥺
And it has been making me soft ever since 🥺
My daughter is a NEW fan of The Last Airbender series, we watched the whole show together while house sitting for a month. We are both sitting here seeing the reveal with happy tears! Your Appa is 100% pure Wholesome Whimsy!! And we need a Merry Montage of all your little guys!! 🥹🥹🥹
I second this!! And I love that you both are sharing the Rachel happiness!!
You might have luck using a big, upholstery tufting needle to secure the fishing line deeper inside the body. They're pretty heavy duty and long, intended to punch through couch cushions and pillows, so it should be able to get through that wool pretty easily.
Came here to say this! Use the upholstery needle to get the fishing line looped around the wire frame inside.
Live - Laugh - Little Guys
To help suspend him without damaging him, appa does have a saddle, you could give the saddle under belly straps and the saddle could be what holds him and is connected to the ceiling! Just a thought 😄
Frodo is so good! He didn't steel your cheese AND he is the best sheet model ever! I believed the sheets were comfortable because Frodo looked so cozy!
I love the little guys videos. I always make myself little guys for comfort in bad mental health times. Recently I have been crocheting tiny frogs and snails with fruit for shells, and they bring me so much joy. Squishmallows are an acceptable store bought substitute, but there's just something about creating a little guy for your self creating a huge serotonin boost 😅
oh my that snail variation is an awesome idea 🥺
The reason I first started watching you during the pandemic was because you were in touch with your inner child as I am. LOVE everything you post! Thanks for all your hard work doing so!
We all need more Little Guy content!!! Am glad you're making things that bring you joy.
ALSO a suggestion: Making a couple loops of fishing line and loop it around his body either around the neck area in the front or between the leggies in the front and back like dis:
____/__\__
(. ~)_| |x| |x| |\__
'" '" '"
where the x's are where the fishing line would go (and maybe blending some wool over it on the bottom and sides? dunno) so that way he's nice and secure in his little fishing line harness without having to worry about anything pulling out! HUZZAH!
(also I did my best to make an ASCII Appa for demonstrative purposes, I hope it works)
I love ASCII Appa!
you could make a saddle for him and integrate the ceiling suspension into that. and for the legs you can probably feed a wire through the bottom of the foot into the leg and cover it up so the legs are able to be positioned
Please never stop the two-second bits. Good lord, I needed that laugh. XD
Also, the sleeping cheese test, imo, is a little of column A and a little of column B; the combined INT of knowing when they're being offered a treat and what they do in that case, and the WIS to know what actual sleep looks and sounds like. ;P
You could make Appa's saddle with a chest/waist band on and then attach the hanging wires to the saddle. You could then also make the saddle come off and have Appa cuddles when needed.
That is actually such a cool idea, well done. But I can't help thinking that then Rachel would definitely need to do little Aang, Katara and Sokka on that saddle if she does it, hehe.
you could always make the cart thing that wraps around him that everyone sits on and attach the fishing wire to that to hang him, could make it wrap around him completely so its not hanging by him but by his accessories. plus, you could make it a miniatures build of the travel area
YES
You mean his saddle?
I for one love to see a lil guy, a small fella, a miniscule matey, a pocket sized pal.
There are multi needle headed felters that can be bought for working over larger areas, and honestly the best thing that can be done is to keep working on him. When felting a project, you kinda have to keep going until it forms a solid lump, and that's more of a half solid lump. When looking at other finished felt projects, the finish is smooth and the surface consistency is all uniformly felted, kind of like a felt mat/sheet you'd get from the craft store. You gave it enough stabs to tack it down, but it isn't fully felted all the way in spots.
It’s wonderful to see someone who knows what makes her happy and does it. Whimsy away, Rachel! I, for one, am enjoying the ride. And learning to freely express my whimsical side by your example!
100 % SAME ❤
Fun fact that I learned from listening to Braving the Elements (Avatar podcast) Appa is part Bison part Manatee! 🥹
Glad you made him as part of your lil guy army
BIG lil guy 😂 He's adorable! But yes, I think shaping the legs backwards a little and also attaching another fishing line to the tail to make it flip up would make it look more like he's flying
Something that might look cute and to add the saddle that wraps around his waist and on that saddle had the hook to hang him. So it’s stable!
Love how this turned out! Especially seeing the feets come together so well. For suspension, there are doll needles that are extremely long, made for going through an entire complete doll for shaping. Not sure how well they'll stand up to felted material instead of loose stuffing but might be worth it if you want the lines really anchored through the body. Also you make me so nervous holding the thing youre felting with your uncovered middle finger while your protected pointer finger is delicately held up away from the needle lol. Maybe having more of a full glove would let you hold and maneuver it easily without having to worry about where your fingers are.
Anyway I love the little guy videos never apologize for making little guys ever. I don't currently have the time or space to make little guys so these videos truly sustain me
If you wanted you could add some blue/white wispies around the ceiling hooks so it looks like he's among the clouds! He is such a beautiful boy 🥰
This video made me wanna try needle felting!
I LOVE the little guys!especially this one. my soul cat was named Appa after this silly sky bison, and even though my boy crossed the bridge in 2021 at only 10 years old, this Appa still brings me joy and reminds me of how awesome he was.
Rachel I am mad at you! I have been embroidering something for a con to look like moss after seeing you do it and MY HANDS HURT!!!! Keep doing what you're doing :D
Appa and Labyrinth music in the same video?? PERFECTION!!!
11:48 I've seen either NerdECrafter or Moriah Elizabeth use baby oil to soften their polymer clay and then run it through a noodle making machine to blend it together. So, maybe that'll help.
I LOVE WHEN RACHEL MAKES LITTLE GUYS
*Runs in so fast she polishes the floor trying to stop* 😁 I LOVE him!! 🥰
Love your little, or not so little, guy videos. He so cute. You did a great job. You could always put him on a cloud if you scared he will be damaged hanging on his own weight.
12:50
The "good boy" with the laugh Gabe me Jenna Marbles and now I'm crying. 🥲😢
THANKS, RACHEL! 😅
Dunno why Gabe is involved but thanks to him too, I guess...
*gave
Loving the Little Guy videos!
...also once again taking Rachel's advice on How To Live My Life More Properly and finally watching Labyrinth, dang it.
Oh my golly goodness!!!! 🥰 He's beautifully made and unbelievably cute! Enjoy the giggles of whimsy every day you glance at this little (big) guy. Much love 💞😊
Every time you do a needle felt project it makes me want to go to the store and get a whole new stash of crafting materials. ALSO!! As a person who JUST had a smol human I can say all of your feelings towards fuzzy APPA are totally valid and I caught myself feeling all the same things towards my new little guy. ❤ Currently recovering so this bit of whimsy was very needed. Thank you @rachelmaksy !!
Appa My King 👑
HE CAME OUT SO CUTE 💕
But also, please, I implore you, make him a matching tiny flying Momo 🥹
I bought a stuffy of him and it’s the best purchase I’ve made I was originally looking for the baby sky-bison bc of the lil horns but he’s just fine
Oh! Just sat down with my supper, snuggled in for the evening, a notification! Hello Rachel!
I love him 😭
Re hanging: you could loop fishing line around his torso so he's supported underneath.
His current leg position looks like he's hovering out coming in for a landing.
This looks awesome !! I absolutely love him omg. Kinda want to make my own now !!
As for advice I could give you... I guess you could start by giving him a pass over with the multi-needle tool instead of a single needle at a time ; it would make the wool felt way faster and stronger and he would be more "solid" if you know what i mean. Much harder to rip appart at least ! For the wire I don't really have any better ideas than you did so I don't know..... If you are motivated enough you could make his saddle out of faux leather/scrap fabric and integrate a way to suspend him with it :)
next time you want to make a little guy I would highly recommend getting some wool batting instead of roving to make your base! in roving all the fibres have been brushed into a single direction, which makes them take longer to felt and makes the overlapping layers more obvious. batting felts wayyyyy faster and looks much smoother imo!!! happy felting :)
Your Appa came out so cute! Different types of wool will felt better than others; the ball of cream wool looks like it might be merino which doesn't felt easily. Coarser would might be easier to use.
Oh how I needed a new video from you for *my* mental health! ❤
He is adorable! Right before you kissed his snout, I let out an audible sigh of cuteness. I bought the plush Appa from Temu (my craftiness does not yet extend to needlefelting, although I have purchased some supplies to start in that direction, eventually). Yours is equally sweet, & has the added bonus of being handmade & full of all the love you have for your little guys. 10 out of 10, would recommend 💞
Well this just grabbed my attention with SUCH. FORCE.
Beautiful. I love how big he is. You should totally make some clouds. You can even build the flank of the airbender’s mountain in that corner. Ya know, if you wanna loose your mind.
So... Now all he needs is the tiny saddle and harness... And a tiny Aang!!! :)
He is utterly gorgeous!!!
So excited for this project
APPA! MY LOVE!
So glad no one can see me giggling and stimming right now
As you were putting the final touches on with the eyes, I made an involuntary sound I can only describe as a delighted YIP
Appa in general, and this Appa in particular, are the very definition of violently delightful.
No no, you made it for 🙌✨✨ our ✨✨🙌 mental health ❤😊
Love you energy so much racheal❤️❤️❤️
Yip! Yip!
I am in awe. Wads of wool and a stabby thingy and you created such cuteness. Truly. I didn’t even know stabby wool was a thing. ❤😊
Would you also make momo?
I love him!!
Next time you're felting, I recommend *not* cutting the wool off where you need it to stop but instead pull it apart to leave feathered edges that will blend better when attaching. It may take a bit of finagling but it's worth it.
For the ceiling suspension, you could use some leather scraps or worbla or something to make Appa a saddle, with a little harness going under his belly, and have him suspended by the saddle instead! So his weight is supported from below rather than pulling at the top.
Your little guy videos are my favorite. Every time the “mY bOoy” line from goblet of fire goes through my head repeatedly
Appa 💛 4EVR 🥰
Side wool felting tip: you can save on wool by using batting (vegan pillow fluff) at the center of your shapes and wrapping them with your poked & prodded wool sheet shapes (I hope that makes sense)
I would also recommend a fishing line sling/harness to go under and support him, and maybe giving his tail some lift would also help with the flying illusion!
His face did turn out so stinking cute!! I’ve been meaning to felt a Beatrice for my Wirt cosplay for a while. Maybe I need to watch all your little guy vids again to make it happen XD
If you have a tack or IFA store near by maybe try and find a curved needle and you can just loop it under the wire base.
The curved needles are usually pretty hefty because they are used for leather work and saddle stitching.
Omg... I love him. The little creature videos are my favourites. So sweet and heartwarming.
I don't know how I found your videos. I'm not really into Cosplay, I don't make costumes, but I absolutely love your energy. Thanks for the great entertainment.
I love all the chaos crafting you do.. it’s so inspiring and fun!!
Okay onto business: garden stake staples go through from under making sure to hook his spine cut just above his back make loops and hang securely 👍🏽
He's so stinking cute! I've bailed on all my large scale projects because they spun wildly out of control. As far as suspension goes I would take some fishing line, loop it around his body at your 2 anchor points, pull up your fibers a bit and felt over the fishing line to hide it. That way you get full support all the way around under the tum!