Needle felted fruit vessels-Utility vs. Chachka*

I like to make things that have a purpose, that I can use in some way rather than just look at them. I used to have a shelf in my bedroom when I was a kid, it was full of nick-nacks that I had collected. I used to collect things that had to do with ducks and antique doo-dads, etc. etc.; I used to like to just look at the things on my little shelf. Now days, these doo-dads that I used to like to collect seem to be more dust collectors than anything else, so now if I have pretty things sitting around, I like for them to have a purpose. Not to mention the fact that in Israel, we have very limited space to put chachkas! So when I start thinking about things to felt, I try to imagine different items (that maybe I already have), in felted form. A needle felted vessel, like a bowl probably has a very limited functionality in it’s traditional use as a holder for food, but I put change, keys or wrapped candies in mine.

I like to make my fruit and vegatable vessels by hollowing out a sphere, then continuing to build the shape on the top and bottom halves. I prefer the very simple shapes and colors of these vessels; I like the finished pieces to be graphic in appearance.

*Chachka-A Yiddish word for an inexpensive, showy trinket, whatnot, doodad, collectable, objet d’art, kicknack, bric-a-brac.