Needle Felting to Remember Old Friends

I recently finished a needle felted project for a coworker. A friend of hers lost a Maine coon not too long ago that she wanted to commemorate. Happily for my sake, she decided on needle felting. This was not the first lost kitty I had made for someone, so I knew exactly how to start: by studying pictures. I wanted to get a sense of the kitty's demeanor and a very good image of all of his markings. Below are some of the photos she provided me of Willie, the sweet dearly departed.

How sanguine he looks:

I once had the privilege of owning a Maine coon and remembered what relaxed and easy going rag dolls they are, so I opted for a posture that would reflect this well-known and loved attribute of the breed. Willie clearly shared it.

I tried pinned roving for the white fur. Unlike regular roving, pinned roving has been lightly spun into chunky loose threads. Since fluffy textures can be hard to achieve with needle felting, I thought it might help to get a long-haired look. It did, but in retrospect I might work the pinned roving a little less and refrain from felting as many of its fibers, leaving the ends to hang down. This would make the doll inherently less durable, but as long as it's made for shelf-sitting and not for playing, I suppose that works.

By the time I finished making Willie, I also realized I had his proportions slightly off. This comes from his Maine coon-ness as they have such long, large bodies. I made him too short. Additionally, the roving I bought for Willie's markings proved too orange. Still, I think he turned out well. My coworker and her friend liked him, so he succeeded where it matters.