Fuzzy felt
Encyclopedia
Fuzzy Felt is a simple fabric toy
intended for very young children, but enjoyable by people of any age. It was created in 1950 by Lois Allan of the United Kingdom
. The toys consist of a flocked
backing board onto which a number of felt
shapes are placed to create different pictures. Felt pieces can be simple silhouette
s or more detailed printed shapes. For a farmyard scene, for example, auxiliary pieces would typically be cows, sheep, chickens, horses, cats, dogs, a farmer, and a tractor. Other scenes might include hospital, pets, vehicles. Fuzzy felt is for children over the age of three years, as the pieces may present a choking hazard.
Since its creation in the 1950’s, more than 25million Fuzzy Felt sets have been sold internationally and although Fuzzy Felt reached its peak in popularity sometime in the mid-1970s, it remains an iconic child toy enjoyed still by the children who play with it and the parents who nostalgically purchase it.
, Noddy, and My Little Pony
were released to inspire[ a child’s] picture-making” abilities.
Fuzzy Felt was also a favoured toy in Sunday schools because of its “Bible Stories set, complete with camels and three kings.”
The quiet toy was, and still is, fairly cheap, can be played almost anywhere leaving little mess, save a few stray pieces of shaped felt behind, making it a popular choice among parents.
used a “ 7-meter high, 14-meter wide” Fuzzy Felt backdrop, created by artists Jake and Dinos Chapman
, as a visual accent for the debut of her 2008 spring/summer collection in Paris. The backdrop was made up of “rainbow-coloured rabbits, giraffes and a particularly anxious ladybird”, all reminiscent of the 1970’s child’s toy.
There is a UK registered Trade Mark (number 2461883) for "Fuzzy Felt", registered to a non-trading UK company (number 03227732) "Fuzzy-Felt Ltd".
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
intended for very young children, but enjoyable by people of any age. It was created in 1950 by Lois Allan of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The toys consist of a flocked
Flocking (texture)
Flocking is the process of depositing many small fiber particles onto a surface. It can also refer to the texture produced by the process, or to any material used primarily for its flocked surface. Flocking of an article can be performed for the purpose of increasing its value in terms of the...
backing board onto which a number of felt
Felt
Felt is a non-woven cloth that is produced by matting, condensing and pressing woollen fibres. While some types of felt are very soft, some are tough enough to form construction materials. Felt can be of any colour, and made into any shape or size....
shapes are placed to create different pictures. Felt pieces can be simple silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
s or more detailed printed shapes. For a farmyard scene, for example, auxiliary pieces would typically be cows, sheep, chickens, horses, cats, dogs, a farmer, and a tractor. Other scenes might include hospital, pets, vehicles. Fuzzy felt is for children over the age of three years, as the pieces may present a choking hazard.
History
Fuzzy-Felt was created by Lois Allan during the second world war. Allan, who contributed to the war effort by “manufacturing felt gaskets for sealing tank components”, was inspired to create the toy after observing how much enjoyment children had taking the discarded and misshaped pieces of felt and sticking them to the backs of table mats.Since its creation in the 1950’s, more than 25million Fuzzy Felt sets have been sold internationally and although Fuzzy Felt reached its peak in popularity sometime in the mid-1970s, it remains an iconic child toy enjoyed still by the children who play with it and the parents who nostalgically purchase it.
Popularity
Many reasons have been attributed to Fuzzy Felt’s popularity. Though seemingly simple, the various available themed sets allow for hours of creativity. Though the sets started out strictly as a collection of various coloured shapes, countless themes Fuzzy Felt sets became available through the years. “Ballet, Farmyard, Circus, Hospital, and much later on Thomas the Tank EngineThomas the Tank Engine
Thomas the Tank Engine is a fictional steam locomotive in The Railway Series books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher. He became the most popular character in the series, and the accompanying television spin-off series, Thomas and Friends.Thomas is a tank engine, painted blue...
, Noddy, and My Little Pony
My Little Pony
My Little Pony is a brand of toy ponies marketed primarily to girls produced by the toy manufacturer Hasbro. These ponies can be identified by their colorful bodies and manes and a unique symbol on one or both sides of their flanks...
were released to inspire[ a child’s] picture-making” abilities.
Fuzzy Felt was also a favoured toy in Sunday schools because of its “Bible Stories set, complete with camels and three kings.”
The quiet toy was, and still is, fairly cheap, can be played almost anywhere leaving little mess, save a few stray pieces of shaped felt behind, making it a popular choice among parents.
Fashion
In 2008, fashion designer Stella McCartneyStella McCartney
Stella Nina McCartney is an English fashion designer. She is the daughter of former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney and the late photographer and animal rights activist, Linda McCartney.-Early life:...
used a “ 7-meter high, 14-meter wide” Fuzzy Felt backdrop, created by artists Jake and Dinos Chapman
Jake and Dinos Chapman
Iakovos "Jake" Chapman and Konstantinos "Dinos" Chapman are English visual artists, often known as the Chapman Brothers, who work together as a collaborative sibling duo...
, as a visual accent for the debut of her 2008 spring/summer collection in Paris. The backdrop was made up of “rainbow-coloured rabbits, giraffes and a particularly anxious ladybird”, all reminiscent of the 1970’s child’s toy.
Music
Fuzzy-Felt Folk is a collection of “rare, delightful folk oddities for strange adults and maybe their children too…The front cover imagery of the album is from the original 1968 Fuzzy-Felt Fantasy set.”Current
Fuzzy Felt is currently sold by Toy Brokers Limited of Huntingdon.There is a UK registered Trade Mark (number 2461883) for "Fuzzy Felt", registered to a non-trading UK company (number 03227732) "Fuzzy-Felt Ltd".