# Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Tools and Materials "In mythology, the Muses were nine goddesses who symbolized the arts and sciences. Today, a muse is a person who serves as an artist's inspiration." Person? What about all the [Cats in Engineering](https://www.adafruit.com/galleries/cats-of-engineering "Cats of Engineering")?   https://youtu.be/KHH61WpXcbo If you have mad pet allergies (like me) you might have to make a [hypoallergenic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allergy_to_cats#Hypoallergenic_cats "Hypoallergenic Cat Breeds")muse... er... cat. Like Wizzy! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/250/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3738.jpg?1415943875)   Supplies can be had on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and Michaels.  - [Black / White Wool](http://woolery.com/spinning-fibers/wool-fibers/norwegian-wool-top-8-oz-black-or-white.html) - Black Felt Sheet  - [Felting Needles](http://woolery.com/felting/felting-needle-variety-pack.html) - [Craft Eyes and Nose](http://www.shop.suncatchereyes.com/Cat-Eyes_c7.htm?page=all) - [Beadalon Stringing Wire](http://www.michaels.com/M10427058.html?dwvar_M10427058_color=Satin%20Silver) - [~24 inches X 1/2 inch Silicone Tubing](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FMWTRU/ref=biss_dp_t_asn) (tail) - 10 inch Wood Base (optional) - 3/16 inch Drill Bit - Small Wood Screws - 21 mm Dowel (body) - 12 mm Dowel (neck) - Pipe Cleaners - Scissors - Hot Glue Gun Remaining tools and electronics can all be purchased in the Adafruit store. Info: # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## 3D Printing Wizzy's 3D printed parts can be printed without support, minimal infill, and ~3 shells. Before we dig-in, I've broken the [3D Printed Animatronic Tail](../../../../servo-animatronic-tail/tools-and-materials) out into a separate guide. Build that first... Tinkercad: [3D Printed Animatronic Tail](https://tinkercad.com/things/4oQD3fFYZic) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/037/398/medium800/adafruit_products_animatronic_tail.png?1479521207) Our head mount is simple: head plate, flanges, and a frame for a standard-size servo. Again, no support, minimal infill, and ~3 shells should be plenty strong. Tinkercad: [Wizzy the Cat Head Mount](https://tinkercad.com/things/9mzWBX55Gno) ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/249/medium800/adafruit_products_wizzy_the_cat_head_mount.png?1415943136) The bottom (body) flange is for the 21 mm dowel and the top (neck) is for the 12 mm dowel # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Warm Fuzzies! Needle Felting can be a little scary, especially at the point where your confidence and pokes-per-second exceed your attention span. Here, a quick reminder to take your time... ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/164/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_2491.jpg?1415776805) Needles push or pull fibers, compacting the felt as you go. (They'll work just as well compacting right into your finger!) Buying an assortment with at least one of each of the following is a good place to start. - Triangular - barbs on three sides that are good for general detail - Star / Square - barbs on four sides that are good for coarse work - Spiral - good for quick and firm felting - Reverse - barbs are reversed to pull fibers out rather than in Generally, detail is determined by the size or gauge of the needle.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/174/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3574.jpg?1415777042) As you can see... I have not graduated (yet) to anything smaller than 36 gauge. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/175/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3575.jpg?1415777067) Needle [felting](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felt)starts with fiber... like wool, which is amazing stuff! But for some reason, it's difficult to find a source for smooth, consistent, and beautifully colored fiber. Etsy is my go-to for [batts](https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wool%20batt)and [roving](https://www.etsy.com/search?q=wool%20roving). ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/176/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3582.jpg?1415777092) Pull just a bit from the end... too far in and the fiber resists separating.   ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/177/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3586.jpg?1415777103) Vary the angle of the needle as you felt to develop strength in all directions. Using sponges, brushes, and even felt craft-sheets as a backer / base can help get things started. So... let's throw-down some tufts of wool and get poking! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/221/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3698.jpg?1415778559) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Wireframing the Body Grab your pliers and pipe cleaners... and hot-glue the animatronic tail to the 10 inch base. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/166/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3555.jpg?1415776896) Your frame needs to be solid / stiff, which may require doubling-up on pipe cleaners - two or three should be sufficient.  Twist them together, staggering the overlap for maximum strength and rigidity.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/167/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3557.jpg?1415776906) Start, by building a loose 'hoop' around the base. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/168/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3558.jpg?1415776921) Next, add a sturdy loop on both sides... this is where the hind legs meet the body.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/169/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3562.jpg?1415776932) Slap some feet on, and begin adding sculpted horizontal, vertical, and cross-cross pipe cleaners - overlapping at least three or four times! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/170/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3563.jpg?1415776951) Continue, until your reach the base of the tail and neck. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/171/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3564.jpg?1415776966) Pretty is not the goal here... only strength and general shape!  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/172/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3565.jpg?1415776991) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Felting the Body Place small but long tufts of fiber over the outside of your frame and felt from all angles to maximize strength and compactness. Work from the inside-out or use a reverse needle if the felt begins to sag. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/180/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3592.jpg?1415777207) Keep adding felt until the body is completely opaque. Coarse needles move a lot of fiber but tend to leave the surface ragged; you can smooth everything out nicely with a smaller gauge needle. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/181/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3596.jpg?1415777222) Here is what we are aiming for... let's work on the feet next! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/220/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3610.jpg?1415778437) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Felting the Feet Grab a sheet of black craft-felt and cut a rectangle about two-inches wide and long enough to cover the leg - rolling it around the leg as shown. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/214/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3603.jpg?1415778141) Sheets of felt can be joined / tacked together with a few vigorous pokes. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/215/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3604.jpg?1415778151) Thicker legs are easy, just increase the number of wraps around the pipe cleaner. When you are satisfied, go over the seam until it disappears. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/216/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3605.jpg?1415778166) Craft felt sheets are pretty rough... you can add a thin layer of roving / fiber on top to finish the job. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/217/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3607.jpg?1415778176) Fill gaps between the leg and the body for maximum strength and cuteness. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/218/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3608.jpg?1415778191) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Servo Installation Use a 3/16 inch drill bit to make mounting holes in the flange that match the hole pattern in the servo. We could have 3D printed these... but hole patterns are a moving target.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/209/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3618.jpg?1415777975) Drill another hole about half-way up flange to secure the neck dowel in place.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/210/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3623.jpg?1415777990) Repeat these steps with the base flange and install the servo. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/208/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3643.jpg?1415777955) Extra screws left-over from micro-servos are great for holding the 12mm dowel in place. Hot-glue works nicely as well. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/212/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3635.jpg?1415778035) Make sure to check the height of the dowels as you go... the neck flange needs to be just above the hole at the base of the neck. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/211/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3626.jpg?1415778010) Grab some milk and cookies as a reward for your work so-far... you are in the home-stretch! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/219/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3613.jpg?1415778231) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Wireframing the Head In my zeal to make the body frame strong, I ran out of white pipe cleaners. Remember, we are going to cover all this with a layer of felt. No big! Use the same framing technique on the head as you used on the body. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/185/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3614.jpg?1415777357) Reference drawings can be helpful, but only if you [measure](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat)every now-and-again to make sure you are on target. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/186/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3629.jpg?1415777372) Serviceability is a good thing to keep in mind... if something breaks, how hard will it be to fix? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/187/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3646.jpg?1415777387) A good example, would be adding a speaker grill if you don't have one - making it much more difficult to puncture the delicate cone. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/188/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3651.jpg?1415777403) Use enough hot-glue to mount components securely... somewhere between temporary and permanent. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/189/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3660.jpg?1415777418) And... a little more generous on components that vibrate! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/190/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3661.jpg?1415777438) Use some more hot-glue to affix the upper neck flange to the head-plate. Glue the 12mm dowel into that flange keeping it perpendicular to the base and centered (roughly) within the neck. This is my favorite stage of a project, where personality starts to emerge! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/191/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3665.jpg?1415777503) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Felting the Head We are going to use the last of our felt sheet for the head... stitching pieces together as needed to maximize natural contour. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/192/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3668.jpg?1415777553) Felt is such an amazing medium to work with... a simple needle becomes a sewing machine! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/193/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3670.jpg?1415777568) Cut, trim, and seam as needed until the head is covered. Mistakes are easily fixed - pull the felt until it overlaps a bit and poke! poke! poke! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/194/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3671.jpg?1415777588) Add your eyes and cover the head with roving - just like the body.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/195/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3616.jpg?1415777613) We are going to have to do something about those eyes... kinda creepy don't you think? ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/196/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3673.jpg?1415777629) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Felting the Tail Two things! First, our tail is going to wag back-and-forth... a tight fit may have an undesirable result - felt loosely for free-flowing movement. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/197/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3704.jpg?1415777668) Second, watch the angle of your felting needles. We don't want to damage the tube underneath or break a needle on a hard plastic piece. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/198/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3705.jpg?1415777683) Especially on the tip of the tail. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/199/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3706.jpg?1415777693) You could attach the tail directly to the body... but for sake of serviceability I'm going to make a 'port' for the tail to slip-through. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/200/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3709.jpg?1415777707) If you need to service anything inside Wizzy, all you will have to do is loosen one screw (neck base / servo) and slip the body over the tail.  Seams can be hidden fairly well if you build-up the rim until it's snug around the tail. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/201/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3711.jpg?1415777717) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Details... details Eyelids... hoping to convey a groovy mood. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/202/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3714.jpg?1415777748) For [whiskers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskers)you could use a bit of stiff fishing line... or you could extrude a bit of filament manually from your 3D printer. Dab the end in a bit of school glue and poke into place.  Ears were difficult for me... my first attempt looked like bunny ears. Second attempt looked like something you might find on Piglet. Finally, I added a pinch of white on the interior of the ear to give it a little shape - and called it done. I added some tufts of felt on the cheeks which turned out nicely. Anyone remember [Bill the Cat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_the_Cat)?   If somone just walked into the room at this point and said, "awwww!" You're on the right track! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/203/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3715.jpg?1415777778) Not part of my original plan, but I'm going to load-up the front feet with a few beefy washers to keep them from flopping around as the tail wags back-and-forth.  ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/204/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3716.jpg?1415777824) If you're [pick one or more: obsessive, compulsive, picky, detail oriented, excessively caffinated], you can cover the ugly with a bit of felt sheet. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/205/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3740.jpg?1415777836) As well as the base, for ultra-fuzziness! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/206/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3741.jpg?1415777855) # Wizzy: A Needle Felted Cat ## Electronics When Wizzy guards the Halloween candy bowl at our house, I use an RC transmitter / receiver - which allows me to interact 'personally' with trick-or-treaters. Electronically, Wizzy is pretty simple... two servos and an audio trigger.  https://vine.co/v/OMFOB7Tt9MW This setup will perform a tail-wag, head movement, and offer a snarky comment. Make sure to use a 5V power supply that can provide a constant 2 AMPs or better.  You can use just about any Arduino compatible! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/037/428/medium800/adafruit_products_trinket_powered_bb.png?1479702762) ``` #include <Servo.h> // head and tail servo objects Servo head; Servo tail; // variables used to track the position of the head and tail servos int hpos = 0; int tpos = 0; void setup() { // attach head and tail servo to digital pins 9 and 10 respectively head.attach(9); tail.attach(10); } void loop() { delay(5000); // wag the tail back and forth - adjust range as needed for (tpos = 0; tpos <= 180; tpos += 1) { tail.write(tpos); delay(15); } for (tpos = 180; tpos >= 0; tpos -= 1) { tail.write(tpos); delay(15); } delay(5000); // rotate head left and right - adjust range as needed for (hpos = 0; hpos <= 180; hpos += 1) { head.write(hpos); delay(15); } for (hpos = 180; hpos >= 0; hpos -= 1) { head.write(hpos); delay(15); } delay(5000); // trigger random audio playback analogWrite(0, -255); delay(15); analogWrite(0, 0); } ``` Use these audio files if you like... the Audio FX board will randomly play one of them when Trigger 0 goes LOW. [OGG Samples - Wizzy!](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/037/429/original/wizzy_samples.zip?1479703553) So many ways to drive Wizzy... Bluetooth, PIR sensors, laser triggers, flex-sensors, vibration switches, Infrared, and accelerometers. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/021/207/medium800/adafruit_products_IMG_3727.jpg?1415777874) If you make your own animatronic pet, I would LOVE to hear about it! ## Featured Products ### Adafruit Audio FX Mini Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger - 2MB Flash [Adafruit Audio FX Mini Sound Board - WAV/OGG Trigger - 2MB Flash](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2342) Would you like to add audio/sound effects to your next project, without an Arduino+Shield? Or maybe you don't even know how to use microcontrollers, you just want to make a sound play whenever you press a button. What about something that has to be very small and portable? You are... 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This 1.1" (~30mm) diameter speaker is the perfect addition to any breadboard-based audio project where you need 8 Ohm impedance, and have 0.2W or less of power. The two pins are 15mm / 0.6" apart and fit perfectly in a breadboard or perfboard. This speaker has a durable... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1898) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1898/guides) ### Standard Size - High Torque - Metal Gear Servo [Standard Size - High Torque - Metal Gear Servo](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1142) This high-torque standard servo now comes in a metal-gear flavor, for extra-high torque (10 kg\*cm!) and reliability! It can rotate at least 120 degrees (60 in each direction) with a classic 1.5-2.5ms pulse, but if you can extend your pulses it can go up to about 170 degrees - it varies a bit... 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The wire is easy to solder to and when bent it keeps its shape pretty well. We like to have a few spools of this stuff around which is why this set is quite nice! We suggest picking up wire strippers... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1311) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1311/guides) ### Flush diagonal cutters [Flush diagonal cutters](https://www.adafruit.com/product/152) These are the best diagonal cutters, large super-comfortable grip to use and have strong nippers for perfect trimming of wires and leads. I've used my pair every day for years. In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/152) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/152/guides) ### Hakko Professional Quality 20-30 AWG Wire Strippers [Hakko Professional Quality 20-30 AWG Wire Strippers](https://www.adafruit.com/product/527) These are the finest wire strippers we have used, and if you have to do a lot of wiring, you will agree! They have soft rounded grips - very comfortable to use, and precision ground notches that do a perfect job every time. No more yanking or twisting to strip wires cleanly and quickly. In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/527) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/527/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit PAM8302 - Mono 2.5W Class D Audio Amplifier](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pam8302-mono-2-5w-class-d-audio-amplifier.md) - [Rainbow Chakra LED Hoodie](https://learn.adafruit.com/rainbow-chakra-led-hoodie.md) - [Superhero Power Gauntlet](https://learn.adafruit.com/superhero-power-gauntlet.md) - [PiGRRL 2](https://learn.adafruit.com/pigrrl-2.md) - [Fiddy - the FTDI Clip](https://learn.adafruit.com/fiddy-ftdi-pogo-pin-clip.md) - [Tent Lantern](https://learn.adafruit.com/tent-lantern.md) - [Mini Raspberry Pi Handheld Notebook](https://learn.adafruit.com/mini-raspberry-pi-handheld-notebook-palmtop.md) - [Ladyada's Learn Arduino - Lesson #1](https://learn.adafruit.com/ladyadas-learn-arduino-lesson-number-1.md) - [Phone-Activated Talking Dog Collar](https://learn.adafruit.com/phone-activated-talking-dog-collar.md) - [Adafruit Arduino IDE Setup](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-arduino-ide-setup.md) - [Mindfulness Clock OF DOOM](https://learn.adafruit.com/mindfulness-clock-of-doom.md) - [MP3 Playback on RP2040 with CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/mp3-playback-rp2040.md) - [Glowing Viking Rune wayFinder](https://learn.adafruit.com/glowing-viking-rune-artifact.md) - [Using NeoPixels and Servos Together](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixels-and-servos.md) - [Adafriend the Virtual Pet Cube](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafriend.md)