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Feather Tree: n: A decorative tree that was originally made from branches and goose feathers. They were designed with the ornament collector in mind. With the intentional spacing between the rows of branches, they brilliantly show off ornaments. They come in many sizes and colors, such as a white, pink, green, etc.

Feedsack: n: A cloth bag used to transport grain, seed, feed, and flower. Once sewing machines were invented in the mid 19^th century, these cloth bags made from brightly colored homespun linen, became a commercially viable product, and began to be mass produced. It was easier for the miller to pre-fill the sacks instead of re-fill them, so the empty sacks found other uses in the home as towels, linens or clothing.

Felt: n: A fabric of matted, compressed animal fibers, such as wool or fur, sometimes mixed with vegetable or synthetic fibers.

Felted Wool: n: Wool that has gone through the felting process (see below). It is also referred to a wool fabric that has gone through an extra step of felting at home by washing (or dyeing) then drying to create a puffed up wrinkled look. To do this, wash your wool fabric in the washing machine with a small squirt of ivory liquid and hot water, rinse with cold water. Dry the fabric in a dryer with a dryer sheet and a terrycloth towel on medium high. Note: some shrinkage will occur.

Felting: n: The process by which wool fiber is matted into a fabric. Wool fibers have scales and are also crimped; when these fibers are wetted, softened, and then rubbed together, they bond to each other and become permanently affixed. It is also sometimes done with barbed needles, which grab individual fibers and drag them against their neighbors, thereby binding them.

Felting needle: n: A barbed needle that is used to commercially felt without soap and water. The needle is usually three sided with very sharp points, and miniscule barbs. Machines use hundreds or thousands of these needles to grab individual fibers and drag them against their neighbors, thereby binding them and creating a felt material. Individual felting needles are used by crafters to create felted items by hand. A fabric item stuffed with polyester fiber-fill such as a pillow can be punched repeatedly with a felting needle to pull out some fibers of the poly-fil creating a soft surface. Another way crafters are using these needles, is to bind pieces of wool to their fabric items for hair, animal fur, and more.

Firkin: n: An old English unit of volume which was equal to a fourth of a full-size barrel. The word can also describe a wooden container that holds this amount of liquid or ale (like a bucket).

Fixens: n: A term used by primitive artists to describe a more primitive style potpourri which is usually rosehip based mixed in with other natural elements and sometimes unique items such as mini dough shapes, rusty bells, and twiggy stars.

Flax: n: A widely cultivated plant, having pale blue flowers, seeds that yield linseed oil, and slender stems from which a textile fiber is obtained. The fibers that are collected from the stems are then made into fabric, roping, dye, paper, medicines, fishing nets and soap.

Floor Cloth: n: A painted decorative floor covering which dates back to the fourteenth century in Europe. They were often referred to as "crumb cloths" because of their use under dining room tables. When people started arriving to America, they were looking for ways to reproduce some of the furnishings they had available in Europe. Resources were limited, but worn sails from ships provided them with a base to paint and cover the floor with; which is why sometimes you will see floor cloths decorated with a mariner’s compass. Canvas was more readily available than other rug and carpet supplies, so floor cloths quickly became a well known item in the common home. They became quite popular because of its durability and because they helped block cold drafts from the wood floors, and kept cool in the summer heat.

Floss: n: An embroidery thread that usually comes with 6 strands twisted together in a large variety of colors. Other than embroidery, it can be used for stitcheries, doll hair, detailed stitches, and more.

Foil Glitter: n: A light weight, non-tarnishing, and non-toxic glitter made from foil that comes in a variety of colors, but the most popular is the dull silver grey.

Folk Art: n: A wide range of art that is created by unschooled or untrained artists that usually reflects their traditional culture, especially everyday or festive culture. It is characterized by its simplicity and lack of qualities found in fine art; and can include paintings, fabric art such as dolls, pincushions, quilts, and other items that common people make.

French Knot: n: A decorative embroidery stitch made by looping the thread two or more times around the needle, which is then inserted into the fabric. This leaves a round knot at the surface of the fabric which can be used for decoration, doll eyes, and more.

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