I often get asked – What is needle felting?
Well the simple answer is: It’s a fibre craft that uses a barbed needle to felt wool roving into a solid 3D shape.
I have put together a very simple guide with the basic tools and instructions to getting started for those of you that may want to give it a try or just as a little insight.
The basic materials you will need include:
Felting needles – These needles are made from hardened steel and have little barbs on them that tangle up the wool fibers as you poke your wool to felt it together.
Foam pad – This is a work surface that will absorb needle stabs an stop your needle from breaking (and stop you from stabbing yourself).
Wool roving/top – Available in many colours and qualities. Wool fleece that has been washed and carded (brushed). You can dye your own as well as buying it pre dyed.
Dying instructions here – How to Dye wool fleece
Needle Felting Technique:
You are essentially trying to bond the loose wool fibres together to make a solid felted shape by poking/stabbing it repeatedly with the felting needle. You can create different shapes by wrapping the wool roving into balls, cylinders and cones and then working it with the needle.
The more you needle the wool, the more compact and firm the wool shape will be.
Here is a small example of how i have used a few shapes to create a little sausage dog…
Please feel free to leave questions in the comments and I will try to cover them in another more detailed tutorial.