Needle felting is a very no-tech and tremendous low price crafting “behavior.” I opted in opposition to utilizing the phrase interest to explain needle felting, as a result of when you decide up a bit of wool and the right needle, it’s nearly not possible to not get hooked.
I found needle felting by accident when shopping Pinterest and ETSY for Waldorf toy concepts and inspiration. Virtually instantly I fell in love with so most of the lifelike and eccentric needle felted dolls and animals – particularly this set of elephants.
However, being a frugal homesteader, I used to be not about to spend $185 on a baby’s little felted toy, or perhaps a shelf show piece. You may make bowls, scarves, baskets, flowers, wall hangings, and bookmarks to call a number of.
When my homesteading good friend, Sarah Rodriguez, requested if I needed the wool from her sheep she was about to sheer, I jumped on the beneficiant supply. I cleaned and dried it, then naturally dyed it in excited preparation for embarking on my needle felting journey.
What Is Needle Felting, Anyway?
Pure wool fiber is surrounded by overlapping little scaled edges which are flat, and level in numerous instructions. When the wool fiber is labored with a needle or agitated throughout moist felting, the scales come into fixed contact with one another and start to kind collectively tightly.
The extra the wool being felted is poked or stabbed with the needle, the more durable it turns into. This occurs as a result of you aren’t merely locking a few fibers collectively, however lots of.
You start any needle felting undertaking by rolling only a small quantity of wool fleece or roving right into a ball kind form, and puncturing it over and over with the needle.
To create sculptured physique elements or undertaking sample items, the poking of the wool in a course to show the fundamental form right into a extra detailed kind continues till you get the specified look and harden the felt so it locks into place.
You’ll doubtless want so as to add extra little tufts of wool to the form to present it each dimension and contour. Generally, needle felters use armature wire or the cheaper model, pipe cleaner, as a body for a form or to create bendable elements.
It’s attainable to make a rock arduous object you probably have sufficient spare time, and your arms don’t begin aching terribly from all of the repetitive stabbing.
Felting needles are distinctly totally different from stitching or embroidery needles. The little barbs on the tip push the wool in a single course, however don’t pull the fibers again out once more when they’re being stabbed into the undertaking over and over.
No retailer in my space sells felting needles, so I ordered on-line a big set that got here with a wooden deal with holder you possibly can slide a number of needles into so large initiatives might be accomplished extra rapidly.
Wool or foam needle felting mats can be bought at craft shops or on-line, however I noticed no sense in spending $10 to $20 for one – I merely used a clear dry sponge for a mat to relaxation my undertaking upon and it labored simply positive.
What Are Some Needle Felt Animals You Can Make?
Needle felting is a superb craft that may flip wool into all kinds of animals – from cats to cows and all creatures in between! With some primary provides, particular needles, and time, you may make your personal needle felted animals.
From candy little bunnies to life-sized horses (you probably have the endurance for it!), a spread of 4 and two-legged pals could be created.
A few of my favourite needle felt animals I’ve made for my youngsters embrace:
- Squirrels
- Rabbits
- Curious cats
- Palm-size pups
- Deer
Let your creativeness run wild! You may make a complete menagerie of miniature animals when you get into it.
Normal Ideas for Needle Felting Animals for Newbies
For these simply beginning out, among the finest ideas is to start with small initiatives and bigger items when you’ve discovered the fundamentals. Begin through the use of desired colours of wool in your creature, then use felting needles with totally different barbs in an effort to create shapes and particulars.
As soon as every layer is added with very mild strokes, use footage as a suggestion or take reference from current animals to form them into the shape you might be aiming to create.
Above all else, endurance is essential – it could take a number of tries earlier than your animals appear to be armadillos or child chicks or no matter you’re making an attempt to make as a substitute of an outsized lump!
Whereas your first needle felt animals may look slightly unusual, with follow, you’ll get higher at creating all these positive particulars like limbs, paws, and even a snout!
Step by Step Directions for Making Needle Felt Animals
1. Seize a little bit of wool that’s about one and a half occasions the size of the article you’re making, and roughly one inch thicker than you need within the ultimate undertaking.
2. Place the wool on the comfortable mat you selected to make use of – slightly pillow or a sponge will work simply positive. I usually felt simply holding the wool in my hand, or on my kitchen desk. You must keep in mind to be extra cautious with the needle when not utilizing some kind of mat or threat poking your self or marring the desk.
3. Poke the felting needle randomly into the wool you’ve got shaped loosely into your form. At all times poke in an up and down and never a sideways movement.
4. To make indentations within the form you’re making to present it dimensions, compress the center of the form. You’ll be able to then use the felting needle to flatten all or a portion of the compressed space. This can be a nice approach to make wings on birds, or to present added texture to the inside of animal ears.
5. When you’ve got extra wool, you’ll be able to lower it away with sharp scissors, or fold it onto the undertaking and really feel it down so you don’t lose the added fluff and weight of the piece. You’ll be able to fold the surplus or add a bit extra wool after which fold it onto the article to construct a extra rounded, cleaner, and completed edge.
6. Use straight pins to safe your form down for a better time. This can even relieve your fingers of getting stabbed.
7. After you’ve got the fundamental kind, you’ll be able to then use needles to connect eyes, paw pads, or different options. You may also embroider any options you’d like so as to add.
How Lengthy Does it Take to Make a Felt Animal?
The reply depends upon the kind of animal you might be engaged on, in addition to your talent degree with a needle felting software.
Usually talking, nonetheless, most novice crafters can count on to take wherever from a number of hours to a number of days to finish a single animal determine.
The extra expertise you’ve got, the quicker it turns into – however it doesn’t matter what, taking the time to craft one thing particular will at all times appear worthwhile in the long run!
The place to Get Wool for Your DIY Tasks
If you don’t maintain sheep or have a candy homesteading good friend who does, each white and dyed wool roving could be bought at most craft shops and on-line.
Needle felting kits are one other nice choice for garnering each the fundamental provides you could benefit from the craft together with an in depth tutorial for making the undertaking(s) that come within the field.
You could find free needle felting patterns on Pinterest, or downloadable tutorials on the market on Etsy. A needle felting sample is mainly a information to the totally different formed items you will have to make to assemble a undertaking and directions on the order of attachment.
