Supplies
Tools
- Needle felting:
- Felting needles (or barbed needles)
- Foam block (or a potholder)
- Piece of cardboard to protect your work table
- Scissors
- Wet felting:
- Water-ready container
- Soap
- Hot water
- Scissors
- Flat felting:
- Towel
- Fabric with a very open weave (like mosquito netting)
- Water-ready container
- Soap (or clay)
- Hot water
Materials
- Balls of wool for felting (carded wool)
Directions
Needle felting
- Place a small piece of wool on the foam block and prick it all over with a felting needle.
- Lift up the piece of wool regularly so that it doesn't stick to the foam.
- As you go, add new pieces of wool until you get the desired thickness and shape. The more you prick the wool, the more the fibers will tangle and the thicker and stronger the felt will be.
Note: The needle should be held carefully, vertically or at a diagonal, without too much pressure, because it could break or slip (be careful of the little barbs that could be very painful!).
Note: Felting needles are often sold in sets of multiple sizes. Start with the biggest to get the general shape of the felt and finish with the smallest to put the finishing touches to the details.
- To finish your piece, use scissors to cut off any fibers that extend beyond the desired shape.
Wet felting
- In a container of hot water, dissolve some pieces of soap.
- Wet the wool with the soapy water, wring it, then work it just until you get a compact shape.
Note: For a good felting, three conditions are necessary: moisture, heat, and friction.
Note: When you felt with soapy water, be aware that your shape will shrink to a third of its original size. If you're not happy with the result, you can add more wool later, but by using the needle felting technique.
- To finish your piece, use scissors to cut off any fibers that extend beyond the desired shape.
Flat felting
- Spread out the pieces of wool on a towel, all side by side.
- Spread out another layer of wool pieces, perpendicular to the first layer.
- Continue spreading layers until you get a fairly thick, uniform piece.
- Place the open weave fabric on top of your wool.
- In a container of hot water, dissolve some pieces of soap or clay.
- Soak the wool in its covering with the water mixture.
- Roll the wool in a towel: start at one side and roll it just until you reach the other side, enclosing the wool. Repeat this process several times, rolling firmly and changing direction from time to time. The more the wool is worked, the more solid the felt will be.
- To finish your piece, use scissors to cut off any fibers that extend beyond the desired shape.
Video
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