NEEDLE (Dry) FELTING - Frequently Asked Questions    

What is it?

Needle Felting is the process of interlocking wool fibres.  The barbs of the felting needle catch the fibre of the wool and cause it to tangle.  Using an up and down stabbing motion the fibres catch and tangle causing them to join.  This process does not use any water, hence the name dry felting.

Using this process you can create flat pieces or three dimensional pieces.

Use a single felting needle for small designs or fine detail.  Use one of the felting needle tools (some hold 4 needles, some hold 7 needles) for larger designs.

Important note:

Felting needles are not flat and smooth like knitting or sewing needles.  Felting needles are extremely sharp and have little barbs along the edge.  Felting is a craft that older children (we would recommend 8 years +) can enjoy with adult supervision although we would recommend the needle felting tool with the needle guard over individual needles to guard against pin pricks.

Just like a sewing machine, Felting needles can break and can be easily replaced as individual needles or in the multi-needle tools.

What you need to get started:

Craft 4 Less Felting Needle or Felting multi-Needle Tool

Craft 4 Less Felting Sponge or Felting Brush

Craft 4 Less 100% Merino Wool

Craft 4 Less 100% Wool or Wool Blend Felt

1. Lay the felt over the Felting Sponge or Brush.  Spread the first colour of the 100% Merino Wool in the area for your design and start to stab the wool and felt in an up and down motion in quick sharp jabs with the Felting Needle.  The needle needs to pass through the wool, the felt and into the brush or sponge underneath for the process of felting to take place.
   
   Avoid stabbing at an angle or with a twist as this can cause stress on the needle.
   
   
   
   
2. Repeat this process with other colours to build up your design. 
   
   
   
   
3. To achieve a cleaner, less fluffy edge, pull the edges toward the centre and stab with the needle to fix it to the felt underneath.
   
   
   
   
4. The more you stab your wool, the flatter your felting will become.  To make your pieces three dimensional simply stab the area less or add more wool to build up your design.
   
   
   
   
5. Use the Felting tools with multiple needles to work quickly in large areas.  For finer details or thin strands of fibre use a single needle to work on your design.
   
   
   
   
   

To make 3D shapes the Felting needles and Felting Brush/Sponge is used in the same way except you are using only the 100% Merino Wool.  Ball up the wall and stab with Felting needle turning regularly to get the desired shape.  To add more detail to your design simply add more wool and stab to fix into place.  To add another shape simply use the needle to stab and fix the wools together.  The more you work the wool, the firmer your design will be.

This is a craft that is quick and can be as simple or as detailed as you want it to be.  You can use it to embellish a project, as a piece of artwork that could be framed or as a 3D piece that can be turned into a small ornament.

Happy Crafting

Craft 4 Less