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Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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How-to: Beginning Needle Felting

October 1, 2012 5 Comments

I have been in love with needle felting for years. There’s always something eye-catching in this or that blog or magazine that has been needle felted. I had assumed that needle felting was incredibly hard. I’ve been a knitter since the age of 8, so maybe it was because the only felting instruction I’d ever seen usually involved knitting something huge and artistically shrinking it. It all seemed really scary and difficult, so I kept any hopes of successfully felting anything on the “when I have a lot of free time” list.

Then I came across needle felting kits in July at a blogger conference, and was really excited. I asked the rep showing the kits off about them, and the company sent me a couple kits to try out. I learned a lot about needle felting this week, between the kit instructions and using my librarian skills to research what needle felting is all about (something, I realize, I could TOTALLY have done years ago). I have so much interesting stuff to share with you guys today, and I’ve tried my hardest not to nerd out too much.

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

Supplies 

wool roving

felting needle

felting mat

idea for what to make

-OR-

a needle felting kit that comes with everything you need

Directions

Needle felting is a dry felting method (unlike the scary wet felting methods I saw in the knitting books of my childhood). It involves using a barbed needle to hand-sculpt wool roving into a desired shape. I couldn’t believe this, but literally, needle felting means poking a pile of wool until it’s the shape you want it to be. Seriously easy!

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

The owl kit I tried out comes with molds for creating the right body, foot, tail and wing shapes, as well as wool roving, a needle felting needle, needle felting mat, and step-by-step instructions for making an owl like the one shown on the package.

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

Here’s a look at most of the process the kit follows. You start by shaping the owl’s body using the molds provided.

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

Then you add a front accent and build the tail, wings and feet before attaching them to the body.

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

Finally you add some facial features and feather accents to your little guy. The pattern calls for adding a tuft of loosely needled feathers on the top of the head, but I liked mine plain. As you can see, I had some leftover wool at the end, so I could have made the whole critter a little denser.

How-to: Beginning Needle Felting | HandsOccupied.com

A few things I learned while making my first needle felting project…

  • You can almost always needle your project more, and you can add a lot more wool than you think.
  • Use the needle felting mat provided or you’ll probably stab yourself. A lot.
  • You can also wear a leather glove to protect the hand holding your work as you go if you don’t like using a mat.
  • Needle felting, even for small projects (the owl I made is just 4 inches tall or so), takes a long time. This took me about 7 hours to make.
  • If knitting or crocheting gives you tendonitis, as they do me, needle felting is easier on your wrists. Or so I found!
  • You’ll stab yourself a lot, even with the needle felting mat.
Other notes about needle felting // Related Reading 
  • There are a lot of ways to needle felt. For example, you can needle felt motifs onto non-wool surfaces like canvas. Also, you can “paint” with needle felting  and capture landscapes or people.
  • Machines with tons of needles are used to create sheets of felt like the ones we crafters use to make projects.
  • Check out this video showing how felt is made.
  • Felting: The Complete Guide by Jane Davis – Chapter 3 is all about needle felting and includes project ideas
  • Beginner’s Guide to Needle Felting by Susanna Wallis

The kits featured in this post were provided for review purposes by EKSuccess Brands and will soon be available at Michaels Stores. Michaels also carries a variety of other needle felting supplies. 

Filed Under: Giveaways, Reviews & Sponsored, How-to Tagged With: dimensions, diy, dry felting, ek success brands, felting, fiber, hedgehog, michaels stores, needle felting, needle felting kit, owl, wool

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Janie Holbrook

    June 29, 2013 at 5:08 pm

    Thanks for the direct, simple tutorial. I bought a mat and felting tool, and then felt baffled. Many of the on-line tutorials assume basic felting knowledge. Time to go try your suggestions. Happy creating!

    Reply
  2. Marie

    April 17, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    I LOVE needle felting as well! It’s so fun and relaxing.

    This is really interesting! What is the mold made out of? I’ve only used cookie cutter type molds, with an open bottom. for instance, a triangle to make a watermelon: https://youtu.be/-h3Bvhh61WQ

    This looks like a great kit. I love how your owl turned out, and you did a great job of explaining how it was made :)

    Reply
    • Heidi

      April 17, 2016 at 3:31 pm

      It appears to be silicon or something very similar. :)

      Reply
  3. Mary

    February 2, 2017 at 5:43 am

    All my questions were answered thanks to Heidi. I am off to Michaels to-day !

    Reply
  4. Tillie Colin

    May 12, 2022 at 10:10 am

    Verry nice!

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

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Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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