First Time Felting: The Absolute Beginner's Guide

By Ruth Lane

A felting and fiber expert explains three classic methods of felting for absolute beginners—includes step-by-step basics and fun projects.

Start by learning about the various types of wool fibers used for felting, preparing them for the process, and simple methods for dyeing. Next, discover the basic supplies and techniques for wet felting, nuno felting, and needle felting.

You’ll use those essential skills to make fun, easy projects—artworks, embellished fashions, three-dimensional figures, and more—skills you’ll turn to again and again to create your own original pieces!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Sep 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781631598043

Book preview

First Time Felting

first time

FELTING

THE ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE

by Ruth Lane

contents

INTRODUCTION

GETTING STARTED

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

WORKING WITH FELTING NEEDLES

WOOL VARIETIES

EMBELLISHMENTS

NEEDLE-FELTING TECHNIQUES

NEEDLE TECHNIQUES

THREE-DIMENSIONAL FIGURES

ADDING SMALL SHAPES

CONNECTING PARTS

WET AND NUNO FELTING

INTRODUCTION TO WET AND NUNO FELTING

ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES

BASIC TECHNIQUES

MOSAIC OR COLLAGE

FURTHER EXPLORATION

GLOSSARY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

INDEX

introduction

Felting is an ancient technique, but it is quite versatile and is flourishing in the twenty- first century.

When I first began felting, I started with needle felting. I soon began searching online for more information about my new craft. I found numerous sites with information about felting and tutorials that encouraged me to begin experimenting with wet felting and nuno felting. The first time I made a piece of wet felt, I was completely amazed by the process. By starting with a pile of wool and adding soap, water, and a little elbow grease, it turned into a piece of fabric which I had made myself. I was hooked.

This book includes the basic information about felting that you need to get started in needle felting, with a brief introduction to wet and nuno felting. Read the sections that interest you the most. Check the end of the book for the glossary. Take what you learn from these pages and keep experimenting. Try different techniques, use different breeds of wool, and add something new. Develop a distinct style through your own creative innovations.

Felt is also quite forgiving; most mistakes can be either corrected or made into part of the design. Even a total mess of fibers can be reused in another piece of felt—just cut them up and work them into a different project. So, enjoy yourself, take your time, and don’t rush the outcome. Many felt makers say that the wool has a mind of its own and they follow the direction that the wool leads them. As you learn how various wools and fibers interact, you will gain a better understanding of the possibilities that felting has to offer.

Slippers, wet felted, Merino, silk top accents, and dyed

An early needle-felted dog, core wool, brown Romney locks, and Merino

GETTING STARTED

Felting needles can be used in many ways, including sculpting wool into three-dimensional shapes or figures and making two-dimensional wool paintings and can be used in combination with wet felting. A wet-felted piece can be shaped using needle felting; fine details can be added or embellishments can be secured in place before wet felting. Repairing wet-felting trouble spots is another function that felting needles perform well. Needle felting strengthens seams and joins; more wool can be needled to cover thin spots or holes; and wool socks can even be repaired with a felting needle.

equipment and supplies

The basic equipment needed for needle felting is only a single barbed needle and some wool. There is much more equipment available, but only a minimal investment is needed when beginning to learn to needle felt. The equipment listed here shows the different tools that are available to needle felters. Start with the basics, try different techniques, and gradually add more tools to your arsenal as needed.

The supplies used in needle felting are nearly the same as the ones used for wet felting and nuno felting. Even fibers that don’t wet felt well can be needle felted. Certain wool breeds needle felt better than others, and experimenting with different fibers will help you to determine what works best for you.

EQUIPMENT

The most important piece of equipment in needle felting, and the only tool that is strictly necessary, is the needle. However, there are other tools that will help speed the process and also protect you from accidental needle sticks.

Felting needles (below) are available in a variety of brands. They are made from carbon steel with a very sharp point. Needles come in a variety of gauges and blade styles and can have a variety of barb placements and depth. Further discussion about felting needles is included in the basic techniques section (shown here). Often, needles are color coded, but unfortunately there isn’t one single system of coding. A yellow-coded needle from one company may be a completely different needle from a yellow needle from another. Buy needles that are marked for gauge and blade style so you know what needle you are buying. Needles often come in sets with a variety of gauges and blade styles. When first beginning to needle felt, buying this type of set allows you the opportunity to try different needles for different types of projects and to see which size and type you prefer.

Foam pads (1) are used in needle felting so that the wool being felted is placed on the pad instead of being held in your hand and to provide support for a two-dimensional felt piece. This makes it less likely for a needle to poke all the way through into your hand. Many different types of foam pads are available, and some are denser than others. Dense upholstery foam will work, as will a stack of interlocking foam floor pads. Different sizes of felting pads are available and can be fit to the size of felted items being made. Pads should be 2 to 3 (5 to 8 cm) thick for the best protection.

TIP

Use two foam pads, one for lighter colored wool and one for darker wool. Stray bits of wool from the pad tend to adhere to the item as it is being felted. The stray wool won’t show as much if a lighter colored wool item is needled only on the pad used for light colored wools.

Brushes (2) are also made to needle felt against. These seem to work best when needle felting wool to a base fabric.

Multineedle holders (3) come in a variety of shapes and sizes. These holders allow the use of more than one needle at a time. Using several needles at once speeds up the needling process and allows more surface area to be covered per poking action. Look for handles that allow the needles to