needle felting

We started needle felting this week. I got all this great colored wool (and the felting needles) at Rainbow Fleece Farms in New Glarus (608-527-5311). The wool isn't cheap, but we decided to use our special purpose holiday funds on the splurge. I think it is going to be well worth the $40. We will probably use needle felting in several upcoming projects and the bright colors and tactile feel of the wool is really appealing to the kids.

I was worried about them poking themselves and not being mature enough to use sharp felting needles, but they did great. A few kids did prick themselves, but I can report no major injuries and the pricks were not due to negligence. The art club was unusually quiet and concentrated while they felted. The whole day had a dreamy quality about it. The primary sound was the rhythmic beat of needles pricking through wool and foam.

We broke two needles during the day (by pulling them the wrong way when they were stuck in the foam) so buy a few extra when you are planning a project.


I started the needle felting project with flat felting because it is easier for beginning students to remember to keep their other hand away from the needle when they flat felt. I cut up old wool sweaters for the flat background and placed pears around the table. Students pinned the wool to the foam. I passed out needles and had the kids feel the ridges along the edge so they could judge the severity of the tool. This brought about a great deal of respect. Then I asked them all to flat felt the shape of a pear on their wool backgrounds. They selected an individual choice of wool palettes from the basket and began work on their simple shapes. I think the simplicity of the project helped them to focus on technique and developing ways of blending colors and creating a proper hand motion. When students were finished they were able to pull up the flat wool and see from the back how the wool fibers were stuck through the fabric.

Next week we will focus on developing some 3-d felted objects.




Leaf and Isaiah in a moment of total concentration.

Sometimes I noticed the kids shoulders getting tense and riding up to their ears. I had to remind them to relax into the felting motion and let their shoulders fall. Leaf is showing a perfect felting posture in this photo.