Felted wool fabric is made using a foam pillow bolster as a form for a hat, or a flat 2” to 3” thick piece of foam that allows you to work on a flat item, as a work base. Wool fibers are laid on top of the foam form with layers going in opposite directions. Think of any woven fabric. Fibers going left and right, as well as up and down produce a nice strong fabric when needled.

Begin by laying a stack of fibers about 1-1/2” to 2” thick, and start needling from the center of the pile outward using light poking motions with the tool. Felting needles have several notches, called barbs. The wool catches on the barbs as you poke at the wool cloud or roving. Working with a multi-needle felting tool helps you create a large piece of fabric quickly.  

As the wool begins to felt, you must carefully release it from the foam so it doesn’t become embedded. It’s a good idea to flip your fabric and needle on both sides. You will find that the side you work on becomes firm and smooth, while the back side will be fuzzier.  Needling both sides will make a nicer fabric.

When you flip the piece, hold it to the light to check for thin spots while it is off the foam. Add more fiber where the wool seems too thin and needle well. Your goal is to produce a piece of felted wool that is of an overall equal thickness. How thick is up to you. Hats seem to hold up well if they are about 3/8” thick. A purse needs to be thicker to accommodate the weight of any items you will carry in it. Needling for a longer time will add strength to the piece also, so thin fabric will still be tougher if it is needled well.

As you work, you should keep the edges loose and fluffy.  These fuzzy edges will bond easily to additional fibers with little or no evidence of a seam.  The fuzzy edges are very important when you add extra length, or when you leave an edge raw to join it with another piece of finished felted wool.  Both edges of this type of joint should  be left fuzzy, so plan ahead as you work.

You will also want to learn to create a hem, or a nicely finished edge. When you have completed a good firm piece of felt, be certain your fabric is of an overall equal thickness to the longest measurement you need. There must be fuzzy edges beyond this needling and these are important. Using a single felting needle, work a straight line along an imaginary edge where the fabric is to end. Once the line is needled well, it is easy to brush the wispy, fuzzy ends backward onto the finished fabric over the needled line. Now simply needle the fuzzy ends into the fabric.

Whimsy and Sparkle patterns give you instructions for several needle felted projects. Each will give you the opportunity to be creative as you complete them and embellish to your heart’s desire!