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Successful Needle Felting Projects for Beginners
What types of projects are good Needle Felting Projects for Beginners?
I learned how to needle felt on my own mostly by trial and error. I would have welcomed a special kit designed as needle felting projects for beginners! My daughter was given some felting needles, a cushion and shown the basics. I picked it up from her and developed my own techniques over the years.
It is possible to teach yourself needle felting! There are quicker ways to success however, by learning from others that have figured it out for you. There are many styles of felting, wools to use and techniques to learn.
The Basics you need to start:
- wool– wool has tiny scales that help it to lock together.
- Felting needles
- A cushion to use as a work surface. (upholstery foam works)
- you may want bandaids on hand.
This is all you need to start. The next thing is to decide what you want to make. Something round is a great choice; an apple, snowman, pumpkin etc. I couldn’t find many needle felting kits or tutorials when I began years ago, but there are many to choose from now. If I had had the choice back then, I would have chosen a kit. Tutorials are nice, but if you don’t have the right wool to work with you will quickly become frustrated.
Find some needle felting that you admire (everyone has their own style and techniques) and learn from them. Different types of wool will give each project a different look. You need to find the look that you desire to have in your project and use that same wool and technique.
I think it is important to know where your wool comes from as well and how it has been processed. It is even more important to find out the breed of sheep the wool comes from. They all felt differently and you will want to remember what you like best.
If you are excited to start with felting an animal as your first project go ahead and give it a try, I did. Successful first projects in felting are more than what the finished projects look like in the end, but what you learned in the process. The fun thing about needle felting is you can keep tweaking your projects for days. I have come back years later and fixed felting projects when I learn new techniques.
Successful Needle Felting projects for beginners
I have designed kits with special attention given to those that are just starting out on their needle felting adventure. I have planned very carefully every detail of the instructions and pictures to guide the first time needle felter. I have learned through teaching needle felting classes what areas students struggle with and where I need to pay special attention to explaining the steps. I have learned from customer’s feedback where they have struggled with their projects and have gone back and redesigned the instructions to help in these areas. There are certain techniques that are better shown with pictures when words are not enough, and I have included tons of clear, color photographs to guide you. The wool included in the kits is from our very own flock of sheep. Our sheep have been raised for their excellent wool that is praised for it’s felting qualities. I include more than enough wool to complete each project, I would never want you to run out before you are finished. I use the same type of wool for all of my needle felted sculptures and want to share it with you. I include the same size and style felting needles in my kits that I use and works best with my wool. I share my felting secrets in these kits and have been rewarded with thousands of happy customers that come back for more kits, wool and questions as they continue their felting journey.
Kids love my kits by the way. The kits include sharp needles so they have to be careful. I have had 7 year olds successfully complete my kits. Needle felting is a great memory making and rewarding project to do with your kids.
The top 5 easiest kits for needle felting success in my line of kits:
I design a new felting kit every year, always easy enough for beginners. I love to hear what it is you would like to learn how to make. If you have ideas on what you would like to see me design into a needle felting kit, please let me know in the comments section below.
I also offer a variety of courses beginner through advanced as well as tips and secrets in my Needle Felting Academy membership.
For more information about Needle felting:
- Felting 101
- 5 Common Needle Felting Mistakes
- Needle Felting with Armatures
- Needle Felting with Blue Faced Leicester Wool
- 4 Needle Felting Secrets to save you time, money and headaches.
- Teresa Perleberg’s Needle Felting Academy
Learn to Needle Felt the Easy Way!
Join the Bear Creek Needle Felting Academy today!
Is one able to buy your wool and felting supplies without joining the academy?
Yes, of course!
Hi,
I just finished the Snowman course and am very pleased with the video and detailed instructions that came with kit. Can’t wait to start the Sheep. I am a beginner but still anxious to move on to the advanced projects in due time. One of the animals I would like to see is a deer/doe. Do you plan on doing one in the near future or did I just miss it on your website?
I love all your stuff I like to Learn
Just soaking all information in and look forward to your videos and help with kits
What is the best type of needle to start off with
The size of needle you use greatly depends on the wool. I use a 36 star needle with my Romney wool almost exclusively.
when are the hats and sweatshirts coming in bought the t shirt hope it is thick.
The hats are coming in next week, we will be ordering sweatshirts soon. The t-shirts are nice and thick. We will also be hosting a Kickstarter Campaign in April.
I would like to order a beginners kit, but being a pensioner and living so far away, it would be too expensive for me. I have been watching your different posts and videos on how to do different things. Still trying to find someone here who knows anything about needle felting.
I was just looking through your supplies. You have such a variety of wool colors. And so many beautiful kits. Unfortunately living so far away from you,it would be too expensive for me to order anything from you. Still trying to find someone here in Cape Town.
Hi June. I live in Namibia and found a place in Cape Town where I ordered everything needle felting. You can contact my on my email address for more information. magsie.blignaut@gmail.com
How do you do the curling on the sheep?
I would love to help you find the answer you are looking for. I have put a lot of thought and research into my blog. You will be able to find the answers to many of your needle felting questions there.
I also have a resource page where I share where I find all my resources for my business, sheep, felting and homeschooling.
I send out valuable felting tips and techniques in my email newsletter.
If you are looking for instruction from me personally you can find me in the Bear Creek Needle Felting Academy. I spend a lot of time there answering questions and giving personal instruction.
Website/blog: https://bearcreekfelting.com
Email Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/Ek25
Resources: https://bearcreekfelting.com/7486-2/
Needle Felting Academy: https://bearcreekfelting.com/teresa-perlebergs-needle-felting-academy/
Thank you for your interest!
Teresa
Just found this on my Pinterest page.I will be looking it up tonight after work. I love the sheep.
I bought supplies to begin needle felting, and have just found your blog. I’m excited to start, and enjoy your tutorials.🙂
Bom fia,você vende o kit?quanto custa?e o kit é referente a que bichinho ?
You can find all my Beginner Needle Felting Kits here: https://bearcreekfelting.com/product-category/needlefeltingkits/
Do you sell dyed wool?
Hi Dawn,
Yes, I sell dyed wool from our sheep. You can find it here: https://bearcreekfelting.com/product-category/needlefeltingsupplies/
I just found your site. A very happy find that is for sure. I love cats. Is there any possible you will have a pattern for this? That sheep looks so cute. The curl ‘fur’
I hope to add a cat to the needle felting kit line or to the Needle Felting Academy sometime soon. Thanks for asking!
So glad I found Bear Creek, now I will finish the mouse I started about 20 years ago. Needles to say even the teacher has since died! So am ryden
looking forward to following you.
Loved the tutorial. It is a craft that i am really interested in, because I love detail. Thank you for sparking my interest!
I started felting after I bought a (generic) kit from the craft store. I’ve always loved looking at the small sculptures I’ve seen on pinterest, etc. I think I’m hooked now! I felted a lama and I think it turned out pretty cute!
Since I finished that, I’ve been searching tutorials etc. and came upon your site and have enjoyed your comments, suggestions, and sculptures.
Unfortunately, the kit did not supply enough wool, and I had to go buy more – so now I have lots of white to use. Think I’ll start with something round, as you’ve suggested and will try a snowman.
Thanks!
Just finished my first project (kit) of a sheep. Loved it! Would love to see some kits of birds as well and horses! My daughter just lost her horse, by very tragic means and I would love to make her a special memory sculpture of her horse Lakota.
You may want to consider The Needle Felting Academy. In the Academy you have access to a variety of needle felting courses, there isn’t a horse course yet, but there is a donkey which would give you some of the techniques used to make a horse. There may be a horse course in the future as I am adding courses to the Academy all the time.
Happy to hear you enjoyed the Sheep Needle Felting kit!
Love your site, I just joined! I love Owls and would like to learn to make one. Love your sheep kits! May have to try one of those soon.
We tried our hand at needle felting a little wile ago, it was so much fun!
I love the line about keeping band aids on hand! Ouch!
That little lamb is so cute!
For my own work I use merino, corriadale, and llama. Llama does felt but is probably best as a top coat of longish hair. My reason for this limited choice is the availability, or rather the unavailability of many fleece types here in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. I would love to try Romany, I hear it has amazing dry-felting properties.
Teresa, today is the first time I have discovered your beautiful animal sculptures while researching for a friend of mine.
I must say I am hooked at all the endless possibilities using wool as an art form.
I have a love of birds. I would love to see a kit for a Cardinal, Blue Jay or even as challenging as a Macaw.
Hi Jean,
I am glad you found me! I appreciate your kit ideas, I love birds as well. I love luring them into my yard with food and photographing them but I haven’t made many birds, only ducks. Great Ideas, thank you.
Teresa
I just received the snowman kit two days ago. He is almost done. It looks wonderful so far. Only stabbed myself twice. Totally worth it!! My great grandson loves dinosaurs. I would definitely purchase a dino kit if there was one.
I would love to have a kit for felting a piggy!
Thank you! I love to hear what kits you would like to see me design. A pig is a great idea. I design at least one new kit a year.
I’m getting excited to try needle felting with the possibility to share with others at GCA. Inc
It’s a new beginning for a new year.