As a needle felter, I’m proud to use Romney wool from the sheep on my own farm at Bear Creek Felting. I have a whole herd of needle felted animals, some of which I sell and some I have as my pets and ornaments around my home and at our Nome Schoolhouse location. Apart from little cute animals, I also felt other objects, such as food ornaments, seasonal decor items, and plants. But, if you’re not new here, then you already know this.
When I started out felting, I never imagined I could have created so much beautiful felted art. One of my favorite things about needle felting is the joy that my crafts bring, not only to me but also to others. Looking back on my first set of projects, which I happily gifted to my loved ones, I’m amazed at how much I’ve grown over the years. I’ve made so many different things that I think back and wonder, where did I get all this inspiration?
I never knew I had any interest or talent for needle felting sculptures. So, when I started I was most inexperienced. I have been knitting for a while before I got into felting but there are far few similarities between the two hand-crafts. I was completely self-taught, learning the hard way. The more I did them, the more I found myself wanting to make more of them. After a while, I noticed that there were few resources with instructions for making a variety of crafts, and now I’m at a stage where I can provide these resources to beginners looking for detailed instructions.
As a farm girl, I wanted to see how many of the animals I grew up with I could make. I started out felting sheep, horse, lama, chicken, and even snowmen. Pretty soon I was making hippos, bears, giraffes, elephants, and other intricate crafts. If I see a cute animal, I get inspired to try making it. Anything that sparks my interest, really. Of course, getting to this stage all comes with practice.
Sometimes, while I’m making a particular animal, an idea for another animal comes to mind. I would also get inspiration for making certain crafts while I’m out doing errands or on the farm or even flipping through a magazine. Some of the crafts I’ve made have also been distinct requests from people; friends, family members, or potential customers. The ideas for making needle felted crafts can come from pretty much anywhere. Go out and look for pictures of various things that you like and you can start from there. We’ve got you covered with beginner needle felting kits and various types of felting kit bundles that include all the materials you need to get going.
If you love animals like me, you can start there. If you love food, start with veggies, fruits, or candy. Eventually, you can try making your animals with personality. Experiment with different colors and designs the more you get into it. After a while, you’ll be driven by your own creativity and everything around you.
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