​A dog with no eyes here a sheep with no wool there—are your incomplete needle felted projects turning your craft corner into a pet cemetery? 

Crafting is meant to be a distraction from the world around you, allowing you to get in the rhythm of your work and relax! But what happens when you become distracted from your distraction? 

Have you ever watched the Disney movie, Up? In it, there’s an adorable dog who has a horrible time staying focused. In mid-conservation, he stares off into the distance and yells, “squirrel!”…and runs off. 

Do you find yourself hypothetically saying “squirrel” during your needle felted projects—distracted and jumping around from one project to the next—without ever getting anything done? 

We’ve all been there. Here are some of the top distractions for crafters and how to deal with them! 

Crafting in Commotion

Putting the TV on in the background while you needle felt seems like a simple enough idea, that is until they’re about to solve the case on Law & Order or until your favorite musician comes on that midday talk show. 

Suddenly, you’re completely engulfed in the program, and you just lost your only hour in the day that you have set aside for needle felting. Some crafters can work while listening to the TV. Most can’t!

If you need company while you craft, try putting on a relaxing playlist or listen to your favorite podcast. That way there’s no temptation to get lost in the screens.

Needle Felting with Family

Some families like to gather in their living room spaces in the evening to chat about their day, weekly goals, or their new favorite Netflix series. I, too, cherish these nightly chats. 

But with my large family, there’s just no way I’d get any needle felting done while we’re hanging out, and I love that. It allows me to stay present and soak up every minute of quality time I get with the people I love. 

If you’re someone who tries to craft when the kids are jumping on the couch, or when your husband wants to talk to you about his day, try waiting up a few hours until they go to bed to get in some uninterrupted needle felting time! 

That way you give 100% of your focus to your family while they’re awake and 100% of your focus to your crafts while they sleep.

Project Fatigue

You start a new project, and you’re so excited, until you scroll through Pinterest and find endless ideas that get you even more excited! 

It’s easy to get a little tired of a needle felting project if it’s taken you a while to overcome certain challenges. The fresh ideas you find online will always sound more appealing when you’ve been working on the same animal leg for weeks!

No matter how many fun, inspirational ideas you find online (there will always be tons), stick to the plan. Know that once the project is complete, you will feel so excited and ready to start a new one.

Also, consider creating a special Pinterest board just for needle felting so you’ll have a place to save all those fantastic ideas! 

Fear of Failure

This one’s a big one for my perfectionists out there. Sometimes, we allow ourselves to be distracted because we’re afraid we won’t be able to rise to the occasion. 

When trying new techniques or more challenging concepts, it can be kind of scary to step out of our comfort zones, and because of this, we allow ourselves to get pulled in a million different directions—so we don’t have to come face-to-face with the challenge. 

Let go of that sense of fear! Laugh at the mistakes or the creepy crawly figures you made that were totally off the mark. Talk to your friends about your crafting mistakes so you can grow as a creator! I promise, the journey is so beautiful, and we all have a bin of needle felted projects that simply didn’t make the cut.

If you’re looking for a community to hold you accountable, I’d love to invite you to be part of the Bear Creek Felting Academy! With a library of step-by-step video tutorials and direct feedback from me, you’ll be amazed at just how far you’ll go. Want more information? Click here! 

What’s your number one craft distraction, and how do you cope? I’d love to hear from you!