Fall in Love with Felting Again

There is something about the first cool days of fall that makes me want to pull out the wool.

Summer on the farm is busy. There are sheep to move, pastures to manage, gardens and flowers to enjoy, places to go, and long days that seem to disappear before you know it.

Then fall arrives.

The air gets crisp, the days get shorter, and suddenly spending an evening indoors with a cup of something warm and a needle felting project sounds pretty wonderful.

For me, fall has always felt like the beginning of felting season.

A Season Made for Wool

Maybe it’s the colors.

Deep greens, rusty oranges, warm browns, golds, creams, and reds all seem perfectly at home in wool. Pumpkins, leaves, woodland animals, sheep, and cozy seasonal decorations practically beg to be needle felted.

Or maybe it’s simply that wool feels right when the weather starts to cool.

After a summer spent outdoors, there is something comforting about sitting down with a soft pile of fiber and slowly turning it into something with your own hands.

You Don’t Have to Start Something Complicated

Sometimes we put off being creative because we think we need enough time to tackle a big project.

You really don’t.

A small project can be just as satisfying.

That is one of the reasons I enjoy projects like my Botanical Coasters. They are simple, relaxing, and give you the pleasure of working with color and wool without committing to a complicated sculpture.

Other times, fall is exactly when I do feel ready to take on something more challenging.

There is no right answer. Pick the project that makes you want to sit down and start poking wool.

Felting Can Be a Wonderful Reset

Needle felting requires you to slow down.

You poke. Shape. Turn the project. Look at it. Add a little more wool. Make an adjustment.

And gradually something begins to appear.

I think that is one of the things I love most about it. For a little while, your attention narrows to what is happening right in front of you.

You aren't trying to finish ten things at once.

You're simply creating.

Sometimes that is exactly the kind of reset we need after a busy season.

Revisit Something You Already Know

Getting excited about felting again doesn't necessarily mean learning an entirely new technique.

Go back to a project you loved.

Try it in different colors.

Make another animal and see how much your skills have changed since the first time you made it.

Pull out a project you started months ago and never finished.

Or choose something you've always thought looked just a little beyond your ability.

One of the most rewarding parts of teaching needle felting is watching people discover that they can create things they once thought were too difficult.

Let the Season Inspire You

You don't have to look very far for ideas this time of year.

Take a walk and look at the changing leaves. Notice the seed heads, grasses, berries, tree bark, and autumn flowers.

Watch the animals growing their winter coats.

Look at the shapes and colors in a pumpkin patch or the textures in a field after harvest.

Living in North Dakota, I find inspiration everywhere around me. The farm, sheep, prairie, trees, and changing seasons continually work their way into the things I create.

Sometimes the best project begins simply by noticing something beautiful.

Maybe It’s Time to Fall in Love With Felting Again

Whether you needle felt every week or haven't picked up a felting needle in months, fall is a pretty good excuse to begin again.

Find a project that makes you excited.

Gather some wool.

Make yourself something warm to drink.

Then give yourself permission to sit down for a while and create.

You don't need to accomplish anything enormous.

Sometimes all it takes is a little wool, a felting needle, and a quiet autumn afternoon to remember why you fell in love with needle felting in the first place.