Felting Novice -where do I begin?

[kangaroo_mom]

I keep seeing these adorable felted toy food items, felted balls, felted trees, etc. and am wondering how to do this?

I am a total novice. I have been googling trying to get some instructions but I must not be typing in the right words.

Where do I get felt? How do I manipulate into the shape I want? Do I need to hand-sew anything? Do I need to wrap the felt around a form? Is felting similar to manipulating cotton balls into shapes?

Thanks for any help in educating a total novice!

[sunanthem]

I am not a HUGE felter, but I've made a few things, and its really fun!
There is wet felting and needle felting.
With needle felting you take raw wool and jab at it with felting needles, with a big foam block underneath, so you dont hurt yourself, and just form it into whatever your heart imagines.

Wet felting, like with making balls is to wet and scrunch the wool together until it mats, then adding more, while shaping.

You can also make pictures with felt, but I havent read up on that at all, yet.

I started by buying a kit of wool colors and needles off Ebay. I think the store was Whisperwind or Whisperwood Farms.

There are tons of books out there, too

I love needle felting; it is so easy!!! You'll love it!!

[makinleesmom]

I am a novice also. I purchased a small needle felting kit from JoAnns. It starts you out doing one dimensional designs but it was also fairly inexpensive. I just started the watermelon slice from the kit. You can find kits from woolery.com and on Etsy by Moxie.

[E.V. Lowi]

I love needle felting- when it's done by others. LOL

I just can't seem to stop with the pricking myself and the needles are barbed, so it really hurts! Be careful!
Here are a couple of great links for materials and resources-

http://www.dancingraindolls.com/Need...ting_Tool.html

http://www.dancingraindolls.com/woolroving.html

http://www.weirdollsandcrafts.com/ne...e-felting.html

Here's a forum just for needle felting-

http://feltingforum.com/phpbb/index.php

[kangaroo_mom]

Thanks so much! Some of those needles do look scary though. I'll have to be careful and hide them from the kiddos. I'm excited to get started though! Thanks again!

[merrijayne]

I have been doing needle felting for a little while now. some wet felting. I just role the fibers and sculpt into shape. I was however a art major, and did bead sculping for years. Which i think have help me with the sculpting techniques. Those needles are sharp though.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=700467

[E.V. Lowi]

Originally Posted by merrijayne

I have been doing needle felting for a little while now. some wet felting. I just role the fibers and sculpt into shape. I was however a art major, and did bead sculping for years. Which i think have help me with the sculpting techniques. Those needles are sharp though.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=700467

Those are just divine! Thanks for sharing!