Why I Love to Needle Felt (and Why You Might Too!)

There’s something truly wonderful about working with wool. Maybe it’s the texture — soft, organic, forgiving — or maybe it’s how a few loose fibres can turn into something sculptural or picturesque, full of character, and alive.

I’ve tried so many creative mediums — concrete, paper clay, and carving — but needle felting holds a special place in my heart. It’s quiet, meditative, and delightfully surprising. Every poke of the needle brings the piece a little closer to life.

If you’ve seen my posts about wool and fibre, you know how much I love experimenting with natural materials. Needle felting fits right in — tactile, adaptable, and perfectly imperfect.

What I Love About Needle Felting

1. It’s wonderfully low-tech.

You don’t need fancy equipment — just a barbed felting needle, some wool roving, and a bit of patience. That simplicity makes it so freeing. You can sit by the window, or on the couch, and lose track of time while shaping something whimsical and personal. It is like a ‘paint’ that you pull from a skein…

2. The process feels like meditation.

The soft, rhythmic poking of the needle is oddly soothing. It’s slow art — the kind that lets your mind wander. Unlike concrete or paint (which have drying times or limits), felting lets you build gradually, undo, or reshape as you go.

It travels well, does not weigh a lot and supplies are quite economical.

3. Every piece has personality.

When I sculpt with concrete, I love texture and form. With felting, it’s character that shines through. A few tufts of wool and some colour blending can create tiny birds, creatures, or even sculptural accents for other projects.

My Favourite Felting Projects

If you browse through my site, you’ll find touches of felted detail woven into my creative experiments — sometimes small embellishments, sometimes standalone wool sculptures. I love using this technique for making mittens!

A few reader favourites include:

• Felted birds — tiny, chubby shapes full of warmth and whimsy.

• Momma Bird & babies — I just could not resist!

• Mitten Designs — transforming old sweaters or felt scraps into new creations.

Each one starts with a simple pile of fibre, and ends up as something completely unexpected.

Why You Should Try It

If you’re someone who enjoys working with your hands and loves to experiment, needle felting is a perfect complement to other crafts. It blends beautifully with mixed media, sculpting, and natural textures. Even to make delicate roses magically.

You can:

• Create a Portrait of a loved Pet
• Make Needle Felted Paintings (my fave squirrel or cardinal) to adorn your walls
• Incorporate felt into Seasonal Decor
• Combine with Free-motion machine embroidery

And best of all — it’s accessible, relaxing, and endlessly creative.

Final Thoughts

Needle felting is one of those crafts that rewards curiosity. You start with nothing more than a handful of wool, and with time and patience, you coax out a form that feels alive.

It’s a reminder that art doesn’t need to be big or loud — sometimes the quiet, tactile work brings the most joy, like the sweet tweet of a bird…

Being able to ‘paint with wool’ on an Eco Printed wool blanket is a double win!

So, if you haven’t tried it yet, pick up a little wool and a needle. You might just find yourself falling in love with it, too. Let me know how you like it! I do have a new way to combine needle felting with another technique, stay tuned…