Needle felting is an easy technique which uses roving (unspun fiber, usually wool or silk) to create felt by pushing the needle straight up and down through the fiber. This is a simple way to sculpt small figures in miniature for dolls' houses. They can be completely felted, or hair can be applied.
To create the felt you push the needle straight up and down in a punching motion through a ball or line of fibers. As you felt, the fibers will pack closer together, so practise is needed in order to create something which is a particular size. Depending on the amount you felt your fibers you can create very small, hard items, or softer, less dense felted sculptures.
The technique is easy (and repetitive). If you make a mistake and pack your fibers too tightly you can add more and fill out your shape.
These sculptures were my beginning attempt at needle felting and took roughly an afternoon to complete.
Note: These needles are very sharp, this is not recommended as a children's activity!
- Miniature Raccoons Made Using a Needle Felt Technique from Wool and Silkminiature needle felted raccoon baby and parent in dollhouse scale
- Materials Needed to Make a Miniature Needle Felted RaccoonSilk and wool roving, medium, fine and extra fine felting needles and a foam felting pad or mt.
- How to Begin Felting a Miniature Ballshows a hand poking a felting needle through a small ball of fibre
- Make a Miniature Forehead and Muzzle from a Felt BallMiniature felt ball beginning to be shaped into a raccoon's head.
- Creating a Muzzle for Your Miniature Needle Felt Raccoonneedle felt a miniature animal's muzzle
- Attach The Ears to Your Miniature Needle Felted Raccoon HeadAttaching felt ears to a miniature needle felted raccoon
- Add the Miniature Raccoon's MaskA cluster of black fibre strands are felted to a miniature raccoon's head to create the black mask.
- Add Details to the Raccoon's FaceDark fibres felted to a ball to form nose lines
- Attach the Raccoon's Nose and Trim the Facial FurAttaching the nose to a miniature needle felted raccoon head
- Create a Wire Body Frame for a Miniature Needle Felted RaccoonMiniature raccoon body frame formed from 3mm pipe cleaners
- Wrap the Wire Frame with Fibre to Begin Creating the Miniature Raccoon's Bodywrapping a pipe cleaner frame with strands of loose fibre to prepare it for needle felting
- Needle Felting the Body of a Miniature Raccoonwire frame body of miniature raccoon being needle felted
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