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Sweet and Simple Needle Felted Animals: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Harold Powell

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Sweet & Simple Needle Felted Animals: A Step-By-Step Visual Guide

by Sachiko Susa

4.8 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	25638 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	96 pages

Needle felting is a delightful craft that allows you to create charming and adorable animal sculptures using wool fibers and a special barbed needle. The technique involves repeatedly stabbing the wool fibers with the needle, which causes the fibers to tangle and form a cohesive shape. With a little patience and practice, you can transform fluffy wool into lifelike animals that will bring joy to your home or make perfect gifts for loved ones.

Materials You'll Need

Felting needles: There are various sizes and shapes of felting needles available. For beginners, a medium-sized needle with a triangular cross-section is a good choice.
Wool roving: Wool roving is the raw, unspun wool that is used for needle felting. It comes in a wide range of colors and textures, so you can choose the perfect wool for your project.
Foam pad: A foam pad provides a stable surface for needle felting and protects your work surface from the sharp needles.
Scissors: Scissors are used to trim and shape the wool fibers as needed.
Optional: A wire armature can be used to create a frame for larger or more complex animals, providing support and stability.

Basic Techniques

Stabbing: The basic technique of needle felting is stabbing the wool fibers with the needle. The repeated stabbing motion causes the fibers to tangle and become more compact.
Shaping: As you stab the wool fibers, you can shape them into different forms. By applying pressure in different directions, you can create curves, angles, and other shapes.
Layering: Layering involves adding additional wool fibers on top of existing layers to build up volume and create different textures.
Blending: Blending is the technique of mixing different colors of wool fibers together to create smooth transitions and color variations.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Needle Felted Animals

Fluffy Bunny

Materials:

White wool roving
Pink wool roving (for the nose and ears)
Black wool roving (for the eyes)

Instructions:

1. Form the body: Start by taking a small amount of white wool roving and rolling it into a ball. This will be the body of the bunny. 2. Shape the head: Take a smaller amount of white wool roving and form it into a cone shape. This will be the head of the bunny. 3. Attach the head: Stab the head into the body, using the needle to secure it in place. 4. Form the ears: Take two small pieces of pink wool roving and roll them into cone shapes. These will be the ears of the bunny. 5. Attach the ears: Stab the ears into the head, positioning them on top of the head. 6. Form the nose: Take a tiny piece of pink wool roving and roll it into a small ball. This will be the nose of the bunny. 7. Attach the nose: Stab the nose into the face of the bunny, below the eyes. 8. Form the eyes: Take two small pieces of black wool roving and roll them into tiny balls. These will be the eyes of the bunny. 9. Attach the eyes: Stab the eyes into the face of the bunny, above the nose. 10. Shape the tail: Take a small piece of white wool roving and roll it into a thin, cone shape. This will be the tail of the bunny. 11. Attach the tail: Stab the tail into the body of the bunny, near the back. 12. Finishing touches: Trim and shape the wool fibers as needed to refine the details of the bunny, such as the whiskers and fur texture.

Cuddly Kitten

Materials:

Orange wool roving
White wool roving (for the belly and paws)
Green wool roving (for the eyes)
Black wool roving (for the nose and whiskers)

Instructions:

1. Form the body: Start by taking a medium amount of orange wool roving and rolling it into an oval shape. This will be the body of the kitten. 2. Shape the head: Take a smaller amount of orange wool roving and form it into a round shape. This will be the head of the kitten. 3. Attach the head: Stab the head into the body, using the needle to secure it in place. 4. Form the ears: Take two small pieces of orange wool roving and roll them into triangle shapes. These will be the ears of the kitten. 5. Attach the ears: Stab the ears into the head of the kitten, positioning them on top of the head. 6. Form the belly: Take a small amount of white wool roving and roll it into a crescent shape. This will be the belly of the kitten. 7. Attach the belly: Stab the belly onto the body of the kitten, below the head. 8. Form the paws: Take four small pieces of white wool roving and roll them into small balls. These will be the paws of the kitten. 9. Attach the paws: Stab the paws onto the body of the kitten, two in the front and two in the back. 10. Form the nose: Take a tiny piece of black wool roving and roll it into a small ball. This will be the nose of the kitten. 11. Attach the nose: Stab the nose into the face of the kitten, below the eyes