The round eyes and cute expressions of these sweet animals make it a pleasure just to look at them.
See page 12 for a detailed lesson on making these Miniature Dachshunds
Miniature Dachshunds
PAGE 10
Cute Kitty
PAGE 38
Mama Duck and Ducklings
PAGE 44
Golden Hamster
PAGE 50
Mama Pig and Baby Piglet
PAGE 56
Little Parakeets
PAGE 62
Chipmunk
PAGE 70
White Rabbits
PAGE 76
Let’s Begin...Tools and Materials
You will need...
Felting needle (regular type)
A wool felting needle has a serrated tip which mats fibers together to form wool into felt. The regular type of needle is multi-purpose and can be used for joining pieces together and finishing items as well as felting. The type with finger grips are recommended as they are easy to use.
Felting needle (extra fine type)
The extra fine felting needle leaves smaller marks after punching and creates a neat finish, so it is used for delicate work and to finish items. A two-needle holder makes for more efficient work.
Felting mat
This mat is placed under the piece being worked with the felting needle. It forms a firm base to receive the needle and prevents it from bending.
Scissors
For use when dividing the wool roving and trimming off excess wool from the finished item. It’s useful to have a large pair for cutting wool roving and a pair with pointed ends for trimming off threads.
Awl
For use when making holes for eyes. A needle may be used instead, but an awl makes for smoother work.
Craft glue
For attaching eyes, birds’ feet and so on. Choose a type that is transparent when dry.
Handy to have...
Needle felting finger guard
This protects fingers from pricking when using the needle. Three-finger types are also available.
Mat cover
For use over the top of deteriorated mats. Blue and pink mat covers are handy when creating white pieces.
Pliers
For use when attaching head pins, eye pins and so on.
Needle and thread
Some felting projects require little sewing. Choose your needle and thread according to the needs of the project—a smaller needle and lighter thread for sewing on embellishments, a longer needle and stronger thread for attaching a cell phone cord.
Scale
Small kitchen scales are available for every budget. Most can display weights in both grams and ounces.
Types of wool used in these projects
There are so many types of wool felt available that it’s easy to get confused about what to buy. Consider the intended use, color and amount needed to select the right type for the item you are making.
Roving
Different wools suit different types of projects, but the felting wools/roving most commonly found in craft shops are generally good for a wide variety of needle felted projects. They consist either of a single type of wool, such as Merino or Corriedale Sliver, or a blend of wools. You may find them in single-color packages, 2-color packages or “variety packs.” Some solids are blended with different colors to add subtle nuances or streaks of color, or lend a heathery texture to the wool.
Batting
Batting is processed to have some bulk to it and is easily formed into shape with just light punching with your needle, which speeds work considerably. It’s also less expensive than roving. For these reasons, it makes a good core or base, especially for larger projects.
It’s a good idea to make a trip to your local yarn/wool shop, where wools are often sold un-packaged (by weight or length) and the varieties of wool will be more numerous. Touching the wools will help you become acquainted with the different surfaces, weights and textures. Something to remember is that the finer wools like Merino take longer to needle felt firmly.
NOTE: Colors used for the projects in this book have been given general names for reference purposes and do not correspond to any particular brand of wool.
Please note that size measurements are given in both inches and metrics. Metric measurements are more precise. Weights are given in grams. Approximate ounce equivalents can be found in the table below.
| GRAMS | OZ |
| 0.5g | 0.018 oz |
| 1g | 0.035 oz |
| 1.5 | 0.053 oz |
| 2g | 0.07 oz |
| 2.5g | 0.088
|