Your work can be as simple or as complicated as you desire.

Jumping the needle up and down through the fibers causes them to felt. Embellish your designs with beads and sequins. There are no rules! - apart from watch your fingers

Materials:Foam 3 inches deep. Needle felting tools, Felt fibres or fleece. Fabric (an old woolly jumper is ideal).

1.Pull Wool tops

Hold a tuft of wool roving in your handNever cut the wool tops.

2.Apply Wool roving or fleece

Place fabric or fibres on foam work surface, then lay the tufts of wool tops in an even layer . Form your design by laying out the wool in your desired shape. You can also use cookie cutters to help here.

3.Insert Needle

Insert a felting needle into the wool roving and begin to jab the needle in and out through the foundation of the fabric and down into the foam. Hold the needle straight.

4. Continue until feltedContinue jabbing the needle in and out, repeat evenly and consistently until the fibres have bonded together and to the fabric.

5. Check the back of the fabric to ensure felting.

Flip the fabric or pull up the corner to see if felting is occurring. As the wool roving bonds to the fabric, you’ll see the wool fibres come through onto the other side.

Buy fleece from www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk.http://www.winghamwoolwork.co.uk/eqp_flt_needles.php is the link to the felting needle section. The lower the gauge (eg 19) the more heavy duty the project.

SafetyKeep all your fingers and body parts out of the path of this very sharp needle and be aware that the needle will bend and snap if you press too hard. It helps to work slowly and methodically. Keep your eyes on your work and make sure the needle is pointing straight down. Work on a flat surface or use a tray under your foam.Interesting books : Felted Treasures – How to felt and sculpt wool with a felt needle. Jean Paccagnan Armes. Sweet Needle Felts : 25 projects to wear, give and hug – Jenn Docherty and ‘Wool Pets’ by Laurie Sharp (order from Amazon)http://www.woolpets.com/galleries.html

A template is below to experiment with, or make your own. Cut this out and place on your foam to start, enlarging to the right size on a photocopier (ask your tutor for help).

Have fun!MATERIALShttp://www.winghamwoolwork.co.ukALI’S BLOG http://feltgoodfeltfine.com/wordpress/

ⒸCopyright 2011: A Rabjohns. All rights reserved.