How to Make Felted Pin Cushions

Felted objects are seen frequently in everyday life.

Felting is the process of making wool or other fibers bind to each other. It has been used to make textiles for thousands of years. Most animal fibers will felt, but the most commonly felted fiber is wool. Felting can result in 3-D or sculptural pieces or it may be done flat. Needle felting is a method where fibers are punched with a very sharp barbed needle which causes them to adhere to one another. Felting needles are made to be used single, in a handle that holds one to five needles, or in machines similar to sewing machines. All supplies can be purchased at craft stores such as Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, Hobby Lobby and Hancock Fabrics.

Things You'll Need

• Wool roving in color or colors desired
• Felting needles
• Mat: a piece of foam or specially designed brush to place behind felting project

Instructions

1. Unroll your roving. It will look similar to an unrolled cotton ball, with wispy fibers extending from the ends. Grab some of the wispy fibers and pull them off the roll. Take the fibers between your hands and roll them into a ball. Add fibers a little at a time and continue rolling until the ball is about twice the desired size.

2. Place the ball on your foam or brush specifically purchased for felting. These foam pieces or brushes, called mats, are designed to lightly accept the felting needles without breaking them. Mats also protect the surface under the felting project.

3. Stab your felting needles into the ball repeatedly. If you want a flatter pin cushion, stab only on the top and bottom. If you want a round pincushion, stab evenly from every angle around your ball and maintain the spherical shape. You can stab more at one end, making one end smaller like an egg. You can also add roving to any area you want larger or any area that may be compressing more than desired.

4. Add other colors by puling wisps off of other rolls of roving. Other colors may be wrapped around the pin cushion directly, or may be twisted into fine linear pieces for intricate designs. Intricate designs may require the use of only one needle in your felting handle.

5. Add fibers and colors until your pincushion is the size and density you desire and your color details are complete. A dense and firm surface is recommended for pin cushions.

Tips & Warnings

• Felting needles are VERY sharp. They are barbed, and they can cause pain and bleeding if accidentally stabbed into skin. Use great caution when using felting needles. Always use a mat. The mat will protect the table or other surface you are using while felting. If a needle breaks off into your project, remove it from the wool with needle-nosed pliers or tweezers. Do not leave a broken needle in the project, as it may cause injury later.

References

• Needle Felting
• History of Felt

Resources

• Felting The Complete Guide