Needle Felting - Relax, Create, Make Money by Debby McCandless

Needle felting can be rewarding. Indulge in a relaxing hobby and make some money.

Never heard of needle felting, also, known as dry felting? It's a great way to create just about anything with wool using a dry felting technique.

All you need is a special needle, foam, and wool.

You can find raw sheep's or alpaca wool by searching on the internet. Get medium to fine wool. Purchase the wool straight off the animal or already cleaned and carded.

You need a barbed needle. These special needles are, also, available through a search for supplies on the internet. Start with a 36 triangle needle. The needles are usually $1.00 apiece.

Create your work on a foam block. This protects you from the needle and gives you a great surface for matting the wool. You can find foam pillow inserts at craft stores that will work. Your foam needs to be at least 2 inches thick.

Lay your wool on the foam and poke it with the barbed needle. The needle tangles the wool. After several jabs, you will see the wool begin to felt. Keep moving over the surface with the needle until the entire piece is felted. There are needle felting books available to help you learn the technique.

First and foremost, relax! To bring peace of mind, focus on something that you find fun to make. If you're making something in which you have no interest, you will be uptight and stunt your creativity. Have passion for your craft and it will show in your work and attitude.

Now that you're relaxed, create! With needle felting, patterns are unnecessary. Just use your imagination for uniquely you projects. You can create almost anything with needle felting. Here are a few ideas to start:

Hats

Pillows

Rugs

Purses

3D sculptures of personalities or animals

Apply designs to felt and other materials

Wall hangings

When you get good and projects are cluttering your house, then do a little research to see if people would be interested in purchasing your creations. A great place to check is eBay. Do a search for your item, see if others are selling it, and find out the going price. If you will make a profit after your cost and time, then sell your items locally or on eBay. People love handmade crafts.

So, take a deep breath, relax, create, and make some money.

Debby McCandless discovered needle felting as a way to use fleece from alpacas she raises. She has made a small business selling needle felted items. Learn more about needle felting and alpacas at [http://www.owning-alpaca.com].

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