Want to join in the fun craft of needle felting but not sure where to start? This guide will tell you what you need to begin your dry felting adventure.
1. First of all, exactly what is needle felting? It is a dry method of felting animal and other fibers. Using special needles, you punch the fibers down locking them together and forming felt. Pretty simple.
2. Supplies needed are few. You will need a dense foam pad (not styrofoam) at least two inches deep. You should be able to easily find some at a craft or material store. Start off your felting hobby with some clean, carded raw wool. You can find some by searching on the internet. A bamboo skewer (you can get a package of 50 or more at grocery stores for a couple of dollars) and/or toothpicks are good for helping form shapes if you are making three dimensional characters. Lastly, a small pair of scissors for trimming.
3. What kind of felting needle should you buy? The most basic needle is an inexpensive 36 gauge triangle needle. This needle is used for general felting and is a good starting needle.
Gauge is the thickness of the needle. The lower the number the thicker the needle and the larger the hole it leaves. So a 36 gauge is thicker than a 38 gauge needle. The higher the number, the finer the needle and the smaller a hole it leaves. A 40 gauge needle is much finer than a 36 gauge needle and will be good for finishing because it leaves smaller holes.
The triangle shaped tip has three sides with barbs. The barbs tangle the fiber as you push down but not as you pull back out. You can, also, get a star needle. The star tip has 4 edges and a concave groove between the four edges. It has more barbs than the triangle and felts faster than the triangle.
As you advance, you will want different gauges and shapes to take your needle felting to new heights.
4. The last thing you will need is an idea of what to felt. You can felt flat pieces or three dimensional characters. Beginners might want to try a flat piece first just to get the feel of punching the fibers. A search for needle felting on the internet will provide you with some free projects to start. Once you get the hang of it, your own imagination will bring you many unique ideas.
To begin needle felting you need a few simple supplies, a special barbed needle, and an idea. What are you waiting for? It's a fun, creative, and inexpensive hobby so go ahead and give it a try.
Visit the [http://www.owning-alpaca.com] website for free needle felting projects and information. Debby McCandless raises alpacas and uses the fleece to needle felt three dimensional characters.
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