What is

Needle Felting?

Needle felting is essentially sculpting with wool. This textile art form combines the use of dry sheep’s wool batting and roving with special barbed felting needles. Wool fibres have scales that lock together when rubbed against each other. The barbed needles catch and pull these fibres together, essentially locking them to each other to form a more dense material (and a seamless blend). The more you stab, the stronger, denser and smoother the item becomes!

Unlike wet felting, needle felting does not require the addition of water, soap or agitation.

(Both wet felting and needle felting are often simply referred to as “felting”. All references to “felting” or “felted” on this site refer to needle felting only, as Tiny Giants has not yet dabbled in wet felting.)

Whether using the wet or dry process, felting is rather time-consuming and requires patience. Although the process is very different for each, both felting methods offer wonderful results and can be combined nicely!