Needle Felting

The number one question I get asked? “What is Needle Felting?”

It is a form of knitting fibers (most often raw wool, but synthetic materials can also be used). It started in the 1800s with a needle punch originally designed to make batting and insulation. The needles have barbs that catch the fibers as you stab the wool.

I first learned of this in 2010 when watching a series called “Man Shops Globe” with Keith Johnson, the buyer-at-large for retailer Anthropologie. In one of the episodes, he visited Dominica More Gordon, the Scotland-based artist, designer, and creator of the Archie children's books. She “needle felted“ a custom 3-dimensional dog for Keith.

I immediately had to find out all I could about needle felting. I started purchasing wool and trying my hand at it. My first project was a simple dog. I keep him as a reminder of where I started.

Since then, I have made everything from dogs, giraffes, elephants, Yoda, monsters, dolls, muppets, Mister Rogers, and most recently the Women collection.

To find out more about how Sylvia makes a needle felted person, read her blog entry about the creation of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

2026 EDIT: since this post I have felted The Statue of Liberty and then altered her with a snout to enter a virtual exhibition at The Woman Made Gallery (see blogs)

I am doing some research into wet felting for a piece that I just started. That will combine needle and wet felting when completed.