Basic supplies:
*felting needle(s).
*foam pad. I use chair pads from joanns. This pad is your work surface, a place for the needle to land. If the needle goes all the way through your project (and it will) you don't want to have your needle tip hitting a hard surface. The needle(s) will ruin the surface and the needle tips can break. *** This supply is required if using needles.
* wool. batting/roving.
*section of of lycra nylon/tights
Basic safety.
*keep your work on the foam. Don't get in the habit of picking up the project with one hand while needle felting with the other. You're sure to stab yourself.
*listen to tv but do not watch tv while you felt. You may *think* you have great depth perception and spatial awareness, even while looking away...you don't. You will learn this after felting a thumb to your project.
*do not share needles.
Simple Combo (needle and wet) ball.
#1 Take a chunk of wool batting and pull it into 2 pieces
#2 make one piece a ball(base) and leave the other piece flat
#3 place the ball onto the flat wool batt
#4 Draw up the the flat piece like a pouch around the base and needle felt into a ball. ***the barbs on the needle force the fibers to join together. ie felt.
#5 (optional only if you're wet felting) place ball into a section of lycra tights. You can use pantyhose but the lycra gives up the wool easier. Once tied up at both ends, send it through the washer. For a front loader, I've experienced good felting at warm. For a top loader, I prefer hot on high aggitation. Remember, once you felt you can't go back. You can get a harder felt, but not a softer one. So you may want to experiment with settings to get your desired felt density.
#6 Remove felted base from stocking and place on a smooth out section of roving. Roll the base up in the roving.
#7 felt into the shape of a ball again.
#8 Start adding your decoration. I recommend using LIKE FIBERS if you're wet felting. Don't mix batting and roving here. Personally, I don't even mix breeds. I've found you get a cleaner felt if you don't cross breed. lol
sailboat and tree
#9 Place back into the tights and send through the washer again.
#10 wet ball fresh from the washer...set on top of the dryer to dry.
Thanks for the lovely tutorial! Your work is so beautiful. How do you get the "egg" to fit so perfectly inside the "shell" on the second to last photo? It's a great trick!
Posted by: Beth Workman | October 04, 2007 at 07:05 PM
I have made felt balls before with a rattle inside for babies and would spend up to 2hrs felting each one by hand. I just tried doing 2 by wrapping the wool around the rattle and then putting it in the lycra then straight into the washing machine and just kept it on aggitate umtil they were firm enough - about 1 hr! Saved me heaps of time. Thanks a lot
Posted by: Lana | May 06, 2010 at 11:31 PM
Excellent Lana, glad this helped save you a pinch of time. :)
Katie
Posted by: wool food mama | May 07, 2010 at 11:35 AM
Think about your relationship to food and the role it plays in your life. Think also about donating some time or money or food to a local food bank, if you do not do so already. It could be a life changing event for all involved.
Posted by: costa rica investments | July 30, 2010 at 02:32 PM
For creating such things person must have a big fantazy! As for me its difficult.
Posted by: buy business plan | August 30, 2010 at 06:06 AM
wow what a big differnce form the original egg. Im not sure if I have the manual dexterity needed to create something similar!
Posted by: blank sudoku | April 22, 2011 at 09:35 PM