Learning new things always brings me joy and needle felting is hands down one of the coolest things I've ever tried.
In this workshop you'll learn how to draw and paint with wool fiber on a fabric background. We'll start with a simple botanical design and work up to a more complex monarch butterfly design. I'll show you everything step-by-step and share information about needle felting tools, materials, and techniques.
It's a lot easier to get started than you might think, and regardless of your current crafting skill level or previous artistic experience, you can absolutely work in this magical medium. It's very low pressure, and it's a LOT of fun!
Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Try Needle Felting:
1. You can make just about anything out of wool. My introductory workshops are designed around a specific project with the goal of teaching you how to work in felt, but once you've gotten that down, the sky's the limit. Make anything you like!
2. It takes less than 60 seconds to learn the basic techniques.
3. It's a budget-friendly medium. You can get started for under $30.
4. You can make it up as you go, and you don't have to keep track of anything (like counting stitches or measuring pieces).
5. You can put down a project and pick it back up months later. It will be right there waiting for you!
6. The incredible texture of felting is so unique - there's nothing else like it.
7. There's very few mistakes that can't be corrected along the way.
8. Needle felting travels well, so you can take it anywhere.
9. It's a very clean craft - almost no mess (except maybe the occasional bit of wool stuck in your hair).
10. This craft is for everyone. I have taught a few hundred people to needle felt and they have ranged in age from 7 to 87. As long as you can see fairly well, and have decent hand-eye coordination, you can become a master needle felter.
Try Needle Felting!
I'll show you have to make needle felted hoop art in this workshop
This self-led course is for you if:
- Enjoy learning new crafts and have a little patience
- Love texture
- Have good hand-eye coordination, can see fairly well
- Don't mind putting in time on a project (needle felting is NOT fast)
This self-led course is NOT for you if:
- Are allergic to wool or have haemophilia (there's always a small chance you could poke yourself with the needle by accident)
- If your fine motor skills aren't the best (but if you can hand sew or spear an olive with a toothpick, then you'll be just fine)
- Are looking for a super-fast project (this ain't it!)
About Your Instructor
"It's not that I don't know what I want to do when I grow up.
It's that I want to do so many things."
Sarah Mandell is a self-taught fiber artist living in Greenville, SC. She received her BFA from Maryland Institute College of Art in 2005, and balances her time between working as an interior designer and running her handmade business, Once Again Sam. She lives to create.
Sarah is an avid fiber artist, sculpting wool in 3D, but her relatively new series of wool landscape paintings has challenged her to work in 2D for the last several years. Using dyed wool as paint and a barbed felting needle as a paintbrush, she is now exploring a familiar medium in a whole new way. Her wool landscapes have been exhibited in multiple art galleries and typically feature scenes from The South.
Needle felting is an intriguing medium, and Sarah enjoys sharing the magic by teaching workshops at Greenville Center for Creative Arts, SkillPop, and online through Teachery.co. She also enjoys sharing tips and tricks during live demos at art festivals and craft shows throughout the year. This medium is extra special because it draws the interest of just about every generation.
What You'll Learn in this Workshop:
Introduction: Hello There!
Just as I would introduce myself in an in-person workshop, I like to say hello and briefly share how I got into needle felting. In this quick intro I'll also show you exactly what we'll be making in this workshop.
Tools & Materials: Everything You Need to Know About Supplies
I'll walk you through what is included in your kit (if you purchased supplies from my website), and I'll also show you what you would need to purchase if you prefer to shop for materials on your own. We'll review types of fiber, various needle gauges, and options for a felting surface. Plus, I'll share some tips and tricks I learned the hard way, like how much fiber is in 0.5 oz vs. 6 oz, and how many needles are too many needles!
Lesson One: Felting A Cactus (Beginner Level)
Start with something simple. This basic cactus style is really just a green ball with stripes, and you can add a flower to the top if you like.
Lesson Two: Felting A Cactus (Intermediate Level)
Building on what you learned with the first cactus, we'll work with a simple armature (spoiler alert, it's nothing fancy - it's just a pipe cleaner!). You'll also learn how to how to connect to felted pieces together.
Lesson Three: Felting A Cactus (Advanced LeveL
Ready for a more complicated shape? I'll show you how to sculpt around a more complex armature (still pipe cleaners) and once you have mastered connecting pieces and patching seams, you can make just about anything.
Sign up now!
2D Hoop Art Workshop
- Introduction, tools & materials overview, beginner lesson, advanced lesson for 2D Hoop Art
- Resource List