[Felting] Tutorial #2 - Basic Shapes

Needle felting usually involves combining several basic shapes. By learning the basic shapes below, you should be able to complete most needle felting projects. 

Spheres

1. Take a strip of wool and roll it up, following the direction of the fibers, into a cylinder. Poke evenly throughout the cylinder. 
2. Roll the wool while poking to ensure all areas are covered. Poke until a soft, slightly loose cylinder is formed. 
3. Hold the cylinder vertically and start poking downwards. 
4. Keep poking and roll the wool in a circular motion to shrink the cylinder down into a sphere-like shape. Poke until the wool has become slightly firm. 
5. Continue to poke and roll in the same manner until the wool is round, smooth and firm. 

Tips:

• When portioning the wool, roll the wool tightly into a ball and its size should be similar to the finished product. During the poking process, you can always wrap more layers of wool around your shape to make it bigger. 
• Roll the wool evenly while poking; refrain from repeatedly poking the same spot. 
• If there are any significantly uneven spots on the sphere, take a small amount of the same colored wool and poke it on top of the uneven area to make it more smooth. 

Slices

Take a strip of wool and wrap it into a shape similar to the desired shape. Its size should be about twice the size of the actual finished product. Refer to the above diagram and poke to create the desired shape, until firm. 

Strips and Cylinders