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Textile/Fabric Art Projects

Dry (Needle) Felting a 3D Picture

Needle (or punch) felting is a soap and-water-free way to make fantastic felt art works.

Contemporary fibre artists and felt makers have adapted this commercial process to be used by hand. Using a Felting Needle, it is now possible to make elaborately detailed, well controlled, two and three-dimensional pieces of art from Merino Wool Tops that would be difficult to achieve using traditional wet felt making.

Felting needles are made from hardened steel, usually with a triangular profile, and are very sharp. They have tiny barbs or notches near the point of the needle. The brittle needles are likely to break if they are flexed, they require a straight up and down action into the loose fibre. When the needle is repeatedly poked in and out of a mass of loose wool, its "barbs" tangle and interlocks the fibre and eventually makes felt.

Needle felting doesn't require strength, but it does require patience and concentration.

The needles are very sharp, so a block of foam rubber is an essential piece of equipment to prevent the needle pricking the artist’s fingers.

Suitable for:

Primary levels

Materials:

Synthetic Wool Tops Cream, Coloured Merino Wool Tops, Felting Needle & Foam Rubber

How to Make a 3D Picture by Needle Felting

1. Use a Fabric Transfer Pencil to draw a design on to Bond Paper. Iron the design face down on to a felt square Remember your design will be the reverse of the image drawn. To create the same image, photocopy the design on to a sheet of acetate that is suitable for the photocopier. By flipping the acetate image over and re copying it, your design will be in reverse before ironing.

2. Place the felt over a block of foam rubber and take a small portion of black Merino Wool Tops and stretch it out into a long length. Position this length on to the felt square. This will be the outline colour for the design. Start to work the black wool into the felt, by pushing the Felting Needle gently in and out of the wool. You will note the wool begins to bind into the piece of felt. The more you needle it the better the result. Lift the felt square frequently to be sure it is not sticking to the foam. Continue this process until your outline is complete.

3. Add colours of Wool Tops to the design using the same process as described in Step 2.

4. Small features are added into the design by needling over the top of an existing colour.

 

© Copyright Zart Art 2009. Activity and teacher notes written and designed by Zart Education.

Key words: Art, craft, activity, activities, children, kids, school art activities, textiles, sewing, wool tops, portrait, face