The Woolsmith’s Handbook Blog

Welcome to the Heidifeathers Blog — your hub for needle felting tutorials, wet felting guides, for beginners and advanced makers. Explore armature techniques, colour blending, shaping methods, detail work, and finishing techniques designed to improve structure, texture, and precision in every felting project.

Each tutorial includes direct links to the exact felting materials, felting needles, wool fibres, and tools used, helping you learn, refine, and build confident, and competent felting results.

We’re here to guide your felting step by step, cheer on your makes, and encourage you to stretch your skills with supplies & techniques. Whatever you’re learning next, you’ll always have clear tutorials, practical tips, and steady support. xx

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Category: Tutorials

  2. Step by step how to add glass eyes or felted eyes

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    Here's a step-by-step guide on how to add glass eyes to a felted animal:

     

    1. Choose the right size and type of glass eyes for your project. Make sure they are appropriate for the scale of your animal.

    2. Use a felting needle or awl to create a small hole in the right spot on the animal's face, ensuring it is the correct size and depth for the glass eye.

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    3. If needed, needle-felt a small indentation around the eye hole to create a socket that matches the eye's shape.

    4. Apply a small amount of clear drying glue to the back of the glass eye.

    5. Carefully push the glass eye into the socket from the front of the felted face.

    6. Gently press the wool around the eye to secure it in place and ensure a snug fit.

    7. Use needle-nose pliers to adjust the eye if necessary, being careful not to touch the glue.

    8. Once the glue is dry, you can add additional wool around the eye to build up the eyelids and blend the eye into the face.

    9. Optional: Add eyelashes using horsehair or embroidery floss for an extra touch of realism.P1040594

     

    When creating felted eyes:

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    1. Choose a suitable colour and size of wool roving for the pupil and iris.
    2. Create a soft ball of wool in the iris colour, and needle onto the head where you want the eye to be, go around the eye first to create a clear outline and shape
    3. Roll a small amount of the pupil colour into a soft ball and attach it to the middle of the iris area with a felting needle.
    4. Shape and blend the wool to create the eye's contour, using a barbed felting needle to secure it in place.
    5. Add additional details like eyelids and lashes as desired.

     

     For a more info on making felted eyes please see Helen Winter's article or Amanda at Fit to be Loved Felted eyes

  3. How to Create a Smoother Finish

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    Create a smoother finishing

    needles smooth finish 2

    • Finishing with crown needles around your felted piece can catch smaller wisps of wool
    • Use a twisted 40 gauge needle and crown needles to felt the top layer of wool firm while leaving smaller holes.
    • Go over your felted piece with some nail scissors.
    • Smoothing with your hands also helps lightly felt the surface, creating a smooth finish.
    • Experiment with different types of wool

  4. Carding Wool Instructions

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    Carding Instructions

     

    Carding wool is a way to brush the fibres to make them easy to manage in preparation for spinning or felting. Below are the named parts of the carder.

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    Step 1 Charging the Carder

    Hold one carder flat on your lap, take a piece of wool and place fibres on to the carder by pressing down or dragging the wool over the teeth of the carder.

    The ends of the fibres should be at the handle end of the carder. Cover the carder from one side to the other. Try not to overfill the carder as this will make carding difficult.