August 2025 newsletter
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Felting and Shading - Adding Depth and Light to Your Work
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Image Helen Winter
Realistic Shading in Needle Felting
Needle felting allows you to sculpt with colour, building depth and dimension through thoughtful fibre placement.
Core Techniques
- Layering for Depth
Begin with a midtone base. Add lighter fibres where light naturally hits, and darker fibres in recessed or shaded areas. Build gradually to avoid harsh transitions. - Blending Colours
Hand-blend wool by pulling and stacking fibres repeatedly. Use fine wisps to soften edges and create smooth gradients. Pre-blending colours before felting helps maintain control. - Directional Felting
Felt in the direction of fur growth or light flow. This enhances realism and helps fibres lie naturally. - Needle Selection
Use coarse needles (e.g. 36 gauge) for shaping and fine needles (e.g. 40 gauge) for blending and detail. Triangular needles are great for general work; star or twisted needles help with smooth finishes.
Wool Painting Tips
- Apply large colour areas first, then refine with shading.
- Keep fibres semi-transparent in light areas and denser in shadows.
- Use warm tones for skin shadows and cool tones for highlights to add realism.
Faelanda Fiber Art shading in practice
Helenwintertextileart blog entry on shading
madebybarb blog entry on pictures with shading
Realistic Shading in Wet Felting
Wet felting creates painterly gradients and textures through fibre layering and manipulation.
Core Techniques
- Layering at Right Angles
Lay fibres in alternating directions—horizontal, vertical, diagonal—to build strength and depth. This helps create subtle tonal shifts. - Colour Gradients
Use thin layers of blended wool to create smooth transitions. Feather edges for a soft fade. Pre-blend fibres before laying them down. - Shadow and Light Placement
Place darker fibres in recessed or shaded areas and lighter ones on raised or highlighted sections. Add silk or bamboo fibres for reflective highlights. - Textural Contrast
Combine coarse and fine fibres to mimic natural surfaces. For example, use merino for soft skin tones and coarser breeds for textured shadows.
Ab crafty wet felting with shade and texture
Felting Tips
- Use warm water and gentle soap to avoid over-agitating fine gradients.
- Roll gently at first to preserve fibre placement, then increase pressure gradually.
- Check shading as you go—adjust before full felting sets the fibres permanently.
- Layering for Depth
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Adding Fur or Hair to Your Felting
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Needle Felting Tutorial: Adding Fur or Hair
Materials Needed
- Wool tops, batts, sliver or locks (choose based on desired texture)
- Felting needles (36G-38G)
- Scissors
- Optional: Carders
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the Wool
- Pull or cut small tufts of wool to the desired length, this amount will be folded so allow for that before cutting
- For natural variation, blend colours by hand or carders before use.
2. Decide on Placement
- Look at a picture of what you are wanting to make and visualize where the fur or hair will go.
- The direction makes a difference to how it will sit once attached.
- For animals, start at the base and layer upward.
- For dolls, plan partings, fringes, or ponytails before attaching.
3. Anchor the Wool
- Use a felting needle to push the wool firmly into the surface or core shape.
- Work in small sections, securing just the middle of each tuft and then fold over and start on the next section.
4. Build Layers
- Add wool in overlapping rows, starting from the bottom.
- Continue layering until the area is covered and full.
5. Shape and Trim
- Use scissors to trim the fur or hair to your desired style and lengths.
- For realism, vary the lengths slightly.
6. Fluff and Finish
- Very Lightly comb or brush the fibres to separate and fluff them.
- This adds volume and softness.
- For a sleek look, gently smooth the fibres with your fingers.
Tips for Good Results
- Use finer wool for delicate areas like faces or ears.
- Blend multiple shades for depth and realism.
- Don’t over-felt—light anchoring keeps the fur soft and movable.
- For whiskers or eyebrows, use thin strands and anchor with precision.
Step-by-step pictures and instruction The Felt Hub
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Making a Needle Felted Nose
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Needle Felting Noses: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners and Experts
Whether you're crafting a whimsical woodland creature or a lifelike pet portrait, the nose is a tiny detail that brings big personality. This guide offers two approaches: a soft wool nose for beginners and a sculpted, realistic nose for advanced felters.
Beginner-Friendly Wool Nose (Soft and Simple)
Perfect for felted animals, dolls, and fantasy creatures.
Materials:
• Core wool (natural or dyed)
• Felting needle (38 gauge is ideal)
• Foam or wool mat
• Optional: dyed or natural beeswax for smoothing
Steps:
1. Pull off a small pinch of wool and roll it gently into a loose ball.
2. Place it on your mat and begin poking with your needle to firm it up.
3. Continue felting until the ball becomes firm and slightly oval. For a snout-style nose, elongate the shape slightly.
4. Position the nose on your felted creature’s face and felt around the edges to blend it in.
5. Optional: Use your needle to indent two tiny nostrils. Add a darker wool dot inside each for definition.
6. Optional: Rub a tiny bit of melted wax over the surface and gently poke to smooth and shape.
Expert-Level Sculpted Nose (Realistic and Refined)
Perfect for pet portraits, realistic animals, or showpieces.
Materials:
• Core wool and topcoat wool (for colour blending)
• Felting needles (36 for shaping, 40 for detailing)
• melted dyed wax or beeswax
• Optional: Polymer clay
Steps:
1. For larger noses, create a wire base or felted core to support the structure.
2. Start with core wool and felt into a basic nose shape. Add layers of coloured wool to mimic shading and texture.
3. Use an awl or sculpting tool to carve nostrils and define the bridge. Add darker wool inside the nostrils for realism.
4. Felt the edges into the surrounding wool, using a lighter touch for seamless blending.
5. Apply melted wax to smooth and shape. For ultra-realistic noses, sculpt a tiny polymer clay nose, bake it, and glue it in place.
6. Use a 40-gauge needle to add tiny texture dots or lines. Optional: Add a light gloss with PVA glue or a safe varnish for shine.
Tips for All Levels
Colour matters—use subtle blends of browns, pinks, or greys for realism.
Study pictures of animal noses to understand shape and placement.
Practice makes magic—try making a few noses separately before attaching to your main piece.
Needle Felting With Art – Dogs nose with wax
Felts by Philippa - Dogs noses and faces
Chamkke Needle Felt Cats nose
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How to Needle Felt Cheeks and Chins for Realistic Face Sculpting
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Image Beth Darr
Needle Felting Cheeks & Chin: Step-by-Step Tutorial
1. Prepare the Base
Cover the head with skin tone wool
Begin by wrapping your core wool head with a thin layer of skin-tone wool. This creates a smooth surface for sculpting and helps unify the final look.
2. Sculpt the Chin
Build the chin with small wool tufts
Use small amounts of wool to gradually build the chin area. Felt in layers to control shape and firmness. Focus on symmetry and gently taper the wool into the neck and jawline.
3. Mark Facial Landmarks
Define eye sockets and cheek zones
Lightly mark where the eyes and cheeks will sit using shallow needle pokes. This helps guide placement and ensures balanced proportions.
4. Build Cheek Volume
Add wool to cheek areas and felt gently
Use rounded tufts to build up cheekbones. Felt softly at first to maintain puffiness, then firm up the edges to define the shape. Work evenly on both sides to maintain symmetry.
Refine cheekbones and transitions
Blend the cheeks into surrounding areas using angled needle strokes. This softens the transitions and creates a natural contour.
5. Detail and Soften
Smooth creases and transitions
Use finer needles to soften harsh lines and blend wool layers. This step is key for realism and a polished finish.
Add final facial details
Refine the mouth, nose, and eyes to complement your cheeks and chin. Use small tufts and precise pokes to add subtle expressions and character.
Julies Felted Friends 5 Face tips
Leighfootfelts Detailed face sculpting
Fig and Me Doll's face sculpting