Emma Wilson
Needle felting is a fun and beginner-friendly craft that can be used to make adorable felt mushrooms. It is a forgiving craft that does not require following a pattern, allowing for a more fluid and creative process. With needle felting, you can easily add or remove felt to create your desired shape. This makes it a great technique for crafting organic shapes like mushrooms, which can be used as cute decorations or centrepieces. In this guide, you will learn the steps to make your own needle-felted mushroom, from preparing the materials to assembling the final product. So grab your felting needles and let's get started on this whimsical project!
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What You'll Learn
Getting started: Download a pattern or create your own
To get started on your felt mushroom project, you can either download a pattern or create your own. There are many free patterns available online, or you can purchase an ad-free, downloadable, and printable pattern. These patterns usually come in PDF or SVG formats and include step-by-step instructions and photos to guide you through the process. Some websites also offer video tutorials for a more comprehensive understanding of the craft.
If you're feeling creative and want to design your own pattern, you can start by drawing your mushroom shape on paper. Consider the size and shape of the mushroom cap and stem, and don't forget to add details like spots or ridges. Once you're happy with your design, cut out the pattern pieces and lay them on your chosen felt fabric. Trace around the pattern pieces with your preferred marking tool, and then cut out the felt pieces, making sure to cut inside the lines.
Whether you choose to download a pattern or create your own, the next steps will involve cutting, stitching, and assembling your felt mushroom. It's a fun and addictive craft that allows for a lot of creativity and customization. You can experiment with different colours, fabrics, and decorations to make your mushroom unique.
Some common tools and materials you may need for this project include felt fabric in various colours, embroidery thread or floss, scissors, glue, needles, and stuffing. It is also recommended to have detail scissors for a more precise cut. Additionally, you may want to use your Cricut Maker or Cameo 4 for cutting if you have access to one.
Remember to share your creations with the online crafting community and inspire others to join in on the fun of making felt mushrooms!
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Tools: Gather scissors, wool, felting needle, glue, etc
To make a needle-felted mushroom, you will need a few tools and materials. The tools you will need include scissors, a felting needle, and a hot glue gun. You will also need wool, specifically carded wool or wool top, in various colours like white, brown, green, and red. The white wool will be used for the mushroom's dots, while the brown and green wool will be used for the stalk and cap, respectively. If you want to add flowers to your mushroom, you can coil some roving into tiny shapes and attach them with glue.
When selecting your scissors, it is recommended to use detail scissors for a more precise cut. For the felting needle, a standard 38-gauge needle can be used, but if you are adding colour to your mushroom with coloured batting, a finer needle, such as a size 40 gauge, may be preferable.
Additionally, you will need a wooden stick with a pointed end to help shape your mushroom. This can be used to create the indent in the base of the mushroom where the stalk will be attached. You can also use a felting mat to lay your wool on while you work.
If you plan to display your mushrooms, you may want to attach them to wooden pegs, acorn caps, or cinnamon sticks. These can then be glued onto twigs or wooden discs to create a decorative piece.
With the right tools and materials, you'll be well on your way to creating a beautiful needle-felted mushroom.
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The stalk: Create a small, circular indent at the base
To create a small, circular indent at the base of your needle-felted mushroom, start by poking your felting needle up into the centre of the base. You should turn and felt at the same time, and you will feel the area start to firm up. Be careful not to poke yourself with the needle. It is important that the base remains a little springy.
To make the stalk, take a long length of white carded wool or wool top and hold it about 6 inches down the length, separating it with your free hand. The second and third mushrooms will use 8-inch and 10-inch lengths of wool. Lay the smallest length on your felting mat and place the wooden stick (pointed end) across the end of the wool.
Hold the wool firmly in place and start to wrap the wool tightly around the stick. Wind it about 1 to 1 1/2 inches down the stick from the point, keeping your thumb and forefinger at the base to prevent it from slipping and lengthening. The shape will resemble fairground candyfloss.
Using your felting needle at a diagonal angle to avoid hitting the stick, poke the needle into the wool. This will tangle the wool and hold it in place. Felt gently down the side of the stick to avoid breaking the needle. Remove the stick and continue to felt the narrow end, keeping the wool loose for attaching it to the base of the mushroom cap.
The stalk needs to be firmer than the cap as it will support the mushroom when stuck to your wooden base. Pop it under the mushroom cap to make sure it sits nicely on top.
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The cap: Blanket stitch cap pieces, then stitch around the top
To make a felt mushroom, you will need to cut out the felt according to the pattern using scissors or a Cricut Maker. The Lia Griffith tutorial suggests making six mushrooms in a mix of colours.
To make the cap, match up two of the cap pieces together and blanket stitch along one side, starting at the outer edge and going up to the top. Use one strand of matching embroidery floss. Then, match up a third cap piece and continue to blanket stitch around the top and then down the side to attach.
The stitches used in this process are blanket stitch and backstitch. Lia Griffith provides a free embroidery guide for beginners.
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Finishing touches: Add dots to the mushroom hat and attach the stem
Now for the fun part: adding the dots to the mushroom hat and attaching the stem!
First, make the dots for the mushroom hat. Create small white tufts of carded wool and felt them onto the mushroom hat. You can also add tiny coils of roving for flowers.
Next, attach the stem to the mushroom hat. Place the frayed stalk end on top of the mushroom cap and gently stab the frayed end into the top. Stab the middle of the stalk and push it into the mushroom. Continue to stab the stalk and top until they are well attached. Take a small piece of brown roving, coil it up to make a circle, and felt it onto the top of the mushroom to hide any white roving that is visible.
Finally, pull off a piece of green roving about 6" long and as thick as your little finger. Felt it around the stalk to cover any remaining white roving. And there you have it—your very own needle-felted mushroom!
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Frequently asked questions
White carded wool or wool top is a good option for felting a mushroom.
You should pull the roving apart and lay the pieces on top of each other. Then, coil the roving to form a circle.
First, fray the end of the stalk and place it on top of the mushroom cap. Stab the frayed end of the stalk into the top of the mushroom cap. Then, stab the middle of the stalk and push it into the mushroom. Continue until the stalk is well attached.
