Even the most experienced needlefelter encounters challenges along the way. No matter how skilled you are, there will always be little obstacles that pop up and slow down the process. Here's a guide to some of the most common problems in needlefelting, and how you can solve them.
1. Do needles break? – How to avoid a needle graveyard
One of the first challenges many people encounter is broken needles. This often happens at the beginning when you may not have full control of the technique. Remember: The needle should always be inserted straight in and straight out – never bent. If you feel that you have to use a lot of force to get the needle through the wool, it is time to switch to a finer needle, or if you use several needles, switch to single/fewer needles. A good rule of thumb is to let the needle do the work, not your strength. Watch your work, stay focused on the work. Yes, you will break the most needles in the beginning, but over time this will become less frequent. If one breaks, put the tip in, for example, a metal box so you have control over them and the shaft you can use when you are going to glue something or to get the tip of the glue tube open.
2. The needle does not filter, it just slides through the wool
Have you ever felt like your needle just slides through the wool without really doing anything? This means you're probably using a needle that's too fine too early in the process. The solution is simple: Switch to a coarser needle or use multiple needles at once. Coarser needles "catch" more of the wool, making felting more efficient.
3. Hairy finish
Another frustration can be a hairy finish. The solution is to felt more, going over the entire surface with a finer needle, area by area, perhaps first with a double/triple needle and finally single. Work systematically and make sure that all small loose fibers are attached. Don't work here and there, but area by area, this will give a more even result. There will be a separate blog post about this so stay tuned.
4. Dull needle? – When is it time to change?
Quality needles stay sharp for a long time, but they can become dull over time, especially if used incorrectly or on harder materials. If you see that the tip or barbs have changed, it may be time to replace them. You can also compare using a new needle and feel how it compares to the one you think may be worn. We have used the felting needles we offer on our site for several years without any loss of quality, just as good, so we replace them when they break, but we must be aware that they can deteriorate.
5. The needle barely penetrates the wool
This can happen when the wool starts to become very dense. The solution here is to switch to a single needle or a finer needle, which can more easily penetrate the dense wool. Do not try to force the needle through!
6. The needle makes hole marks
If you see unwanted hole marks in your project, felt more to make it harder and smoother. Switch to a finer needle, or try a twisted needle, which often makes smaller marks in the surface.
7. Details disappear into the wool
When working with details, such as shaping eyes or mouths, it is important to use a finer needle. A coarse needle will often push the details too far into the wool, causing them to "disappear" into the project. Use a fine needle to work on the surface details, and take your time to get them exactly how you want them. This is often where the magic of the figure lies.
8. The needle hits the fixture – How to avoid it
If you use a fixture (such as a metal wire, pipe cleaner, etc.) inside your figure, it can be annoying to hear the characteristic "crunching" sound when the needle hits the metal. To avoid this, work more slowly and precisely around the fixture. You can also wrap a little more wool around the fixture before continuing to felt.
9. Can't attach, for example, an arm to the body?
If attaching parts like arms or legs to the main body of a figure can be challenging, always remember to leave a little loose wool where they will be attached. A spiral needle (preferably a double) can also be a great help here. It grips the wool better and helps to hold the parts together, bonding wool to wool. Try adding a little extra loose wool between the parts to be attached to get a stronger bond.
10. Not happy with facial details
Face, expression and symmetry can be difficult. Take your time, you will learn eventually and the face does not have to be perfectly symmetrical. If it is completely hopeless then take the wool and start again, or maybe just try to make a new face on the back of the head, and put a hat over the one you never got to. You can also mark the wool with a marker that you then filter over, or tie a thread around the head, both horizontally and vertically if you think it makes it easier to place the eyes, nose/snout and mouth, the thread is cut off when you have got the eyes/mouth/snout on.
11. Are you stuck?
Phew, it happens to everyone, but here are some tricks. Look at your work all the time, stop the needle if you have to look away. You can use leather finger protectors for your thumb and index finger. You can hold your work with a clip (clothespin, sausage clip/large tweezers, for example). You can also fold a protector in cardboard/plastic/leather, shaped like an M, then you can hold, for example, the ear, hand or finger you are going to felt (see picture.)
Needle felting can be challenging, but with these solutions in hand, you don't have to fear the common problems that arise. Remember that everyone who needle felts experiences challenges, and that it's part of the learning process. Over time, you'll find your own methods and techniques for overcoming these little obstacles, and your felting will become even more satisfying. If you want needle felting patterns and classes , we have them.
Do you have any tips or tricks of your own for solving felting problems? Feel free to share them in the comments - then we can all learn! Unfortunately, we can't reply to comments here, BUT we read them all!
Happy felting, and remember: There is always a solution, wool is easy to correct with, much easier than with drawing, painting or ceramics we think 😊