Your favorite craft projects probably all involve materials. Whether you prefer to create a bunch of paper flowers for display or knit a cozy wool scarf for the colder months, there are plenty of ways to express your creativity through crafting. Felt is the material of choice here, and it works equally well for making some wonderful home essentials and accessories.
Fun fact: Felt is actually made from wool. This fabric can be needle felted or wet felted. In turn, old sweaters can be turned into unique souvenirs, gifts, and toys. Speaking of worn-out clothes, you can give a new look to some worn-out items with needle felting: colorful patches made of durable felt will easily hide any holes or weak spots, such as elbows, making them more stylish. Felt can also make your home decor more fashionable. With this textile, you can create a variety of designs using the needle felting technique that will best suit your interior design. One of our favorites? A pillowcase. This way, you can create personalized home decor using sweaters from your closet, including sleeves and belts.
Get the kids involved with a variety of fun felt projects. Kids will love creating penguins, pigs, chickens, lambs and more to build their own private farm. We’ve also covered more activities that are great for the whole family to get involved in. Keep reading to see all of our best felt projects for every aspect of your life.
Turn uneven wool fibers into colorful, bouncy felt balls. The size of each felt piece is up to you. Whether you want to make a marble-like ball or a large ball like a tennis ball, let your imagination run wild. The idea behind this project is to dip wool fibers (deformed felt balls) into a solution. Simply add hot, soapy water to the solution. After that, you can shape them yourself and let them dry.
Add more stylish decor to your home in an easy and stress-free way. Simple details like pillows can make your space feel more spacious. In this craft, needle felting involves interweaving wool fibers with each puncture of a serrated tool. This handmade pillow features details made from three types of wool. The pillow features swirls of yellow merino wool, three yarn patterns (one with loose square knots), and oval felt cutouts, all attached to the pillow fabric using the needle felting process.
The soft fluff of a chick is very attractive, and you can recreate this inviting texture with wool yarn: use it to make yellow chicks and decorate a wicker basket with them. First, roll the yellow yarn into a long oval; poke it with a needle a few times to get a feel for it. Give it shape and density by poke it a few more times through the head, neck and tail. Once the desired shape is achieved, cover it with another layer of roving to soften the look. To make the wings, lay the roving out on the mat and poke it with a needle. Attach the wing to the body by prying up the front edge. Roll small pieces of black roving and poke them into the face for eyes. Roll the orange yarn and poke it into the muzzle to make a beak. Trace the flower lines with a marker. Cut two 4″ lengths of roving, twist them and thread them through the body for the legs. Cut two more 2″ lengths of yarn and bend them into a small V shape; twist them to the legs to form the feet.
There’s nothing quite like snuggling up in a warm blanket, but there’s nothing quite like being under a blanket you’ve knitted yourself. A polka dot pattern in ivory, cream, and marigold adorns a medium-weight wool blanket, adding subtle color and interest to this casual design. To make this DIY blanket, cut out round pieces of felt in varying sizes. Then, use needle felt to sew them onto a blanket, throw, or shawl. You can use store-bought felt or make your own. The blanket is made from about three yards (127 cm) of wool fabric.
Use felt to turn an old sweater into a new pair of warm mittens. To make your own gloves, place your hands on the pattern sheet and trace around the design. Leave a 1/2-inch seam allowance all the way around the pattern. Cut out the shape of the glove from paper. Place the pattern on the sweater so that the wrist is at the bottom edge of the sweater. Sew around the edges using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn the glove inside out and iron it flat.
These tiny plush toys – Fair Isle lambs, Twist chickens and Argyle pigs – are so cute and simple, you’ll want to build an entire farm for them. The felt collection is just as beautiful, with every detail carefully considered. Floppy ears and wings are just some of the unique features that make them more realistic than the real thing. Our lambs, chickens and piglets also range from 5 to 8 inches tall, so you can make them in a variety of sizes.
This soft woven basket is 10 inches tall and is made from crisp white Aran sweater. Another little perk of this handmade basket? It can hold more craft supplies like yarn, sewing needles, etc. Assembling this basket is also a breeze. To get started, you just need to prepare your materials including the sweater you need, scissors, and some basic sewing supplies. Then, you only need to follow three steps to complete it.
Create a vintage clutch with a unique, distinctive style. First, trace the purse template onto the fabric: Lay the outer fabric flat. Place the template for the outer fabric a few inches from one end of the fabric. Trace around the template with a disappearing marker. Turn the template over and trace along the dotted line again; this will form one side of the purse. Repeat to trace the other side of the purse. Transfer the pattern to the fabric. Cut 3/4-inch circles from felt, enough to cover both sides of the purse. Place the felt cut-outs on top of the two traced purse outlines. Place a felt pin cushion underneath and use a felt needle to pin the center and edges of each cutout; continue to punch until the fibers are evenly distributed to the back. Brush both sides with water and iron on the wool setting. Trace the template and cut out the fabric: Trace the outer fabric template onto the two needlepunched areas. Cut out the sides of the purse. Continue following the rest of the tutorial, gluing the paper pieces to the backing, etc.
The three pillowcases are made up of the sweater body, sleeves, and waistband. Choose a pillowcase that matches the design of your felt sweater. The white pillowcase is made up of a cashmere sweater that is sewn together at one end; the other end is secured with ribbon (a 3/4-inch strip rolled up and sewn with a lockstitch). To tuck the pillow in, fold another piece of fabric over the edge and sew one end to the pillowcase. The orange pillowcase is an envelope (with pleats at the corners) made from scraps of the sweater body and sleeves. For the tan pillowcase, sew the sleeves together to create a patchwork top; secure with a zig-zag stitch.
Keep little ones warm with this adorable felt hat. Measure or estimate the circumference of the recipient’s head and divide the result by two. Then enlarge the template using a copy machine so that its length (from front to back) is 1/2 inch less than half the circumference; then cut it out. Using the template as a guide, cut out another hat piece from felted wool; turn the template over and cut out another hat piece so that it is a mirror image of the first hat piece. Using a zig zag stitch and contrasting thread, sew the darts onto each hat piece. Using a zig zag stitch and contrasting thread, sew the two hat pieces together. Thread three strands of worsted weight yarn onto a tapestry needle and pass it through one ear flap (marked on the template) to the middle of the yarn. Divide the remaining six strands of yarn into three equal parts and braid them. Tie a knot at the end and trim. Repeat this process with the other earcup.
This scarf with crisp white blocks on a yellow background is inspired by the ombre technique, a fabric dyeing technique that creates subtle color gradients. The fuzzy ends of the merino wool yarn make it easy to create the ombre effect. You can attach the thick yarn to an existing scarf or start with a piece of knitted wool. We simply need to cut the cashmere fabric into pieces of the desired size. To create the fringed edge, gently pull some of the yarn across the width of the sides.
Looking for a stunning outerwear accessory? Then these felt flower embroidery pins are just what you need. And to make them, you only need to master a few stitching techniques: backstitch, French knot, split stitch, and straight stitch. If you mix and match colors, this portable garden will quickly become a masterpiece. There’s no chart to transfer, so you can try out different stitches and patterns as you go.
Babies and toddlers will love these shoes that will keep their feet warm and comfortable. And they look cute, too. Handmade shoes are also easy to sew: just use the template and add a few design details like embellishments, punches, and snaps to make them perfect. These comfy baby booties come in a variety of colors and are sure to be a bright fashion statement whenever you wear them.
With simple felt covers, your bookshelf can take on a whole new look. Colorful felt covers in spaces like offices and kitchens can actually hide clutter and make the space more functional. You can also customize the size of the felt cover to suit your creative needs. So, instead of making a standard size, you can measure the dimensions and create a final product that works best for your space. A few more tools, like velcro and supplies from the hardware store, can help you complete these steps.
This handmade decorative piece is sure to add a unique touch to your home. The camel design is made from white wool roving and is complemented by an embroidered roving blanket, all details are needle felted. Like many of our felt items, this beautiful accessory only takes about an hour to make. Since you can skip the pipe cleaning step and simply hang it as a decoration, this project will take less time than others.
These arctic animals are made into felt (fluffy) souvenirs. Not only do these penguins and polar bears make great decorations for the colder months, they are also fun crafts for kids and adults to do in cold weather. Although each animal takes about an hour to make, they are quite easy to assemble. Wool roving, felting needles, and a felting pillow are all you need.
Give the mugs and cups in your kitchen some love with some signature accessories. Using just a felting needle, wool yarn, and buttons, you can easily make these cozy needle felt cup covers. You can also decorate it with heart-shaped patterns or spell out the word “love” to add some color to your home. We used bright, warm colors to create this collection of cozy pieces.
Hot water bottles are one of life’s little blessings. A soft felt cover makes them even more cozy and makes a great gift. If you want to take the easy way out of this project, you’re in luck. This felt hot water bottle cover can be made in just a few steps. First, cut two 10×15 inch pieces of felt. Continue sewing on three sides, then flip. Place the hot water bottle in the container and tie the top with a ribbon.
These felt slippers will bring warmth and comfort to every member of the family. Similar to moccasins, they are easy to put on and take off. The colors are also customizable, so you can match them to your entire family’s style or create custom patterns to match everyone’s personal style. Don’t stop there! Finally, tie each pair of slippers with a ribbon and sign each family member’s name to complete the craft.
All you need is some felt, a pair of serrated scissors, and a quick stitch to share your love with family and friends. This felt bucket bag is the perfect gift to make at home. First, download the template. Then, cut the felt with fabric scissors; fold the edges so they meet in the center. Machine stitch the edges, leaving a 1/4 inch excess; trim with serrated scissors. Finally, mark on paper towels if desired.
This old sweater will keep the cold out, and if you turn it into a felt tripod, it will also protect your table surface from the heat. Machine wash the sweater on the highest setting with detergent. Finally, tumble dry on the highest setting. (You may need to repeat this process to get the right dense felt texture that won’t fall apart or lose its shape.) Cut the felt to any size, then shape it using a rotary cutter or craft scissors.
This case is easy to make and requires just a few straight stitches. Choose from button ties or elastic bands, then add a small pocket for your headphones. Download the templates we’ve created for these cases (we have templates for the iPad with buttons, iPad with elastic, iPad mini, or Kindle) to fit other devices or your favorite books. Then download and print the template of your choice. Following the template instructions, cut out the felt pieces and attach 14-inch elastic to them. Pin the felt and elastic in place. Sew the pockets to the front first, then sew the side seams.
Needle felting can help hide these imperfections, giving your project a fresh, stylish look. To make an elbow patch: Download our elbow patch template. Then simply print and cut out. Place the template on the elbow of your sleeve and trace around it with invisible ink. Place a needle felt pad under the drawn oval on the inside of the sleeve. Place a few skeins of roving next to each other inside the oval. Using a felting tool, poke holes inside the oval so that the fibers move evenly to the back. Continue adding more roving for more thickness, or repeat on another section of the oval. Finally, mist both sides of the oval with water and iron on the wool setting. If you just have a hole, you can place the felt pad on the inside of the sweater and use needle felt to sew a circle or other shape into the hole.
Give your kids a keepsake they’ll treasure forever. This pom-pom red panda has the same adorable face and fur as a real panda. The thickness of the pom-poms is also up to you, so you can really make your craft your own. If you have some worsted weight yarn, felt wool, and a few other craft supplies on hand, you can sew up this adorable little guy in no time.
A wallet and keys are just a few of the essentials you might need when you go out. For convenience, why not create a multi-pocket tote bag? This way, you can store all your daily essentials and be sure that you won’t forget anything when you go out. This multi-pocket tote bag can be combined with felt fabric in different colors to make it more attractive. Also, once made, it is very durable and can be used for many years.