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Ditch the Overwhelm: Essential Needle Felting Supplies for Beginners (FAQ #2)

January 24, 2025

So, you’re intrigued by the fluffy, whimsical world of needle felting? Maybe you’ve seen some amazing creations and are itching to try it yourself. But where do you even begin? What supplies do you really need to get started? This is a question I get asked all the time, and that’s why I’ve created a new video to address it.

In this second video of my FAQ series, I’m diving into the essential materials you’ll need to begin your needle felting journey. We’re tackling the question: “What materials do I actually need to get started needle felting?”

In this video, you’ll learn

  • The core essentials: What are the must-have tools? I’ll walk you through the must-have items: needles, felting mat, starter wool, an idea, and achievable expectations.
  • Optional extras: What you could use, but don’t really need when you’re just starting out.
  • The truth about kits: Should you buy a beginner’s kit? I’ll give you my honest opinion (and a money-saving tip!).

I know starting a new craft can be overwhelming, with countless options and recommendations out there. My aim with this video is to strip away the noise and show you exactly what you need to get started without breaking the bank. You can focus on creating!

Tools and supplies used in this project

I have included Amazon affiliate links for some of the items below. This means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase. Thank you in advance if you decide to support my work using these links. Doing so helps me continue to create content for you!

Tools

Supplies

Books, kits & tutorials

If you prefer to read rather than watch, here’s what I covered

You don’t need a ton of fancy tools or supplies to begin your needle felting journey. The essentials are pretty straightforward. Let’s take a look at each one.

Needles

First, you’ll need some needles. I recommend starting with 2 or 3 medium-gauge felting needles. These needles are quite delicate, so having a few on hand is smart in case one breaks – and they will break at some point.

Felting mat

Next, a felting mat. This is a soft surface that you’ll work on to protect your work surface and your needle tips. Foam mats or brush-style mats work well.

Wool

Of course, you need some wool. You can start with a variety of wool, but merino wool is a great option. It’s soft and felts together easily, making it beginner-friendly.

An idea

You also need an idea for you’d like to create. This could be something simple like a small ball, a 2D design, or a small animal.

Achievable expectations

Finally, you need to set achievable expectations. While anyone can try needle felting, there are a few things you may want to consider before you spend money on it. Needle felting takes focus, hand/eye coordination, and patience. If you don’t like that sort of crafting, it’s probably not the right craft for you.

I don’t know about you but when I start a new craft, my starry eyes don’t match my skill level. I need to lower my expectations or I’m setting myself up to fail. Where you start is not where you probably want to be. That said, you can level up your needle felting skills relatively quickly. Set yourself up for success by choosing a beginner level project that you’re excited about making and don’t start it when you feel rushed or tired.

Optional tools

While the basics are enough to get you started, there are some other tools that you might want to add to your arsenal eventually. Things like ball headed pins, rulers, awls, and scissors can be useful as you get more experienced. But you really don’t need these to begin.

The truth about needle felting kits

Finally, let’s talk about needle felting kits. There are tons of these on the market, and they can be tempting for beginners. Some of them are fantastic and their price reflects this. You can expect to pay between $25-$80 and that doesn’t include shipping costs. Prices vary depending on the quality of the needles and wool, the type of felting mat, the degree of instruction included, the packaging, and the specifics of the project.

Should you fork over the cash for an expensive kit? I wouldn’t recommend it. Here’s why. The reality is you might not like needle felting. As I mentioned earlier, needle felting requires focus (some people prefer crafts they can do watching a movie), hand/eye coordination, patience, and accepting that it usually takes time for your skill level to match your desired result.

I would suggest buying an inexpensive beginner kit. For me, I started with the Dimensions Fox Kit which has printed instructions. At the time, I believe I paid about $7.00 for it. I didn’t buy an expensive beginner kit until I verified that I kind of like felting and I want to learn more. That’s why I recommend going cheap on your first date with needle felting.

One caveat I will make about the Dimensions Fox kit is that it did not include enough orange wool. I had watched a few of Sarafina Fiber Arts’ videos and understood that the wool would compress significantly. So I scrunched up the orange wool, compared it to the pattern, and could see it would not be enough. I purchased about 2 ounces of a natural white wool before I started the fox. I think I paid around $5 for that. I used it as my base for the fox’s body and head. That way, I didn’t have to worry about running out of orange and I only spent a total of about $12.00.

That was in 2017. It’s a little more today. Amazon sells the Dimensions Fox kit for $9.98 and offers a 1.76 ounce or 50 gram pack of orange wool for $5.99. So even if you bought the extra orange wool on Amazon, your cost could be about $16.00 for a similar experience.

The photos of the cupcakes in the video are from the following photographers

Are there any questions I didn’t address? Did you find my advice helpful? Leave a comment at YouTube for me! I will be planning my future videos based on your questions. Also, please check out the first video in my FAQ series on needle felting if you haven’t already!

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Last Updated on February 11, 2025