Dry felting toys. Dry felting toys: a master class for beginners

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Every craftswoman who is fond of needlework has tried to create toys. There are many techniques for making such products. Among them, dry felting of toys has gained wide popularity. This technique is also called felting or felting.

Dry felting technique

In ancient times, carpets, flooring, clothes, hats were made of wool. Now needlewomen are fond of creating decorative items, toys, jewelry and souvenirs from felt. In the process of felting, the wool fibers get tangled and form a dense lump, which in the hands of the fullers acquires the desired shape. The main thing is to take into account that the initially taken amount of wool during felting will shrink by 2-3 times. Therefore, when creating toys using the dry felting technique, you need to stock up on the necessary amount of material.

If irregularities have formed in the product, they can be patched up by adding additional pieces of wool. Often, dry felted toys are created from several parts, which are made separately, and then connected by nailing one element to another usingsmall pieces of wool.

Felting tools

This type of needlework, like dry felting toys, does not require special equipment. In the initial set, it is enough to have needles of different diameters and sections. You will also need a synthetic winterizer, from which the felting work begins. It is inexpensive, therefore, for the manufacture of large toys, it is taken as the basis for a future product. You also need wool for the top layer, which wraps the prepared part from the padding polyester and clings to the base.

Many people use such a tool as a needle holder. It is a plastic or wooden handle with holes that holds several needles at once. The needle holder speeds up the work process, helping to capture more of the area.

Dry felting of toys cannot be done on a hard surface. A needle that pierces the product through and through can break from hitting the table. To avoid this, you need a special felting mat, brush or foam sponge.

More about felting needles

The whole felting process is done with needles of different sizes. The felting needle does not have an eyelet, its shape resembles a poker and can be up to 13 cm long. Needles are classified according to the number and shape of the section. The thickest ones are marked No. 32-No. 36 and are used at the beginning of work, but leave behind large punctures in the product. Therefore, having compacted the parts, the needle is changed to a medium one with the number 38. With its help, recesses are formed, the main work and decoration of the toy are performed. Needle number 40polish the product and finalize the decor. The needle should be changed when it does not fit well into the part of the craft. If you do needlework such as dry felting toys, for beginners it will be enough for three needles of different diameters with a triangular cross section. This form is the most common and can be used at all stages of work, only the number of the needle changes. There are those that have a stellate section. They are used to polish the product. The crown needle helps to attach decorative elements without deforming them. There is also a reverse section needle that tears out the inner layers of the base. It is used by professional craftsmen to give the toy a natural color of different shades.

Needle workflow

In the process of felting, the needle is continuously stuck into the ball of wool, penetrating deep and grabbing the fibers. At the same time, the fibers are tangled and crushed until the workpiece acquires sufficient density.

Felting needles are very sharp, so use them with extreme care. During felting, you should not be distracted, otherwise you risk seriously injuring yourself. When working with a needle, the felt product cannot be kept on weight; it must be placed on a special device that cannot be knocked down. When working, the needles cannot be tilted and moved, but you need to keep them perpendicular to the craft, as they are very brittle.

Wool variety

Toys in the technique of dry felting are made of sheep wool. Especially appreciatedAustralian and New Zealand merino wool, which has its own differences.

Felt boots and toys are made from coarse sheep wool, which are obtained with shaggy wool.

Bleached, which can be easily dyed at home, is called bleaching. It is used as a base or to create a light background.

Sheep wool is called wool from small hairs left after combing. It can be used when stuffing toys.

Sliver is the cheapest undyed wool. It is used as a filler, on which the main layer of the desired color is applied.

Semi-fine merino wool. Used for finishing products.

Also, dry felted toys are made from camel and goat hair.

How to connect parts correctly

If you have never worked with wool and you are interested in dry felting toys, it is important for beginners to know how to connect the individual parts to each other. After you have piled the parts of the toy separately, the main thing is to attach them correctly to the body. The place of attachment should not be as tight as the whole product. Working with a needle, you need to bypass these places, leaving them loose. The wool of the part to be joined should sink deep and be firmly fixed inside. We pin the element to the body with pins and find the correct position. After that, with a thick needle, we fill the wool of the part inside the body, achieving a strong connection. After making sure that the part sits firmly enough, level the surface and close the seamseparate tufts of wool with a medium-sized needle. Having sealed the joints, they can be sanded with a thin needle.

How to fluff the item

Toy made of wool can be fluffed in two ways:

- using reverse needle;

- by attaching separate bundles of wool.

Craftswomen basically fluff up a ready-made polished toy with all the attached details. Sticking the reverse needle into the body, we pull the wool fibers out. Try to make punctures close to each other so that the toy has thick fur without bald spots. Depending on the size of the product, it may take several hours to fluff. After the work is completed, the fur can be model-cut, giving the toy a finished look.

The second method of fluffing involves the external piling on the craft of thin strands of wool. Starting from the bottom of the toy, we apply the middle of the strand to the body and attach it with a No. 38 needle. Thus, we increase the wool in a circle of the product. Then we lower all the strands down. We attach the following bunches, stepping back 1 cm from the bottom row. The work will be completed when you fluff the entire surface intended for wool.

Mixing colors

If you want to make toys with your own hands, dry felting makes it possible to make the animal as natural and lively as possible. Mixing six different shades will help to give the toy a natural color. This can be done both at the beginning of work, creating details of the future product, and by rolling wooldifferent colors.

If you choose the first method, a lump of wool of the same color is taken as the basis and slightly rolled over, then wrapped in the color of the animal's future skin and also rolled over. The color will mix during the reverse needle phase. The needle will release the wool inside and partially fluff the outer layer. During the process, the toy will acquire an interesting, life-like shade. The main thing is to choose colors that are close to the animal's coat.

To create stripes, the method of fluffing by felting is suitable. Only in this case, you need to increase the hair, alternately changing the color of the strands at a distance you determine. This method is suitable for toys with long hair. To create short-haired animals, the strand must be firmly rolled along its entire length, creating a schematic arrangement of stripes on the body. Then fluff with reverse needle.

Dry felting toys: a master class for felting toys on a frame

The process of felting is a very exciting activity. It calms and gives you the opportunity to think and dream.

Consider for beginners a small MK. Dry felting of toys can be done using a frame. Let's create a doll from wool. To work, you will need chenille wire, from which cut pieces 8 and 14 cm long, wool for felting of different colors - it depends on the invented image. 38 triangular needle for starter, 40 for full compaction, and 40 star needle for sanding, felting sponge.

Forto create a frame, fold a piece of wire 14 cm long in half, it will serve as legs. Insert the second piece for the hands into the loop. Twist the wire several times, forming a torso. Next, leave 5 cm of wire free for the legs. Depending on what position the pupa will take, bend the frame. It can be the bends of the knees, feet, elbows and hands. Wrap the entire frame of the product with strands of wool, gradually securing it with a felting needle. Wind a little more wool around the body and hands, increasing the volume.

To make a head, you need to form a woolen ball and felt it with a needle, achieving a diameter of no more than 2 cm. Then tear off a long and wide strand, wrap it around the doll's head, tucking it in if necessary, and secure with a small piece, creating a neck. Distribute the hanging hair in front and behind the body, attach the head and roll the strands to the frame.

Next, you need to put a dress on the doll. To do this, take the wool of the desired color and begin to roll strands vertically to the waist line, creating a skirt. Having rolled strands around the entire body of the doll, cut off the ends so that the lower edge of the skirt is even. To form the top, wind the strands around the doll's torso, securing them with a 40 needle.

In the same way, you can make ballet flats or sleeves for the doll. The handles can be bent and placed in the palms of a flower. Finish the look with a matching hairstyle.

When choosing dry felting toys as needlework, you should know that this work is very painstaking and requires perseverance and patience.