Q&A for How to Needle Felt

Yes, I think you can recycle wool sweater and scarves for needle felting. It might be a bit complicated though. Personally, I would use it for small parts like eyes, noses, and dots. It might take some poking to get it to stick, so I'm not sure if it's "practical," but I do think it's possible.

Because felting needles have notches to catch fibers, their structural integrity is already compromised and will snap easily instead of bending. To keep your needles from breaking it is important to only move the needle directly up and down while you're working and to gauge if your needles are encountering anything within the piece that is causing them to bend (such as wire or a very dense mass of fiber).

One of the reasons could be because beginners may find it harder to work with a small amount and may feel like they will poke themselves. Beginners are also more likely to over-felt.

No, felting needles have little barbs on the end and cannot be replaced by using any other type of needle.

Yes, you can. You can also 'spin' your dog's fur into yarn. Just pluck the hairs out of the brush and pack it into a baggy to compress it. You can add some wool roving as well. It'll be unique!

Yes; check Dye Felted Wool for instructions for doing so.

I have used a broken hair pin in the past, which worked. You really just need something sharp and small. A needle will work best, however.

Yes, you can use your dog's fur, since it works just as well for felting as other materials and it'll be a little easier to get than wool. Just make sure it is clean first.

Yes, you can, and also Angora goat's hair. When collecting hair from an animal, you must get the soft hair that usually grows around the chest. This is sometimes called down hair, it is soft and fuzzy. The hard, outside hair of dogs will not spin or felt easily. This is called guard hair, like the hair on your head and arms. Dogs that live in colder climates have more down hair for insulation during winter. The shed this hair in summer so they won’t be so hot. Sheep and Angora rabbits have mostly down hair.

Yes, you can felt with brushed yarn. It is typically made from synthetic materials or animal fibers brushed to create a soft, fluffy texture, which can work well for felting projects.

No, you cannot. Felting needles are specifically designed with barbs to entangle fibers, a characteristic not found in regular sewing needles, making them unsuitable for needle felting. There are no direct alternative needles for this process. When purchasing felting needles, it is advisable to buy several, as they can break easily.

Place a nonstick surface (bubble wrap with bumps up/silicone mat) on work area. Put cookie cutter on mat. Build thin wool layers inside cutter; lay a base layer of carded wool perpendicular to final grain, then add thinner layers crosswise for even coverage. Keep wool slightly over cutter edges. Sprinkle warm soapy water to wet fibers; press gently so wool conforms to cutter. Cover with netting/thin plastic and rub/roll over cutter area to begin felting—use a rolling mat or roll the cutter between towels. Periodically remove cutter to check; continue agitating until fibers fuse and hold shape. Rinse, roll in towels to remove water, reshape inside cutter if needed, then air‑dry.

Yes — cat hair (and other pet fur) can be felted if it's predominantly undercoat/shed fur with fine, scalable fibers. Collect loose, clean fur (not oily, matted or recently treated). Mix with wool (30–70% fur) — pure fur felts poorly and can be fragile. Card or tease fibers together for even texture.

Yes — old cashmere can be felted, but it’s delicate and behaves differently from sheep wool. Mix shredded cashmere with stronger wool (30–70% cashmere) so the wool provides structure and felting ability.

Yes, a stable base is strongly recommended. You can create a wet-felted background by laying wool fibers on a resist or temporary frame and fulling them together, which requires no permanent base. Alternatively, needle-felt directly onto a dense wool felt or pre-felt backing for support. For display, you can stitch or glue your finished felt onto canvas, fabric, or a wooden panel, using a pre-felt or thick felt for durability and to prevent sagging, and securing the edges when mounting.

You should use wool specifically labeled as 'felting wool.' This type of wool is commonly available in crafting stores.