Handmade felt crafts: a step-by-step description of techniques for children and adults

Felt crafts with your own hands - a pleasant and useful pastime. The soft, warm and cozy felt can be used for everything from finger toys, apparel and small accessories to upholstered furniture for the nursery.

Felt is ready to be noble and democratic, in skilful hands it turns into wonderful products that you can't be ashamed to give as a present, but you really want to keep for yourself.

About the material

Felt is French for felt. It is a felting material made of natural down or animal wool. Sometimes synthetic fibers are added for durability.

The material does not crumple, it can be cut, ironed, washed. It does not require any special sewing skills. On the contrary, it usually practiced the ability to handle the needle and thread in small children. You can even do without a needle and use a glue gun.

Felt is good not only for hats and coats, seamstresses make from it a lot of useful and enjoyable things. Some of the ideas we share with you today.

Once upon a time our grandmothers and great-grandmothers so used their coats. Patch was used for sewing stuffed animals, large and not very large. Patch was good for sofa cushions and warm covers for stools, the remnants were obtained from the rugs in the hallway. The material does not crumble, and has no difference between the front and back, which means it is very easy to work with.

Tools and materials

In needlework stores, felt is available in different thicknesses, compositions, and a wide range of colors. Usually these are sets of several colors and sheets. Cheap material may have irregularities in thickness and density of felting, creases and folds can spoil the first impression when working with it.

Such shortcomings are sometimes the fault of felt from China. American, Spanish, Korean sets are more expensive, but the quality of the material is much higher.

TIP: Faced with an unfamiliar brand, do not buy a lot of material to spare. Buy a sample, cut it out, sew a few pieces, and then decide if you feel comfortable working with this manufacturer or not.

For work you will need:

scissors;
Sewing thread in a tone of fabric for countersunk connection details;
decorative threads (floss, iris) for finishing;
sewing needles;
glue gun;
padding for volumetric models with synthetic fibers or hollofiber.
Buttons, beads, rhinestones, sequins;
toy eyes;
thermal appliques;
Ribbons, braid, laces, etc.

Popular themes and themes

Most often felt is used to make small decorative knick-knacks, and less often - functional products - slippers, mittens, purses, cosmetics bags, etc.

Subjects of handicrafts varies in accordance with prevailing fashion. Now, for example, a very popular theme of unicorns and owls, exotic in the form of cacti, pelicans and flamingos. The marine theme with mermaids, crabs, starfish and seahorses is also on the crest of a modern wave.

If you're just getting started with felt, before you buy, first choose a model, look at the patterns to see how much by volume and what color fabric you'll need.

Accessories for yourself

From the felt, craftswomen make amazing jewelry: earrings, bracelets, necklaces. The real masterpieces are brooches in the form of three-dimensional flowers, beaded pendants, pins, badges. Insects are popular - dragonflies, butterflies, beetles, as well as sea creatures - dolphins, corals, bright fish and jellyfish.

Pouches, cases and organizers from felt will be functional and unusual handmade gifts for friends, relatives or loved ones.

A cactus made of felt in a small decorative pot will decorate your work table in the office and immediately give away the "big secret" that his mistress is a craftswoman.

Nameboards and birthmarkets for newborns are beautiful decorations and a great gift for happy parents. The baby will grow up and soon be able to play with the soft letters and animals from the set themselves.

Toys made of felt

Felt crafts for kids - bunnies, cats and bears, all that kids love. They are very easy to do, and you can do creative work with your child. Developmental activities with felt are often carried out in kindergartens and creative studios. They perfectly train fine motor skills and develop spatial thinking.

The work algorithm is very simple:

Use the template to transfer the pattern to the fabric.
Cut out the parts.
Sew together with a simple stitch "forward needle" or a decorative buttonhole stitch.
You can use a glue suitable for fabric.
It remains only to decorate funny toys to your liking.

So you can do Smeshariki, other cartoon fairy tale characters and act out entire performances.

Developmental

Education in the game begins at a very early age. Help in this is the letters of the Russian and Latin alphabet made of felt. Fabric is used to sew textile books for babies that can be touched without fear of ripping or getting dirty, because they can be washed and used again.

An interesting idea is toy designers. You can quickly cut out fruits and vegetables from felt. In a couple of hours you get a decent supply of products, for example for pizza: slices of cheese and sausage, slices of carrot and cucumber, olives. They make scrambled eggs, donuts, (American donuts), gingerbread men, even dumplings and sausages.

They assemble breakfast and snack dishes to their liking, making broccoli and tomato soup. The good thing about the collection is that it can be constantly replenished.

Holiday Decorating

For a quick and unburdening holiday decoration, felt is well suited. Even the smallest scraps can be used.

New Year

For New Year's Eve the felt can be used for Christmas garlands, toys and wreaths. The green beauty can be made themed, hanging only felt balls, stars, candy appliques, reindeer and Santa Claus himself.

Soft and fluffy felt well imitates snow drifts, snowmen. New Year's costumes, masquerade accessories are made from it, and it is possible to add felt cute things, for example the symbol of the new year, a pig or a monkey to presents.

Easter

A separate topic - it's handicrafts from felt for Easter. Holiday attributes such as chickens, rabbits, nests with eggs, baskets with Easter gifts, angels, birds, primroses will complement the holiday table with viands and create a warm and cozy atmosphere at home.

Be inspired by our ideas and come up with your own. Creativity knows no bounds, it helps to live more interesting. Good luck and happy crafting!