Tag: craft therapy

How To Needle Felt With Confidence

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NEEDLE FELTING ISN’T HARD, BUT STARTING A NEW CRAFT CAN SOMETIMES FEEL A LITTLE DAUNTING

When someone tells me they can’t needle felt, or tried and failed, I can say with absolute confidence that it has nothing to do with ability. In fact, the two most common reasons why people fail at needle felting is lack of confidence and trying to run before they can walk. I really hope after reading this you will be able to start your needle felting journey with a newfound confidence, and enthusiasm.

ENTHUSIASM – It’s all you need to get started; if you have that then you are 75% of the way there. The other 25% is learning the basics first. Once you have done that (and it doesn’t take long at all) you can then start to build towards (in a realistic way) those wonderful projects you have seen on Pinterest. Nobody shows up anywhere with a set of skills already in place, be it learning a new language, instrument, crafts etc. Almost everything we do has to be learned, and practiced to become proficient. Think back to when you learned to tie your shoe laces. It seemed so hard at the time, but soon you didn’t need to think about it. Needle felting is no different, in-fact it’s easier because there are no tricky patterns, or awkward knots to fathom.

DON’T SET UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS OF YOURSELF – Do you know of anyone who has achieved anything without some degree of effort. More to the point, what would be the point in starting out at the top of our game. As humans are programmed to set goals, strive to improve ourselves. Imagine what a boring world it would be if we all suddenly woke up to find we could get to the top of Mount Everest, be proficient at guitar playing, build a house, type a hundred words a minute…

START WITH THE BASICS– The best way to start is with simple shapes that will become part of a whole. In just an hour – yes, you heard that right – you will be able to learn how to create simple shapes, use your felting needle, and attach parts together to complete a project. This hare is one of my most popular beginners projects. Click the button below to learn how to needle felt simple shapes; the start of your felting journey.

START YOUR JOURNEY HERE

TOP TOP TIP – ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE A BEGINNER! It’s often hard to find your confidence when you start needle felting, even harder if you haven’t done any crafting before, so tackling those fears is the first hurdle. The second hurdle is finding a good tutorial and materials guide that will give you the best chance of success. I can help with both of those things but you have the most important job, and that’s allowing yourself to be a beginner. And, as sure as eggs is eggs, if you don’t allow yourself a period of ‘learning’ grace you are setting yourself to fail. In fact, you have to get it wrong in order to succeed and believe me, when it comes to needle felting success comes very quickly.

FEAR OF FAILURE – TIME TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE

We are, so often, our own worst critics, and we use it as self preservation technique so we don’t have to start something i.e. a new craft. We literally talk ourselves out of it before we have even tried. It is like a fail safe but it can be very self destructive. So, time to change the narrative and, when you think to yourself, ‘I’ve failed’ simply change the statement to ‘I have learned’, and see how that self doubt just falls away. Each time you do this your confidence will grow, as will your skill set. Changing the mindset, that makes you way too hard on yourself, is the most important thing you will learn when it comes to starting a new craft, and that confidence will also find its way into many other aspects of our life.

This Calla Lily looks so realistic you would think it had taken months of practice. Not so! It is made using very simple techniques that any beginner can manage. If you fancy trying it then click below to watch the free tutorials and grab the materials list.

LET’S MAKE FLOWERS!

FEAR OF WHAT OTHERS WILL THINK

We often spend so much time worrying what others will say and, the truth is, they will probably be super impressed that you are learning a new skill. If not then the problem is probably their own self confidence and lack of courage to try something new themselves. Ask yourself who you are doing it for? The answer should always be you! If you really struggle then don’t show your felt creations to anyone until you feel ready, and then not at all if that is how you feel.

CRAFTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE FUN…

Always remember, you are doing this for you and no one else. Crafts are all about you, and the enjoyment of just making, so try and loose yourself in those creative moments.

NEVER COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS!

Be realistic and always remember that they started off exactly the same way as you…as a complete beginner! If you are on chapter 1 and they are chapter 5 then it’s hardly a fair comparison, and it’s a sure fire way to ruin your day, and knock your confidence at the same time. Find your needle felting feet, learn the basics well, then start to look for inspiration. Also, it is completely normal to think ‘I will never be able to make that’. Honestly, time and practice will change your mind.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF CRAFTS

Anxiety, loneliness, isolation and depression have never been more prevalent than they are in today’s society, and with good reason; a global pandemic, climate change, rising prices, job insecurity, fear for our kids, caring for others, the list goes on and on… But, amidst all of that, the world is still full of great people and creativity. If we just prescribed ourselves some craft therapy on a regular basis then everything will feel calmer, more grounded, safer. And, if that is just for the time you are involved in something that distracts you from the daily stresses and strains it will allow you to go about your day in a much better state of mind.

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT YOU DO AS LONG AS YOU DO IT

If not needle felting then a jigsaw, sewing, growing house plants, gardening, reading, knitting, colour by numbers, in fact anything that requires your undivided attention. Even though it can be hard it is so important to create a little time to focus on yourself, even if only for half an hour. And fortunately needle felting is incredibly portable so, if you can’t find a quiet space or the household won’t leave you alone, I have often found the loo to be a good alternative. As I said, needle felting is very portable 😉

ARE YOU READY TO START NEEDLE FELTING NOW?

Let’s get going. The video tutorial below is an introduction to creating a really simple shape that will become the most important technique you will learn when first starting needle felting. It can be made in just 5-10 minutes and will act as the structure, or scaffolding for the rest of your project. My tutorials are very workshop style and are the nearest thing to one of my in person classes. Simplicity and speed are the cornerstone of all my tutorials and I am always looking for new techniques to help improve your needle felting journey as well as give you the confidence to fall in love with this craft as much as I have. I have added links for the playlist that will teach you how to complete hares, sheep, mice, foxes, badgers, gnomes and too many to mention, with ease. You just need to be enthusiastic and willing to learn.

DON’T HAVE ANY NEEDLE FELTING EQUIPMENT?

All needle felting kits and supplies can be found on HERE on the Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts website

QUICK DO’S AND DON’TS GUIDE TO NEEDLE FELTING

Click HERE for my quick do’s and don’ts guide to needle felting.

NEEDLE FELTING VIDEO TUTORIALS – BEGINNERS PLAYLIST

MAKE ALL THE NEEDLE FELTED THINGS!

Needle felted hares and sheep are always popular for beginners, needle felted gnomes and pumpkins can be made in just 30 minutes, and why not rustle up a macaron or two in just 15 minutes! Needle felting ideas and tutorials are endless so checkout the menus at the top of the page and make all the needle felted things!

Tea, Cake, Creativity, and Community, During a Pandemic

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There is absolutely no denying it has been the crappiest of crappy years and I have learned much throughout the last 16 months (including proper grown-up knitting) and, whilst I have always had a passion for crafts as therapy, this past year has showed me, more than ever, just how crucial it is for better mental health. Tea, cake, creativity, and online community has been my mental fuel and I can say, hand on heart, there hasn’t been a single day for the past year where I wasn’t excited to get out of bed and embark on another work day. Crafts not only give us immense joy but also serve as a coping mechanism during times of stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. It allows us to focus completely on the project in front of us and park our troubled thoughts for a while. We may not have been able to meet up with our creative companions but we have been able to discover the true importance of the online world and the creative community we have been able to share with through our screens.

Crafters do it online!

Testament to this are the many lovely messages, emails and reviews I receive from so many customers and people who have found my online resources. Quite honestly, some of the messages left me a hot emotional mess. I say hot and emotional because I am also going through menopause which is a whole other conversation (thank goodness for HRT) and one that I know many of you understand and have personal  experience of. It is yet another topic severely affecting women that I think we should discuss more openly and not allow others to dismiss as ‘women’s troubles’. Like I said, that’s a whole other conversation…

Hopefully, we will be doing this again soon.

The point is that crafts are the mainstay of my life, not just as business but as a lifestyle, a vocation, my mental prop, my passion and, outside of my family (which of course includes the dog) my purpose. What I have also noticed, since the start of the pandemic, is the joy and satisfaction of really simple needle felting projects. I don’t know about you but the events of the last year has seen my thoughts meandering all over the place, and the need for a simple craft project – one you can just pick up without the need for thinking, planning, or tutorials – has become really important to me; recent bumble bee brooches and spring garlands being good examples you may have seen here on the blog. Creative repetitiveness is quite meditative and blocks out the noisy world much better than any set of headphones, although headphones plus crafts pretty much has you covered.

My free resources are there to encourage, and cajole anyone who is interested into trying a new craft, any craft in fact. My YouTube channel now has 40+ video tutorials and the blog now has too many to count. They are there not only to teach but to help improve your mental health and ease the soul. Start creating something and you will soon wonder where the day went, along with all the stresses and anxious thoughts that kept you awake last night. My resources are also a thank you to all the people who continue to support small independent creative businesses, mostly run by women who, like me, are also spending a lot of time multi tasking, not only their own lives but the lives of their nearest and dearest. We sometimes wonder why more women take up crafts than men and, for me, the simple answer is that many many women carry a huge emotional workload that so many men don’t. That’s not stereotype, it’s fact. Many women won’t even recognise it as emotional workload, but more as just mental list: house work, kids health and well being, planning visits, holidays and packing (often for the whole family), shopping, doctors, dentists, care of the mental health of loved ones, pets, important calendar dates, managing finances, planning for the future, worrying about the future, chronic illness, the list is long and endless and this last year has increased that ten fold! And yes, men do have this too but the fact is that it is still mostly women who are the bearers of these huge emotional stresses, the linchpin of the household and many working a full time job to boot. Now add menopause and hormones into the mix and you realise that women are pretty amazing creatures, and most don’t even realise it! No wonder we love crafts. It keeps us sane in a complicated and, often insane world.

So my best advice is, women keep on filling your creative boots, soothe your soul, drink tea, eat cake and keep falling down the craft rabbit holes of YouTube, Pinterest, and of course my blog. They know where you are if they need you, they always do because you made sure of it x

Tea + Cake + Creativity equals this face!

Subscribe below if you want to receive a notification every time I post something new. I have just done some major housekeeping on the blog and website – no small task for one so technically challenged – so it should be much easier to navigate and find what you are looking for. Just click on the menus for the drop down options. Happy creating!

How To Needle Felt Mushrooms – Easy Tutorial

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This tutorial uses the super easy, soft sculpture technique style of needle felting., using soft core wool. Once you have tried it you will fall in love with its simplicity and versatility. If you want to go straight to the mushroom tutorial click below, if you want to learn a little more before you start then read on.

Types Of Needle Felting

There are so many wool options for needle felting that it can make the room spin but really, needle felting mostly falls into just three categories. Yes, there are more but these are the most commonly used, and all you need to be familiar with when you are just starting out.

1 Flat felting: Pictures, brooches and, in my case, really big bunny ears

Flat felting: Needle Felted Picture

2 Firm sculpture: I like to use the coarse British wool tops/roving for this style.

Firm felting: Needle felted hares with flat felted ears

3 Soft sculpture (it’s really squidgy): Uses wool batting sheets (wool that has been carded into short fibres) and core wool, which is essentially stuffing and is what you wrap your batting sheet around.

Soft needle felted sculpture: it’s really squidgy

Creating needle felted soft sculpture is so easy and there is no end to what you can create; pumpkins are my favourite and there’s a video for that too. All you need is some wool batting, core wool, a felting base (foam pad or hessian mat) or a needle felting kit.

What Is Core Wool?

I just want to quickly talk about core wool as it often causes confusion. Core wool, for soft sculpture, is like toy stuffing and you wrap the batting sheet around it. It is made up of uneven, short fibres and is a little bit lumpy; perfect for our project. It is usually the ‘scraps’ of wool that can’t be used for firm felting or spinning, is cheaper than wool tops/roving and is mostly white or grey.

Five minute tutorial

Here’s a quick guide to making a mushroom cap with core wool at the centre. This only takes around five minutes or you can watch the video tutorial which also works alongside the, ‘Shroom With A View’ needle felting kit.


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1 Scrunch the core wool firmly into the shape of a bread roll and hold the centre to keep in place. Use your felting needle in a straight in and out motion (around the sides) to secure the shape. TIP: It doesn’t matter if the shape is uneven or untidy because the whole piece will soon be covered. Continue turning and felting the whole piece for a few minutes until you have your rough shape and size; it will be really squidgy, quite loose and won’t be a perfect shape.

2 Lay your wool batting sheet on your felting pad and put your core wool in the centre. Pull the batting sheet firmly around your core wool and felt into the centre.

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3 Gather the batting firmly towards the centre, so it doesn’t have any sags, and felt in place. Pull away any excess. Top Tip: Only felt in the centre as this will keep the top and sides of your mushroom free of needle marks.

4 Your finished ‘shroom cap ready for it’s spots and maybe a chimney or two.

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Take Me To Full Mushroom Turorial

The possibilities are endless Once you have learned this quick and easy technique you will soon be making, well anything and every thing you want; enchanted gardens, pumpkins, ‘shrooms, snowmen. The list goes on and on and I am still trying to give away the mountain of pumpkins I made last year.

Supplies If you don’t have any wool or needles then they can all be found on the website, alongside the ‘Shroom With A View and Honey Pot Cottage needle felting kits. TAKE ME TO WEBSITE

TAKE ME TO PUMPKIN TUTORIAL

WATCH HEDGEHOG TUTORIAL

If you are brand new to needle felting then pop over to the essential blog post for beginners: THE DO’S AND DON’TS OF NEEDLE FELTING

Happy creating x

Est. 2013
© 2013 Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts

We need craft therapy, now more than ever!

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For the first time in my 51 years I am suffering from, what I can only assume, is anxiety. I am usually pretty chilled and my glass is almost always half full. Yet, my stomach is in knots, I can’t switch off, my heart is constantly fluttering, I’m frequently feeling overwhelmed, and fight or flight mode is firmly in the ‘on’ position. I’m worried for those who are going to suffer terrible financial hardships over the coming year and for the kids where school is a safe haven and a place where they get most, if not all of their nutrition. Ring any bells? Well of course it does. It is a universal feeling and we are all suffering – to one extent or another – the same emotions. Much of what we take for granted will be out of reach for some time and many of us (myself included) have the added worry of close, immediate family members and friends who are very vulnerable with serious health conditions. We are entering difficult times, in uncharted territory, and need to find our own coping mechanisms to help us navigate the next few months and beyond.
So here’s the thing. We all know how to stay safe but staying sane is another matter. Many of us will be isolated and often lonely over the coming months and crafts, now more than ever, will provide us with much needed respite and allow us to switch off, for a little while at least. For lots of us crafts and the creative community will become our online ‘tribe’ and take on a much more important role. Creativity is so important for our mental health, especially as we hunker down for the long haul.
I had a discussion with a very close friend about how I was feeling and her advice was to keep creating and continue to share it with others, as I have for the last six years. So, to that end, I will continue to add tutorials to YouTube and the blog whenever I can. I may even do a Facebook live if that’s something you might enjoy. It’s also a time to refocus and prioritise and this is just my, very small contribution. If there is any aspect of needle felting you are struggling with, even if it’s the confidence to get started, then just pop over to my Facebook page and message me or pop a question in this FaceBook post. Even if I’m not around (or don’t have the answers), there are lots of knowledgeable and talented crafters on there (some I have been in contact with creatively for a long while) able to share their own creative advice or just give you the boost you need to get going. What you definitely won’t see from me is lots of ‘positive vibes’ quotes. It’s not my bag (I have always found my sense of dark, dry humour to be the best remedy) and it will get very old very quickly, oftentimes diminishing the problems we are facing. Nobody wants a barrage of ‘you got this’ or ‘keep calm and carry on’ when calm is the last thing we are feeling. However, social media really is about to come into its own so let’s bolster and support each other as much as we can and continue to use our creative social media community for the greater good.

YouTube tutorial links are below and kits and supplies available on the Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts website and Etsy but all you need is a handful of wool, a felting needle and a cuppa.
Stay safe and big love
Sandy xxx

This way for craft therapy video tutorials

Est. 2013
© 2013 Lincolnshire Fenn Crafts