Beginner's Guide to Using a Felting Needle

Hi everyone! In today’s tutorial, I’ll show you the basics of how to use a felting needle for wool felting.

First, when you get a brand-new felting needle, you’ll notice it’s coated with anti-rust oil. Before using it, make sure to wipe it clean with a tissue or paper towel.

Now, let’s talk about how to use the needle properly. One common mistake beginners make is stabbing too hard or too deep like this — don’t do that! It can leave large holes on the surface of your wool project, and even worse, you could seriously injure yourself.

So remember: don’t believe that "more force equals better results." Instead, what we need is a gentle, quick motion. Hold your needle at a nearly vertical angle to the wool, and just lightly stab up and down.

Also, try to relax your arm and wrist. Let your movements be natural — don’t tense up. Otherwise, your arm will get sore quickly, and it’ll be hard to keep going.

Another tip: never try to hook or pull the wool with the needle like this — it can easily break the needle. And never stab into the air without support underneath. That increases the risk of poking your fingers.

Finally, always work on a proper felting mat or cushion. If you stab directly onto a hard table, not only might you break your needle, but you could also scratch the surface of the table.

So to summarize:

• Keep your hand relaxed,
• Hold the needle vertically,
• Use light, fast stabbing motions,
• Avoid hooking or stabbing without support.

That’s it for the basics! In the next video, we’ll start shaping our first felted creation. See you there!