How to Make a Needle-Felted Pillows

Yesterday,we learned what is felting, Now let's try to make a needle-felted pillows.

1. Remove any buttons and trim from the sweater. Wash in the machine in a hot/cold cycle with 1/4 cup of baking soda and then dry in an automatic dryer on high.

2. Remove sleeves and/or collar at seams and cut open body of sweater to create large flat pieces.

3. Trace and cut out front and back of pillow, adding 1/2" seam allowances all around.

4. Place pillow front onto foam slab and pin in place with quilting pins.

5. Arrange roving or yarn on pillow front in desired pattern, keeping in mind that areas of color will appear smaller once they are felted to the surface.

6. Hold felting needle vertical to fabric surface and pierce repeatedly to attach roving to pillow front.Repeat as necessary until desired effect is obtained. Colors may be added and layered over previous layers if desired to create texture and more complex designs.

7. When design is complete, arrange pillow front and pillow back with right sides facing and sew together, leaving an opening for turning. Turn right side out.

8. Fill with pillow form or polyester fiberfill. Sew closed by hand.

9. As a finishing touch, apply wool roving or yarn around seam using same felting technique.