Needle Felting from Basics to Bears Review

Look at how precious the bears and bunnies are on the cover of Needle Felting from Basics to Bears. This awesome book from Liza Adams teaches novices and advanced needle felters alike how to make beautiful projects with fiber. Learn the basic techniques and apply them to the adorable projects in this book. Ranging from very basic shapes to advanced little animals with tiny details, these needle felting projects are awesome for those looking to try a new skill or revisit a beloved pastime.

If you've never tried needle felting before, it's almost like sculpting for fiber enthusiasts. Rather than shaping clay or papier mache, you'll punch a needle into wool fibers to tangle them into a particular shape. Did I mention needle felting is also cathartic? If you want to de-stress and make something adorable in the process, I recommend needle felting. 

Needle Felting from Basics to Bears opens with an introduction about needle felting and all the tools required. Once you have these basics in mind, you can begin making a project. Following the introduction are sections on Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced projects. I love the Cupcake Pincushion (p. 16). This sweet project looks more challenging than it actually is to make, and I love the way the colorful glass head pins look like sprinkles when tucked into the felted cupcakes. 

In the intermediate and advanced sections, needle felters graduate to bears. First learn the Basic Bear (p. 52), then graduate to the Advanced Bear (p. 70). You'll learn how to make the head, which you've had practice with by now from the Animal Head Keychain or Phone Charm (p. 30). Then you will learn how to make the body and joints. Afterwards, you'll sew them all together! This stitching technique was mesmerizing to me. It's wonderful to discover how to sew in eyes and the arms without the thread showing!

Bears are Liza Adams' specialty. She says in her bio, "The wonderful thing with needle-felted bears, as opposed to sewn ones, is that there are no patterns. No one else is using the same pattern as you and turning out the same bear over and over again. Needle-felted works are truly one of a kind, whether you are making bears, dogs, cats or monsters. Embrace that and go wild!"

Take on a new skill or revisit a long lost love of needle felting. This book equips you with the instructions you need to get started!

What is your favorite animal?