HOW TO Stitch FELT: TIPS FOR SEWING WITH FELT

This postal service contains chapter links, which means I may earn a small committee at no additional cost to y'all if you click through the link and make a buy. For more than information, click here .

Felt is an excellent material for beginners sewing and easy to use for kids' arts and crafts projects. Their variety of colors and uncomplicated to stitch construction make it a perfect cloth for many DIY projects; craft home decor, a handmade gift, or holiday decorations. Come up and learn how to sew together felt with these felt sewing tips.

How to sew felt Tips for Sewing with felt.png

These tips for sewing with felt aren't just meant as sewing with felt for beginners, simply for anybody who likes to larn new sewing tips and tricks. The guide provides a cursory caption of felt every bit material and felt types. Next, it suggests what thread and needles to use for crafting with felt. In the how to sections, y'all learn how to transfer, trace, and cutting the felt shape. You'll discover both mitt sewing tips and machine sewing hacks for felt.

I hope this post will make it easier for you to craft your side by side dear felt project.

Table of Content

  1. What Is Felt Fabric?

    1. Advantages and Disadvantages of Felt

    2. Tin Yous Make Felt at Home?

  2. Types of Felt

    1. Craft Felt

    2. Korean Hard Felt

    3. Eco-fi Felt

    4. Xotic Felt

    5. Blended Wool Felt

    6. 100% Wool Felt

  3. Thread for Sewing with Felt

    1. Thread for Sewing Felt by Hand

    2. Thread for Sewing Felt with Sewing Machine

  4. Needle for Sewing with Felt

    1. Needle for Sewing Felt past Hand

    2. Needle for Sewing Felt with Sewing Automobile

  5. How to Cutting Out Felt

  6. How to Trace on Felt for Embroidery

  7. How to Sew Felt

    1. How to Sew together Felt by Paw

    2. How to Stitch Felt with Sewing Motorcar

  8. Washing and Ironing Your Felt Project

    1. How to Launder Felt?

    2. Tin Felt exist Ironed?

  9. Elementary Projects to Sew with Felt

  10. To Wrap Upward

i. What Is Felt Cloth?

Felt is a nonwoven fabric produced from fibers (the smallest visible unit of any textile) existence matted, compressed, and ofttimes pressed together using heat and moisture. The consequence is a potent material consisting of permanently joined fibers.

Bones facts about felt:

  • Felt can be made of natural fibers such as wool or animal fur or from synthetic fibers. Blended fibers are standard as well. Eco-fi felt is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.

  • Felt is resilient, waterproof, absorbent, and it is the best natural insulator.

  • Felt is used, for example, in musical instruments, mode, home constructions, the automotive industry, and arts and crafts.

  • You lot can purchase felt in sheets or every bit a roll.

Sewing with felt - Felt rolls.jpeg

i. Advantages and Disadvantages of Felt

Advantages of Felt:

  • does non ravel or fray as woven fabrics

  • comes in many colors and thicknesses

  • easy to work with

  • inexpensive except for high-end felt

  • can be cut to any size, shape with a clean edge

  • tin can be sewed by paw as well as on a sewing machine

Disadvantages of Felt:

  • non easy to wash

  • minimal elasticity

  • potential for shrinking

  • tin fuzz over fourth dimension

  • felt from synthetic fibers may stretch out

Sewing with felt - felt 2.jpeg

2. Can You Make Felt at Home?

It is possible to make felt at home by moisture felting. No special equipment is required to make felt at home using the wet felting process. Even complete beginners can produce great-looking results. For more than on how to make felt at dwelling house, follow the tutorial Make you own felt.

2. Types of Felt

On the market, you lot can purchase different types of felt. They primarily differ in the kind of fiber they are made of, which results in diverse quality of felt. Felt can be produced from synthetic fibers, natural fibers, or cobweb blends.

Felt comes in various thicknesses ranging from 0.04 inch to 1 inch (1 mm to 25 mm). The preferred thickness for crafting with felt is about 0.05 to 0.06 inch (1,2 mm to i,iv mm).

For felt crafts where you expect for sturdiness, 1/8 inch felt (iii mm) can exist used, for case, for Christmas stockings, coasters, placemats, numberless, purses, slipper soles.

Felt also comes in dissimilar densities. Denser the felt is easier it is to piece of work with it. Less dense felt may crave interfacing so that the felt arts and crafts projects last.

Sewing with felt - Blended wool felt .jpeg

1. Arts and crafts Felt

Arts and crafts felt is purely synthetic felt. It might pill and fuzz hands. Therefore information technology is non advised for sewing crafts where a long lifespan is needed, or a lot of handling is involved. It is the cheapest blazon of felt, which might make information technology a skillful option for kids' crafts or if your budget is as well tight. The actual toll depends on the constructed fiber used, polyester being the virtually common in arts and crafts felt. It'south very typical to outset your felt journeying with craft felt and then movement onto blended wool felt or wool felt. Synthetic felt offers some of the aforementioned benefits as conventional felt. Notwithstanding, different wool or fur, acrylic felt is highly flammable, and it is uncomfortable when worn against the skin.

Craft felt is not the most environmentally friendly pick as the synthetics dethrone very slowly and the manufacturing process creates chemical pollutants.

2. Korean Hard Felt

Korean hard felt is a stiffened polyester felt so as well synthetic felt with the thickness of 0.05 inch (ane mm or i,2 mm). Every bit the name suggests, it is a felt that feels harder on touch, which makes it agree its shape better than craft felt. The edge of Korean hard felt does not crumble, does not stretch, and keeps the shape. Due to its stiffness, you tin cutting the border easily with decorative scissors (pinking shears). It is trendy for creating Quiet Books. Information technology is likewise used for kids' crafts, charms, brooches, pendants, etc.

For the same reasons every bit craft felt, it is not the nigh environmentally friendly choice.

It is more difficult to discover than craft felt. Etsy is the best to go to if you lot similar to purchase Korean hard felt. Visit Fetrovna or Elephant Quiet Book on Etsy.

3. Eco-fi Felt

Eco-friendly felt known equally Eco-fi, is a synthetic felt fabricated from recycled plastic bottles. Its use can help to reduce plastic waste. This felt is perfect for children'south crafts and other projects that do non require the high-quality of wool felt. It's not as soft to the touch and non every bit dense equally wool-blend felt. It is a lovely alternative to arts and crafts felt for kids' crafts. Link to buy Eco-fi felt.

4. Xotic Felt

Bamboo felt, known every bit Xotic felt, is a natural felt, made from l% bamboo and 50% rayon fibers This eco-friendly felt is incredibly soft. It retains its shape through washing and doesn't shrink. The Xotic felt is a preferred option among vegans. Y'all tin buy Xotic felt hither or on Etsy at TadaaStudioFelt.

5. Blended Wool Felt

Blended wool felt is a blend of nylon, polyester, polypropylene, or cotton material and wool. There are 2 common types of wool blends, the 20% wool/ fourscore% rayon alloy or 35 % wool/ 63 % rayon blend, in-dwelling house crafting.

Blended wool felt is produced to provide some of the expect and feel of wool felt, but at a lower price. When comparison polyester craft felt to blended wool felt, the blended felt volition have a squeamish, nubby texture.

Rayon is a semi-synthetic cobweb as information technology is produced from naturally occurring polymers. It is not, however, a natural fabric because cellulose requires all-encompassing processing to become rayon.

Blended felt is more than expensive than craft felt (about twice equally much) but still reasonably priced.

You tin purchase composite wool felt on Etsy at BezieDesign or Gingermelon. You tin buy composite wool felt on Amazon as well.

half dozen. 100% Wool Felt

Wool felt is a natural material of high density and the all-time quality felt. This means that later the felt product has been used or become worn out, information technology can be safely disposed of as it is 100% biodegradable. The simply potential environmental issues associated with these types of felt regard state use and proper animal stewardship. Wool felt has fantabulous wicking and immovability abilities. When it comes to price, it is approximately two to three times more than expensive than blended wool felt. In addition to beingness aesthetically pleasing, wool felt shares the beneficial attributes of its base cobweb, including absorbency, fire resistance, and impressive insulative properties.

3. Thread for Sewing with Felt

Information technology's handy to take a basic set of embroidery floss and polyester sewing threads at habitation. So that you lot don't take to run to a store every time you change felt colour. For sewing felt together, I tend to coordinate my thread with felt color. If you tin can't get a match, cull a thread color that is a shade darker than your felt. I also experimented with a contrasting shade to make the sewing stand out!

1. Thread for Sewing Felt past Hand

When sewing felt by hand, use strengthened polyester thread, perle cotton, or embroidery floss for a decorative look.

Embroidery floss is most unremarkably used for hand stitching felt, especially for felt appliqué. It's inexpensive and comes in a wide variety of colors. Embroidery floss is composed of 6 individual strands of thread twisted into ane thick strand. I recommend separating it into 1, 2, or 3 strands from the bunch after cut it to the desired length. Merely it'due south a personal preference depending on your project. Thicker thread is used for tighter hold, visible stitching, or filling in details. Be aware that plush handmade toys, buttons, beads, and any small parts on toys fabricated for children should not be sewn together with embroidery floss. They tin can be pulled apart much more hands than when sewed with polyester thread.

Embroidery floss is also bachelor in silk, linen, glittered, metallic, and even glow in the dark!  Variegated floss is a blazon of embroidery thread that gradually changes shade and even color while you are stitching because they are dyed with different color variations. When used carefully, variegated threads can create a lovely effect on an otherwise ordinary felt project.

Perle Cotton fiber is a mercerized (treated to increase strength and add together a bit of sheen), S-twisted, cotton embroidery thread. Perle cotton cannot be separated as compared to embroidery floss. It is extra soft and lustrous, thus the name, "Pearl." Perle cotton comes in either a ball or skein and is available in unlike sizes (thicknesses). I similar the await of Perle cotton thread merely detect information technology difficult to purchase in a fabric and craft store.

For handmade toys edges, buttons, beads, and any small parts on toys made for children, you should opt polyester sewing threads - the exact same kind that you use for machine stitching. These threads are strong and reliable. They're ideal for reinforcement stitches around edges and plain stitches.

Thread for sewing with felt - embroidery floss, perle cotton, polyester sewing thread

Thread for sewing with felt - embroidery floss, perle cotton fiber, polyester sewing thread

2. Thread for Sewing Felt with Sewing Motorcar

For the sewing machine, I recommend an all-purpose polyester or cotton thread. You can utilise quilting thread too. For most felt projects y'all won't need a special thread but can utilise ordinary sewing thread. Wool felt, or a predominantly wool blend should preferably exist stitched using cotton wool sewing thread, while polyester, polyester-rich blends, and other synthetics should preferably be stitched using polyester thread.

Gütermann polyester thread

Gütermann polyester thread

4. Needle for Sewing with Felt

What needle to use when sewing with felt? I employ an embroidery needle for embroidery floss and Perle cotton, a standard needle for sewing thread, and a medium-sized needle for working with felt on a sewing machine.

1. Needle for Sewing Felt by Hand

I use embroidery needles (as well chosen crewel) when hand sewing and appliquéing with felt. Embroidery needles are similar to regular sewing needles, or sharps. They have a sharp tip but take a larger eye for thicker threads to fit through. Needle sizing is universal for all needles. Keep in mind that the smaller the number size, the larger the needle. So, a size half-dozen needle is larger than a size 10.

Choose the right sized needle. Opt for the smallest needle that will accommodate the thickness of your thread and that y'all are comfortable sewing with. Large needles can get out holes in y'all felt project.

For sewing felt with standard sewing thread by hand standard needle (also known as sharps) is a good choice.

Embroidery needles and standard needles

Embroidery needles and standard needles

2. Needle for Sewing Felt with Sewing Machine

For sewing felt on a sewing machine, a medium-sized needle 70/10 or lxxx/12 will work well for regular felt. Thicker felt or more two layers might require xc/14 needle. But be careful, a thicker needle may exit holes. With majority of felt sewing projects yous'll be fine with a medium-size needle.

For sewing felt, use a 70/10 or 80/12 universal machine needle.

five. How to Cut Out Felt

Tools for cutting felt - rotary cutter, a non-slip quilter's ruler, cutting mat

Tools for cut felt - rotary cutter, a non-sideslip quilter's ruler, cutting mat

Tools for cutting felt - rotary cutter, embroidery scissors, larger scissors

Tools for cutting felt - rotary cutter, embroidery scissors, larger pair of scissors

When cutting felt shapes from a design, at that place are several ways on how you can transfer the pattern and cutting information technology out from felt. The about popular is to trace your template onto a freezer paper with the matt side upwards. The shiny side of the paper will adhere to felt when ironed, making information technology easy to cut around the outline of your shape. You can then just pare the paper off. Learn vi different ways on how to transfer templates to felt and cut the felt shape out in my post half-dozen Ways on How to Cut Out Felt.

Y'all can likewise cut felt with electronic or manual cutting machines. Amid the electronic cut machines Blood brother Scan-Northward-Cut and Cricut Maker are highly recommended.

For the manual cutting machines for felt, become for Sizzix Large Shot Plus. Together with the machine yous purchase diverse dies (they come in all shapes and sizes). To cut the felt, you manually slide the felt and the die through the motorcar. It's popular for cut felt blossom shapes. The cut felt shapes on manual cutting machines are limited to the dies available.

6. How to Trace on Felt for Embroidery

How do yous trace embroidery designs to felt? How practise you lot add embroidery details to your felt projects? I use 3 dissimilar for tracing on felt for embroidery. My favorite i is using tracing paper. I depict the design on the tracing paper and so sew together through it to transfer the design. For more information about the three different ways, visit the 3 Ways on How to Trace on Felt For Embroidery tutorial. Every bit with all sewing techniques, practise makes it better. Be careful well-nigh your stitch size, length, and consistency. If I'm non happy with the terminal look of my stitching, I remove it and start over.

Using tracing paper for embroidery on felt

Using tracing paper for embroidery on felt

Embroidery on felt

Embroidery on felt

7. How to Sew Felt

Learning how to sew felt is easy compared to other materials. Felt can be machine stitched or mitt embroidered. It's a practiced material for beginners. Equally the edges of felt don't fray, you can apply absolutely whatever stitch to join edges together, to appliqué or to fifty-fifty apply quick, no-sew methods.

1. How to Sew together Felt by Hand

Small projects, for case, small stuffed animals, Christmas decorations, finger puppets, and the similar, can hands exist sewn past hand. It gives a more handmade await if you run up these types of projects by hand.

Needle and Thread for sewing felt by hand has already been described earlier in this post. Now let's talk about the stitches. When sewing felt by hand, therunning stitch, blanket stitch, and whip stitch are more often than not used for sewing felt together (finishing off the edges). The coating stitch also gives a decorative bear on. For decorative purposes, the straight sew together, backstitch, and French knot are wonderful. They're quick to master, French knot being the most challenging. Visit 9 Manus Embroidery Stitches for Felt to acquire how to sew together bones embroidery stitches.

2. How to Run up Felt with Sewing Machine

Needle and Thread for sewing felt with a sewing machine has already been described before in this post. Now let'southward talk nigh the stitches. I would always recommend that you lot do a test piece start on your machine to get the right tension and size of stitch. A direct run up tin can be widely used for felt sewing. On some sewing machines you might find a blanket sew. Yous can try information technology for stitching appliqué. It gives your felt project a nice handmade look.

The standard sewing foot should do well, when sewing nearly felt projects.

If sewing with thinner felt (arts and crafts felt), you might want to consider doubling the fabric upwards, or using a backing fabric to give it more stability, especially for shapes that are exposed to a lot of handling similar a pocket in Repose Books. 100% wool felt can commonly support itself.

Tip on how to sew tiny curvy edges

Sew slowly, one sew together at a time. If needed sew with a handwheel. You can besides stop with the needle in the fabric, elevator the presser foot, turn the fabric as required, and lower the presser foot. The next tip might be helpful as well

Transport finger puppets sewed by a sewing machine

Transport finger puppets sewed by a sewing auto

Tip for sewing 2 felt pieces together

The felt double-layer sewing trick is i of my tips on how to work with felt. In my experience, sewing two equal pieces of felt together may be challenging as they tend to move under the foot slightly. This technique is way easier. I take been happy to learn it from my friend and at present pass it onto you lot.

Where could you use double-layer felt shape pieces?

  • To increase the durability of your creation

  • To hide sewing thread when attaching hooks, buttons,

  • When sewing puppets and finger puppets

  • When attaching velcro to one side of felt and more than.

8. Washing and Ironing Your Felt Project

1. How to Launder Felt?

Notation that I wouldn't recommend washing felt in a machine washable. The fabric might shrink (more probable to happen for felt that includes wool), colors might drain (threads for example), stuffing in felt plushies might not be washable. It must either be dry-cleaned or washed by hand. For washing by hand, use cool water, soak the detail in and gently clasp the place, where the stain is. Don't rub the stain on your felt arts and crafts as it might cause fuzzing and pilling.

Dry cleaning is a expert pick for cleaning the felt craft. You can remove surface dirt with a soft brush. Softly sweep felt in one direction. Spot cleaning with a little quantity of water is also possible if dry out marks don't brush off. Employ a damp material to gently dab away at them. Don't rub the felt, or add together soaps or cleaning products.

Leave the felt items to dry naturally in a flat position. Putting the item in the dryer will cause them to mat together thank you to the combination of heat and friction.

Sentry the video from My Craft Quiet Books on how to hand wash felt toys, and removable parts of quiet books.

two. Can Felt Be Ironed?

Yes, you can iron felt. Y'all just have to apply the right technique for each type of felt. Set the right iron temperature (medium setting is skillful to start with) and have a dry dishtowel or cotton material on hand. Careful with acrylic and Eco-fi felt equally the plastic might melt with higher temperatures. Y'all can iron 100% wool felt with a wool heat setting. Encompass the felt with a press cloth so y'all don't damage the fibers or your fe. Learn more than in the post 4 Great Tips That Bear witness You lot Tin can Atomic number 26 Felt from the Sassy Packrat.

How to sew felt Tips for Sewing with felt 2.png

9. Uncomplicated Projects to Sew with Felt

To Wrap Up

Thank you for reading! What are your thoughts? Let me know if you find this article useful and share any tips of yours!

Enjoy the crafting fourth dimension :)

Feel gratuitous to join my mailing listing! You'll receive updates on new patterns, the latest sewing tips and tricks, and special promotions.


Allow'southward acquire together!

XO, Anna