Stocking Stuffer: Felted Critters

Colorful balls and clumps of rolled wool roving are the perfect ingredient for creating playful little monsters. Great stocking stuffer or mini gift!


Materials:
felting wool roving in different colors
hot water
dish soap (hypoallergenic is preferred)
2 large glass bowls
large needle or safety pin
embroidery floss
Buttons for eyes or base


Steps:
1. Fill a bowl with 6 c. hot water and one Tbsp. dish soap.
2. Working over a towel, form a wad of wool into a ball twice the size the finished ball will be.

3. Dip the wad into the hot soapy water, squeeze out some of the excess water and begin rolling the ball in your hands. Don’t use too much pressure at this point; keep rolling for approximately 4-5 minutes, dipping back into the soapy water if the ball cools or dries out.You can also roll the ball on a towel with the palm of your hand. If the ball becomes too wet and/or soapy, roll it on a towel to remove excess moisture. If the ball needs to be smaller, apply more pressure to lock the fibers closer together.
4. When the ball is the desired size, rinse it in the bowl of water, squeezing out the soap. Continue felting until there are enough balls to create your critter.

5. To create a teddy bear style critter: Poke a toothpick or sharp needle through each ball before they harden in the spots where you will join the balls to form a bear. Allow balls to dry overnight (a cookie cooling rack works well for drying). Using embroidery floss sew the balls together to form the bear and add eyes and a mouth.

6. To create a monster style critter: form the roving into a blob. Allow the blob to dry overnight. Glue a button to the bottom to form a base. Sew facial features with embroidery floss and buttons.