Needle Felted Pebbles
You can make these pebbles with our Pebble Mix wool pack. Warning - they are very addictive!
Per Pebble, you will need:
- 7-10g of wool batts is enough for one pebble of about 10x5cm that fits comfortably in your hand. You can use only coloured wool batts or make your pebbles with core wool and then add colour as a surface layer.
- Felting needles (#36 coarse & #38 medium)
- Felting Mat
- Optional: a little white wool for banding details and Green dyed Leicester Curls for moss.
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Use 6g of the main wool and roll it in on itself into a round shape. You will end up with a wispy open end. Tip: if you want to know how small the pebble can be when felted down tightly, roll the shape as tight as you can squeezing all the air out. This will give a good idea of the finished size. |
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NB: If you are using the main colour wool already, also proceed as follows. Use your coarse (#36) felting needle and whilst holding the shape closed, stab into the wispy ends all the way into the rolled up shape. Mind your fingers! This will secure the loose fibres and you should be able to let go of it now without it popping open. |
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You can now add another layer of colour if the pebble is white. Use thin layers of your chosen outer colour and fasten over the whole shape to cover entirely. Continue to stab the needle all over to make firmer and to shape it to your liking. The firmer your pebble becomes, the more likely it is that you’ll need to change over to the smaller needle (#38). |
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To make a pointy end, concentrate your stabbing movements in straight lines from one third of the shape towards the end (white line, right). To make a rounded end, stab your needle in a semicircle (pink lines, left). Make sure you turn your work so that the area gets covered evenly with needle stabs. |
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Next take a slither of white wool, lay over the felted shape and stab with your needle to fasten into place. Concentrate the needle in a straight line along the white to create a crisp contrast. Sink the needle in superficially (1cm). Adjust the shape of your pebble afterwards as adding the stripe may create a groove. |
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Similarly to add other texture (i.e. moss) or colour, lay the wool over the area you want to cover and fasten on by stabbing the needle into both. |
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Keep the edges softer by stabbing all over rather than in a concentrated line or spot. |
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You can add a dusting of wool to give the impression of lichen/algae. Add a wispy layer and felt into place. |
| Firming up your pebbles is easily done by putting them in the washing machine (either inside a pillow case or not) at 60°C to continue the felting process. Leave to dry. |
To make a rug the size of a small bathroom mat you need at least 45 pebbles of this size. You can make the same size by making smaller pebbles and more in number, though the rug would also be thinner. Turning your pebbles into a rug requires a darning needle and extra strong yarn. Use ladder/blanket stitch to fasten the pebbles together side by side. Make sure you sew them tightly together. You will end up with an underneath and top. Sew a non-slip mat underneath if you are using it as a floor rug.
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