Needle Felted Trug

Take a wisp of the coarse wool batts and wrap all around the pipe cleaner length, leaving about half a centimetre exposed at both ends.

Secure the wrapped pipe cleaner into a loop by twisting the two exposed ends together. Then take a tiny wisp of wool and wrap the join with a little extra wool.

Next bend the loop so that you end up with two upright handles. The diameter of the top brim is about 7cm so make sure to bend enough length for the handles.

Next take a pinch of the coarse wool and felt flat on the mat by ‘drawing’ a circle of about 7-8cm diameter and only felting the inside.

Then fold the wispy ends outside the circle inward and felt down into the centre. Lift the shape off and felt from both sides until you have a firm disc of about 7cm diameter.

You have now made the base of the trug and it should be about the same diameter as the top with the handles.

Take most of the remaining coarse wool just leaving a good pinch and tease with your fingers into a flat sheet of about 25cm long and 6cm wide. Felt flat on your mat.

Felt the strip flat as before but leave the sides and ends wispy. Make a solid felt sheet so felt from both sides. Then start wrapping the sheet lengthways from the outside around the pipe cleaner top.

Work your way along the top felting the wispy sides inwards around the top but not over the handles. These stay exposed.

Next take the round base and insert into the trug from the top. Turn over and felt the wispy ends into the base. Mind your fingers as a lot of the stabbing is into the empty space inside the trug!

Felt all the wispy ends of the side down from the outside. Then turn over and give the base a few stabs from the inside.

Once the base is secure you need to continue shaping the trug all around. Stabbing the needle at a shallow angle will reduce the size and make the fabric firmer if this is required.

Use the last remaining wisps of wool and add patches where needed and also felt the area below the handles to bulk up a little. 

If you continue to stab the needle from the inside out it give a natural look of a sisal or woven basket.

Why not fill your trug with juicy carrots, beets and parsnips! Here's our free needle felted carrot tutorial!