Make It Yours - How To Design Your Own Unique Needle Felted Characters

I can't tell you how many times people have visited our stand at craft shows and made the comment 'Well, mine wouldn't look like that.' And we always say the same thing, 'It definitely won't... And that's a good thing!' Our finished designs never appear fully formed.

Making a new character is a process and half the fun is in the invention - the prototypes, the sketches, the wool swatches, choosing a colour palette, trying new techniques. For us, this is where the joy is.

So, if you're ready to have a go yourself here's how to start...

Whenever I develop a new character, I start with some rough doodles in my sketchbook to explore the basic core shapes (usually a cone and a ball for body and head). I think about proportions first. Subtle differences can really change the personality of your finished model. Are they tall and thin, short and fat, with cute wide eyes or a narrow face? I always sit and sketch a few ideas before I start. Remember! You don’t need to be brilliant at drawing. A sketchbook isn’t for producing perfect artworks, it's a place to collect thoughts and try things out.

When you're happy with your basic shapes, it's time to flesh your character out with fur, feathers, markings, costumes, hairstyles, and all those lovely details that bring your character to life.

Here are some great places to look for visual research:

• Wildlife books (if you're creating an animal)

• Natural history books and, in particular, anatomical studies can be really useful.

• For people, look at fantasy art and illustrations for hair and clothing ideas.

• Historical costume books are great too (my mum collects these and I've always loved studying them).

• Old films and magazines

• Museums and Art Galleries

• 

• 

• 

• 

These references can be enough to inspire original ideas of your own. It's important not to look at what other needle felters are making. If you are just starting out, you may fall into the trap of just recreating other people's ideas.

So, you've sketched out the proportions, you have some costume, hair or plumage ideas. Now, it's time for a colour palette!

Your colour palette doesn't have to come from anywhere obvious. In fact, the more obscure the better. Start looking at the world around you and you will soon see colour combos that inspire you. You might be walking through a park and see a view that sings. Or you may see a swatch of fabric that you love. Take a quick snap and then pull out the colours that you see (think about the balance of those colours too).

• 

• 

Now you have everything you need, gather your supplies, choose the wools that best fit your palette (we have around 40 shades available in our wool shop), and start playing with your prototypes. But most importantly - have fun!

Let us know how you get on in the comments and remember that we give one free craft kit a month away to our favourite maker so tag us in your socials @weareberginandbath on instagram and @berginandbath on Facebook.