Needle Felting Craft-Along
On Thursday 7th May, we are running our very first craft-along session from 7-8:30pm GMT over Zoom for AMASE members.
The Plan
During the session, we will work on this beginner-friendly craft kit: https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/capybara-with-wings-felting-kit/6839171000.html
You can buy a kit from Hobbycraft for £4 at the time of writing. You will also need a surface to needle felt on - a low budget option would be a big sponge (e.g. something like this: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/274259994). A piece of styrofoam can also work, although sponge is generally easier to use.
Important: please buy your kit and a sponge in advance.
What to expect
This is not a formal class or workshop. The craft-along will be hosted by AMASE member Ileana, who will start with a general intro to needle felting, including tips, techniques and safety instructions.
As we progress, Ileana will explain each step to crafting your item, with time in between explanations for you to follow along. Ileana will use a document camera (a camera pointed downwards at a table) to demonstrate.
We will take a comfort break around halfway through the event (8:15pm).
This event is scheduled for 90 minutes. However, as it is our first event of this sort, it may not take that long. Equally, it is possible that it may take longer for everyone to complete their crafting! We will aim to finish no later than 8:30pm.
Please note: this craft includes using a sharp needle. Please be cautious and take your time! We may run a follow-up session if people need more space to complete the craft.
Helpful videos
Here are some videos that introduce needle felting and how to complete a similar item to the one we will felt in this session:
Wool Needle Felting - Capybara Glasses: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN-Fvcg2k_Q
Capybara needle felt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJmvugA4l8A&
These videos do not show exactly how we will do things, but hopefully they give you an idea of what needle felting is like and how our creation will come together!
What to bring/prepare
Basics
This is what you absolutely need to get started.
Your kit (available to buy here: https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/capybara-with-wings-felting-kit/6839171000.html - £4 at time of writing)
A big sponge to felt on, e.g. https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/274259994
Nicer options
These are some nicer options to consider, sometimes replacing the basics:
A needle felting mat, e.g. https://www.worldofwool.co.uk/products/needle-felting-foam-pad
Accessibility options
A needle holder (reduces strain on hands from holding a thin needle), e.g. https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/trimits-needle-felting-tool-pen/6934291000.html
Finger protection (especially helpful if you’re worried about hand/eye co-ordination), e.g. https://www.worldofwool.co.uk/products/leather-finger-protectors
Accessibility & support
If you'd like to take part but don't want to talk, that's okay! We also welcome participation via the Zoom chat.
If you’re unsure if this craft is for you and you’d like to see the process before deciding, feel free to join us to get a sense of the craft!
Having cameras on can help some people to feel focussed and engaged, but you are welcome to have your camera on or off.
Please remember that a quieter environment may be easier for some to focus. Feel free to ask for help, but we will try to keep conversation mostly focussed on the activity. Please keep your mic muted if possible when you are not speaking.
This is an autistic community event, so we expect everyone to be welcoming of different communication styles, stimming and other different ways of being.
When signing up, there is a question where you can let us know about any accessibility and/or support needs that you don't think we've already considered.
Nervous about coming along?
If you are in our Discord server, feel free to visit the #amase-events channel to ask who else is coming along, post any questions or express any worries. If you're nervous about something, it probably isn't just you!
Please note
This event is open to AMASE members only.