Needle Felted Christmas Bauble, Hanging Decoration

A quick and easy way to make beautiful Christmas baubles!

Supplies

You will need:

An old pair of tights/pantyhose

Felting Needle

Washing machine

Core wool or fibre - https://www.tregaverfibreshop.com/product/uncarded-cream-core-wool-for-stuffing-and-felting

Wool scraps - https://www.tregaverfibreshop.com/product/wool-scraps-for-accenting-or-stuffing-and-corev1

Awl - https://www.tregaverfibreshop.com/product/wood-handled-awl

Wool locks - natural - https://www.tregaverfibreshop.com/product/teeswaterwensleydalepercynatural

Wool locks - teal - https://www.tregaverfibreshop.com/product/tealaquatregaver

Step 1: Gather Supplies

You'll need an old pair of tights/pantyhose and some sharp scissors.

Step 2: Organize Fibres Into Piles

Split your core fibre into 4 sections - aim for around 25g per ball

Split your wool scraps into 4.

Step 3: Separate Wool Scraps

Separate out the wool scraps into wisps of fibre, trying to get a roughly even amount into each of your 4 piles.

Step 4: Create the Balls

Flatten out the core fibre, then roll into a ball. It will be rough at this stage and won't stick together, but just create a basic ball from each of your 4 piles

Step 5: Decorate the Balls

Gently wrap your fibre wisps around the ball. Again, nothing will stick at this point, although you can felt them into place loosely if desired.

Step 6: Prepare for Washing and Put in Washing Machine

Once you've created all 4 balls, gently put them into your pair of tights, and tie firmly.

Your baubles WILL shrink in the wash, and when you do some further felting, so don't worry if they seem too big at this stage!

Put your 'sausage' of baubles into your laundry machine. Run a cycle at the hottest temperature your machine goes to - I use a 90c wash for mine.

Step 7: Remove Baubles From the Machine

Cut the ties on the sausage, and gently pull balls from the tights. You'll need to tease it out gently, and some of your wisps may escape, but don't worry as you can felt them in later

Step 8: Add Your Hanger

Create a hanger for your bauble. I did this by getting a piece of rattan twine, and tying a knot in the bottom

Use your awl to create a hole in the ball, and then push the hangar into the ball.

It won't stay in place at this stage, but will on the next step

Step 9: Felt the Hanger Into Place

Gently take some of the fibres and felt across the knot. This will keep your hanger in place. There's more to do on the next step too!

Step 10: Felt Locks Into Place

I ended up using around 6 locks for the first stage, and the same for the final stage.

Take the locks and felt the tops into the area around the hanger

Then pull the locks down and felt them into place on your bauble.

Once you've done so, add your final bits to the top so they cascade over the ball

Step 11: Complete Your Project

The great thing about this project is that you will be working with a damp ball of wool, so you can keep rolling it and shaping it as you go!

I chose to make balls, however you can make a pear shape or a drop shape by just pulling the ball into the shape you require and felting it into the right shape

Make sure your bauble is fully dry before storing - it may take a day or two in a warm place before the entire bauble is dry inside.

All materials for this can be purchased for the links above, or you may prefer to use your own!