If you are ready to try a new craft, I suggest you try needing felting. You might just fall in love as I have. Making little animals and birds and adding to our collection is a monthly highlight for me. And I have been enjoying making new projects as well as updating older ones, like this wool felted sheep.
Felting with this gorgeous wool fiber in repetition is also very calming to the mind! So if you’re ready for a fun and peaceful craft activity, check out the tutorial below.
A wooly great DIY craft
If you have a little one who loves farm animals, this needle felted sheep makes a great gift! You could even make this felt barn to go with it. And add some other animals, like our needle-felted chicks and pigs. Another option is to explore our felt stuffies, such as our felt goat, to see what other barnyard animals you might like to make.
Crafting tips: I like to call the style of needle felting we share on our site “hybrid” as we often start the base with a pre-formed, round wool ball. This makes the process of building the base quicker so more time is left for the details.
Along with the handmade Nepal wool balls, I used the natural colored core wool to finish the form of this felted sheep before adding the New Zealand wool felt for the top layer. You can also add shapable, movable legs by using the chenille stems.
Tools
- Wool Felting Pad
- Needle Felting Needle Holder
- Felting Needles – Pack of 6
- Needle-Nose Pliers/Wire Cutters
- Detail Scissors
- Clover Straight Awl
- Needle Felting Finger Protectors
- Embroidery Needles
- Quilting Pins
Materials
- Needle Felting Roving Wool – Natural White and Needle Felting Core Wool
- Chenille Stems
- Craft Eyes for Needle Felting
- Embroidery Floss – DMC Black (310)
- 1 Felt Balls 2cm — Cotton
- 1 Felt Balls 4cm — Cotton
How to Make a Needle Felted Sheep
- Gather your craft tools and materials. Then download the template below as a guide.
- Wrap core wool around a 4cm wool ball and use a 36G needle to shape the ball into an egg shape.
- Finish the body shape to the size of the printed template.
- Wrap core wool around a 2cm wool ball and use a 36G needle to shape the ball into an egg shape.
Full tutorial available for members to download below.
Explore More
What other needle-felted farm animals would you like to see? Always feel free to write in to hello@liagriffith.com with your project suggestions! You can also browse all of our needle-felting projects. Or take a look through of all of our animal crafts.
Become a Member to unlock this project
Are you having trouble? Feel free to contact us and we will be happy to help you out.
18 Comments
[…] The next project is a quick little step by step from Lia Griffith, you might have seen these step by step tutorials floating around online, there’s all sorts available. This one is for a couple of sweet sheep felted over a polystyrene core! You also learn how to make the top coat. Follow the link here for the instructions! […]
so cute and it is almost mothers day so I will probably make this as a present
Yes that would be such a cute gift!
This is so cute!! Where can I buy this??
Thank you! This is a DIY, no finished products for sale 🙂
I love sheep and want to know if there is a Tutorial? and where do I purchase the material to make them?
Hi Coby, we plan to make a video tutorial soon! We have several felted projects that each have tutorials that may help: https://liagriffith.com/search/felted.
Hi there
R these polystyrene balls?
Cheers
Deb
I raised sheep growing up and these look just like my little ones!!! Adorably genuine! So refreshing!
Thank you, that means a lot to hear!
Great! Thank you heaps for the instructions. I am new to needle felting so I am always happy to find such manuals. Something to try soon…
I’m glad you found us! We hope to do more needle felting and short video tutorials as well 🙂
[…] Featured Image Via Lia Griffith […]
[…] For full post click here. […]
I’ve never seen anything quite like it, I feel so inspired cannot wait to try it. Ty
I’m so happy to hear that! 🙂
ADORABLE!
Thank you Helen!