What is needle felting? Patty Schaffer of P.S. Capture the Details demonstrates how to needle felt today. Patty’s sweet Needle Felted Ball Banner is an easy project for needle felting novices, yet appealing enough for experienced needle felters, too. If you’re still wondering what to get mom for her day on May 8th, may I suggest that this easy needle felting project might make the perfect crafty Mother’s Day gift idea?

Choose bright colors like Patty did, or change it up with all-white or pastels, or . . .

Patty uses bright colors of wool roving for her cheerful garland, and of course, you can use your (or your mom’s) favorite colors. Think holidays, too – use white wool roving to make a snowball garland for the Christmas tree; or shades of pink for a Valentine’s Day banner. You could also adapt Patty’s tutorial to larger balls and make Christmas ornaments. Once you see how easy it is to needle felt, there’s so much you can do!

Patty needle felted seven balls, making a banner just long enough to hang between two nobs on her dresser.

So, follow along with Patty’s beautiful photos as she shows you how to make a Needle Felted Ball Banner.

To make a Needle Felted Ball Banner, you’ll need:

• STYROFOAM Brand Foam: 1″ or 1-1/2” balls (Patty’s garland uses seven balls, and she suggests you can make this size in the time it takes to watch a movie.)
• Wool roving, colors of your choice
• Embroidery floss
• Tools needed: Scissors; single-needle felting needle; large-hole sewing needle
• Optional: small beads, clear thread, beading needle

What you'll need to make your banner.

To make a Needle Felted Ball Banner:

1. Gather just enough roving to wrap around and cover your foam ball. Using the felting needle, stab the ball over and over, “locking” fibers into place and creating a felted surface. Continue, working around the ball, till the surface is evenly covered and felted. CAUTION: Needle felting needles are extremely sharp — make sure you don’t poke your fingers!

Wrap your foam ball in a small amount of wool roving.

Try to use the same amount of roving on each ball so they will be the same size.

Careful using the felting needle -- they're extremely sharp!

2. Repeat with additional balls, using the same amount of wool roving each time so that the felted balls will be approximately the same size.

The needle felted balls, ready for finishing.

3. If you’re going to bling your balls with beads, thread beading needle with invisible thread and stitch beads onto balls. (I love this added sparkle.)

You'll need a clear thread and beading needle to add the beads (this is optional).

The beads add sparkle!

4. Thread embroidery floss through the large-hole needle. Push needle through center of each ball and string the balls together.

The felted balls are threaded and ready to hang.

If you like Patty’s style (and photos) be sure to visit her at P.S. Capture the Details. And, don’t miss her etsy shop, P.S. It’s in the details, stocked with paper whimsies of all sorts (and all beautifully detailed, of course).

Here's a sneak peek for Friday!

Thanks for stopping in today, and we’ll see you Friday with another springtime project.

Happy crafting!

Sharon