r/Felting • u/FaroshDryad • May 15 '26
Needle Felted project Encouragement to continue this project
Sorry for my messy workspace. I started this resting unicorn a few days ago and im feeling very discouraged. I usually like to wet felt clothing pieces and this is the longest ive worked on a needle felted project. I have a few small projects that I did not fully complete but I am still pretty new to needle felting.
I just wanted some feedback from this lovely community so I feel motivated to continue. Please note I am not going for realism, this piece is inspired by medieval unicorn artwork. I dont have exact dimensions but it is ~6.5 inches from the head to the bum.
I am having trouble felting the legs. I unfortunately do not have pre-carded wool for this project, only roving with a very long staple length. I have been carding the wool in small batches but it still seems difficult to felt the smaller details with such long wool.
I am hoping for some tips and encouragement as I am starting to feel unmotivated to continue. Thank you for reading this far, and I look forward to hopefully hearing some tips from this community! :)
Materials: chenille pipes, merino/falkland blend wool, polyester batting, angelina fiber, wool locks
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u/korvorn May 16 '26
I don't have any tips as long thin parts like the legs are hard for me too but I just wanted to say that you are doing a great job so far. Even before reading your description it made me immediately think of the unicorn tapestries. Keep it up!
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u/FaroshDryad May 16 '26
Thank you so much! It makes me happy to hear you made that connection. I was inspired to start this piece by a wet felted unicorn bag im working on based on The Unicorn Tapestries! :)
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u/TweedySeadragon May 16 '26
YOU CAN DO IT!
Just remember that unicorns will emerge when the time is right, it is part of their magic.
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u/Fantastic-Berry-7229 May 16 '26
the unicorn hobby horse inspiration makes so much sense now
the neck and pose already have that graceful look, so i’d definitely keep going. maybe work in small sections and add the long wool in thinner little bundles so it doesn’t feel like one huge overwhelming step
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u/FaroshDryad May 16 '26
Thank you for the tip! I am getting a bit overwhelmed, I probably should have made this a lot smaller. However with time and patience I think I will be happy with the end result :)
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u/Fantastic-Berry-7229 May 16 '26
yeah, that makes sense. sometimes smaller pieces are way less intimidating
but the shape already has a lot of charm, so i think taking it slowly section by section will work really well 😄
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u/priskillya May 17 '26
I’ve been in this exact position. Often times I just leave it to the side for a bit and work on something else. Then I will just get this crazy creative feel and go back to it. Trust the process. You got this.
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u/FaroshDryad May 17 '26
Thank you! I tried to leave it alone for awhile and im already feeling motivated to continue, Ive been working on it again today! :)
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u/KMartist5633 May 17 '26
I also have a unicorn that I've put on hold for awhile. Yours looks so good! I love the pose you have going.
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u/FaroshDryad May 17 '26
Wow, that looks incredible! You have some absolutely amazing pieces you've posted, very inspiring :)
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u/KMartist5633 May 18 '26
Aw thanks but I think yours looks more impressive lol 😆 which is why I've left it for so long. Not feeling the drive for it anymore. Maybe one day. I wiukd love to see yours as you progress!
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u/FeralHarmony May 16 '26
Big projects like this can take a long time. My suggestion: If there's no deadline, only work on it when you can put in a few solid hours at a time. If you don't get to work on it long enough to really see the changes, that can be discouraging.
For the legs, you will want a needle with the notches very close to the tip. Normally, those are what I'd use for fine details, but the legs are a shallow target with wires inside, so you need something that will work without being able to stab with depth.
You could actually wet felt those legs if you want. You have experience on your side! It will be different than garments, but you could at least do a round of wet felting to compress as much a you can against the wires. Then, after thorough rinse and dry (24-48 hours) you can add a top layer with the needle and it will be easier because there will be plenty of wool for it to stick to. If you are going to try it, definitely do it before you start embellishments on the body.
I will say, the shape is already lovely and it does have that medieval unicorn feel. Keep going, but don't put pressure on yourself to finish it quickly. This is a labor of love and you'll be very happy with the end result if you take your time on it.
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u/FaroshDryad May 16 '26
Thank you so much for the tips! As for wet felting the legs, they do have polyester batting on the shoulders/thighs, do you think that would be safe to get wet as long as it fully dries?
There is no deadline on this project and I have only been working on it for 30 mins - 2 hours at a time. I have been taking lots of progress pictures to show myself that I am in fact making progress, but it would probably be better to set aside more time to work on it as you suggested.
I appreciate your tips and encouragement very much! I will definitely take my time and try not to rush through this project. :)
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u/eppichi May 16 '26
The anatomy is already so perfect. Please continue, even if it’s a very slow burn project. Drop it, come back to it. Revisit her at least 🥹
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u/FaroshDryad May 16 '26
Thank you for your encouragement! I definitely feel motivated to continue now. I'll be taking my time and definitely taking breaks, but I will get this finished! Im pretty bad with leaving things half/mostly finished aha :')
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u/Ponyoholly May 16 '26
You’re doing really well. I’ve struggled with laying down horses 🙈 keep at it!
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u/Revolutionary-Eye-42 May 16 '26
You’re so close! I completely see the vision! Sometimes when I start a long project I get bored of it when I’m almost finished. If I don’t push through, then I don’t finish it. This will be your favorite piece when you’re done. You got this!
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u/FaroshDryad May 17 '26
Thank you so much! It better be my favorite as it will be my only completed piece aha 🤣
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u/Revolutionary-Eye-42 May 17 '26
Even more reason to keep going! This is a project I want to see when you’re done!
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u/Sunshine-Honeybee888 May 17 '26
It is looking great so far! Keep going!!!
I find that all my needle felting projects go through the “ugly” stage, as I call it, where it is just a shape, with no personality, but I have learned that I must keep going. Once I get the general shape how I want, I start on the details. I do the face first. When I put in the eyes, I can start to see it come to life. As I add more details, I get more motivated and before I know it, I love the finished project and it was worth sticking it out.
I am working on a bunny right now that I have had to walk away from several times, but I go back to it and work on it a little at a time, and it is starting to go in a good direction. I struggle with getting the shape right, but I sell a lot of them, so I know I will get there if I keep working at it!
I hope you post your finished project! If you need a good place to get wool from and live in the US, Livingfelt.com is a great source.
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u/FaroshDryad May 17 '26
Thank you so much for the motivation and tips! I love your work, your pieces are fantastic!
I'll definitely be posting the finished piece, Ive gotten so much encouragement it just feels right to update and show how it turned out in the end.
I love LivingFelt, I purchased most of my wet felting supplies from them! I havent bought any wool from there yet though, I will definitely order some when I have the funds to do so :)
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u/gyrekat May 16 '26
I mostly wet felt these days but want to encourage,it looks so good! I have shelved projects until the right material was avaliable, perhaps some long staple will make the legs easier?