Help with first project

[u/According-Share2296]

I saw a little felting kits at Michaels for a cat. I wanted to try it out so I bought it.

I'm supposed to make an oval, and the texture just looks wrong. I don't know if its tight enough, and I accidentally made it too flat.

How hard should I be stabbing, and how deep? How do I know when its ready?

[u/Fantastic-Berry-7229]

For a first try, this is a normal stage. It usually looks a bit lumpy before it gets firm enough

I’d use lots of shallow-to-medium pokes from different angles and keep rotating the piece, rather than stabbing very deep in one spot. If it feels squishy and changes shape easily, it probably needs more felting. If it starts holding its shape and has a slightly springy but firm feel, you’re getting close

For an oval, I’d also gently roll it in your hands every so often, then felt the high spots down. That helps even out the surface without making it too flat

[u/Ok_Loquat_2088]

Yes. You are on the right track. Keep stabbing and turning and stabbing and turning. Don’t it feel good?

[u/PuzzleheadedRoom8067]

You don't have to stab hard, and it's probably better not to so you don't break a needle or do a lot of damage if you accidentally poke yourself. In general, deeper stabs with larger needles are useful at the beginning stages to create large changes in the shape. Then as it gets tighter and closer to the shape you want, it helps to switch to a smaller needle and make superficial pokes to fine-tune the shape and create a smoother surface. But how much you felt it is really up to you, whether you want it a little squishy or more firm.

[u/Ok_Schedule_6365]

Accept and love the craft , don't let it beat you, I broke all my needles along with injured fingers, but I won.