Sew Inspirational

Fashion Felting Today

Traditionally worked by hand, the craft of needle felting is used to embellish fabric as well as to create felted wool fabric and sculpture. Use of the sewing machine to move barbed needles up and down through the fibers makes this process much faster and more efficient – RESULT: instant gratification!

HISTORICALLY - When traditionally worked by hand, a long, barbed felting needle is used to entangle the yarn fibers with those of the base fabric. As the needle passes through the yarn and fabric, the barbs snag and pull fibers; after many, many movements of the needle through the embellishment, the fibers eventually entangle and become a permanent part of the fabric.

NEEDLE PUNCH TOOL - FOOT FACTS
The felting process is much easier and faster using a Needle Punch Tool.

Pieces of yarn are placed on the base fabric, which is then moved under the presser foot and penetrated by the felting needle punch tool. Small barbs on the needles catch on fibers in the yarn and fabric, pulling and entangling them. Unlike applied cords and materials that are stitched to the surface of a fabric, the felted fibers are integrated into the fabric and cannot be removed.

Five barbed felting needles, arranged in a circular pattern around the outer edge of the needle holder, catch and entangle fibers as they move up and down through the fabric and yarn.

LEARNING TO USE A NEEDLE PUNCH TOOL
The fabric is controlled by movement of the sewer's hands, just as in free-motion sewing techniques, but without the need for the same degree of precision. Items to be felted are placed on the fabric surface, then "punched" in place by moving the fabric under the needle so that the needles "stitch through all layers.

Bernina have come out with a machine attachment that will do needle felting in a fraction of the time required by hand. Vogue pattern 7907 (see photo 1) was needle felted by Kathryn Brenne on her Bernina machine. This show-stopping jacket illustrates just how easy (and awe-inspiring) this ages-old art can be. You’ll need to remove thread and bobbin from the machine and drop the feed dogs. A special needle plate that accommodates several needles at once is attached to the machine along with the needles, their holder and a finger guard (see photo 2 – needle punch tool).

The Bernina Needle Punch Accessory Set is available for all ACTIVA and VIRTUOSA Bernina sewing systems, as well as for the AURORA 430/440 and ARTISTA 630. Note: The Needle Punch Accessory Set is not available for rotary hook systems machines.

Installation instructions are included with the accessory, as well as a CD, “A Guide to the Decorative Punch Tool”, which includes recommendations for choosing appropriate fibers and fabrics.

The CD also highlights needle-punched embellishments on garments and other projects.

INSTALLING THE NEEDLE PUNCH ACCESSORY SET
Note that the difference between the regular Stitch Plate and the stitch plate for the Needle Punch Accessory Set is the large hole at the front of the plate. This is where the five felting needles will pass through the stitch plate.

1. Before attaching the Needle Punch Accessory, turn the sewing machine OFF.
2. Remove presser foot, needle and stitch plate.
3. Remove bobbin and bobbin case. Open the shuttle cover  and remove the hook. Leave bobbin area door open.
4. Install the Needle Punch Stitch Plate appropriate for your machine model.
5. Remove the needle holder thumb screw completely. Place the felting needle holder (black plastic) over the regular needle holder; in position with screw included with the accessory set. To seat the holder base correctly, it may be necessary to punch the needle holder slightly, just above the felting needles, toward the back of the machine
6. Turn the machine ON.
7. Select straight stitch.
8. Lower the feed dog.
9. Turn the hand wheel slowly counterclockwise, watching the needles to ensure that they are positioned to move through the large hole in the needle punch stitch plate. Adjust the needle position to the left or right if needed.

NOTE: On some older machine models, it may be necessary to remove the needle threader to provide clearance for the needle punch.

BASIC PUNCHING TECHNIQUE
Needle punching may be the easiest "sewing" technique ever! Because no thread is used, there is no need to "stitch" exactly along a line, making this freehand embellishment technique truly simple and stress-free!

Preparation: Arrange fiber/yarn/fabric on fabric surface as desired. While needle-punching, avoid placing fingers near the needles by using a stiletto, wooden skewer, or needle trolley to hold fibers in position.

Optional: "Hand-baste" Fibers/yarns in place using a little hand-felting. Place the fabric over a thick layer of foam, then pierce the felting needle through the fiber and fabric.

WHICH IS THE "RIGHT" SIDE?
Needle-punching produces a defined embellishment on the upper surface of the base fabric and a much softer, fuzzier appearance on the underside, thus creating two different effects with the same technique. Use just one side or the other or combine them both to create distinct fiber and yarn "brushstrokes" on a softly shaded "watercolour" background.

First Pass:
"Baste" the fibers/yarns in place by passing the fabric under the felting needles, running the machine at a moderately slow speed, so that the needles pass through each area only once and the fibers are only lightly punched. It is not necessary to punch the entire design initially, just to "tack" the fibers/yarns in place.

Note: Once the fibers are punched in place they are completely incorporated into the fabric structure and cannot be removed.
"Basting" allows slight adjustments to be made before the fibers are permanently felted to the fabric.

Second Pass:
Once all of the design components are positioned and based in place, run all areas under the felting needles a second time, this time running the machine at a faster speed and making sure that every bit of fiber/yarn passes under the needles.

If necessary, repeat this step until the fibers are visible on the wrong side of the base fabric. NOTE: Non-wool fibers, yarn and fabrics require much less punching-and are more susceptible to abrasion-than woolens.

Final Pass:
Turn the base fabric wrong side up. Felt the design one last time, from the wrong side, to fully incorporate the fibers into the fabric.

NOTE: This step may not be necessary, or even recommended, for non-wool fabrics.

FIBRE, YARN AND FABRIC SELECTION
Almost any yarn, fiber, or fabric can be used with the Needle Punch Accessory Set, with the exception of stretch materials. Wool is traditionally used for the felting process because of the coiled and barbed structure of wool fibers -"hair" fibers shorn and/or combed from sheep, goats, and related animals-entangles and felts naturally.

Natural plant fibers (cotton linen and ramie) while they do not felt as quickly as animal fibers, they also have a complex structure and will bond during needle-punching.

Manufactured (synthetic) fibers are very smooth and typically do not felt well; exceptions are those that are "crimped" during the manufacturing process, such as acrylic knitting yarns, but the results are not of the same quality as those obtained with natural fibers

ROVING
Fibers that have been cleaned, carded, and combed, but not twisted. Used by spinners to create their own yarn, and available at many weaving/knitting shops as well as mail-order and internet stores. Wool roving, particularly Merino wool, works well for needle-punching and is available in a variety of  colours and can be used as solid and shaded colors. Others fibers, such as silk, rayon or Tencel, are also available in roving form and add sparkle and texture to punched designs. It is sometimes possible to find yarns that are very loosely spun and which can be untwisted into a roving-like state.

YARN
From ultra-fine to super-bulky, barely twisted to tightly spun, smooth to crimped, matte to shiny - the variety of yarn available is seemingly limitless!

While wool yarns are traditionally used for needle punching many other types can also be punched successfully. Check out the selection of novelty yarns at your local yarn and craft shops.

Wool fibers, yarns, and fabrics are especially well suited to needle punching and can withstand a great deal of abuse; others are more delicate and must not be over-punched. Some novelty yarns, such as those with plastic "sparkles", can withstand only one or two passes of the needles. Always test yarn before using them in a project.

Some bulky yarn contain a thin, often monofilament strand that binds the fibers together and creates a "crimp" effect. Remove this strand by clipping and pulling it from the length of yarn.

Other yarns may contain a similar strand at the core instead of around the yarn, This must also be removed before using the yarn.

FABRIC
Wool fabrics are excellent bases for needle-punching, but other fabrics may be used as well. Needle-punching is traditionally applied to boiled wool and/or wool felt, and these fabrics are the most "forgiving" of over-punching. Other options include cotton duck and canvas; woven linen, silk, and cotton non-stretch denim (fabrics containing spandex, lycra, or other stretch fibers will snag the needles and cause them to break).

Always audition yarn/fabric combinations to determine whether they will be successful.

COVERALL
Untwist yarn strands to make them as smooth as possible. Sort and smooth strands over the fabric base so that they cover the entire surface. Punch in place, creating a completely new surface on the base fabric. Use this unique base fabric as the foundation for additional embellishment, such as decorative stitches and/or embroidery.

To create a softer effect, apply fibers/yarns to the wrong side of the fabric, creating a very soft, fuzzy effect on the right side. Unique surface texture as the base for additional embellishments, such as decorative stitches and/or embroidery.

CONFETTI
Cut snippets of fibers and punch only through the centre of each piece to create little tufts that appear to be woven into the fabric, or mound several pieces together to create a focal point.

PUNCH-IN-THE-DITCH
Add yarn embellishments to seam lines of garments, crafts, and home dec projects. A quick and simple technique for adding a bit of glitz, or subtle accents to a purchased sweater. Place yarn in the well of the seam; punch in place.

Note: Delicate novelty fibers, such as the polyester yarn require minimal punching.

FREEFORM DESIGNS
In this technique, strands of yarn are "dropped" on the fabric, letting the strands curl and overlap to create freeform organic shapes. Strands of a heavyweight, thick-and-thin wool knitting yarn can be used to create the impression of free-growing vines and leaves.

Accentuate the thick portions of the yarn by untwisting them slightly, then gently pulling the fibers apart to the "leaves". Separate lengths of a uniform-thickness yarn were "dribble" on the fabric in S-shapes to create the overall pattern shown below.

SHAPED DESIGNS
Cut sections of yarn, then fold into petal shapes and punch in place. This technique is especially effective with "thick & thin" yarns; the sections can be untwisted and "Fluffed".

Fold yarn into loop to create the first petal; punch-baste in place.

Form additional petals as desired. Add leaves and centers.

When design is complete and all sections have been punched into the fabric, repeat punching from wrong side of work.