Painting with Wool: Sixteen Artful Projects to Needle Felt

If you are more drawn to flat, painterly designs than three-dimensional sculptures, Dani Ives offers a different entry point into needle felting. “Painting with Wool” focuses on using wool fibers to create textured, layered artwork that looks like paintings made from fiber rather than pigment.

Why Consider This One

Where most needle felting books focus on sculpting animals and figures, Ives takes the craft in a more artistic direction. Her approach treats wool as a medium for creating images: landscapes, botanicals, abstract designs, and decorative pieces you can frame or use to embellish clothing and accessories. The sixteen projects range from simple motifs to more ambitious compositions.

The book covers tools, basic techniques, and color theory for blending wool shades. Ives is a skilled instructor who breaks down her process clearly, making it accessible even if you have never felted before. If the idea of sculpting 3D animals does not excite you but the thought of creating textured artwork does, this is your book.

What to Expect

At 144 pages, this is a thorough introduction to the “wool painting” style of needle felting. The projects are well-photographed and the instructions are detailed. You will learn how to layer colors, create texture, and build compositions that have real visual depth. The materials needed are the same basic supplies as any needle felting project: wool roving, felting needles, and a foam pad.