How to needle felt your own tropical birds!

Gretel Parker has designed these gorgeous colourful felted bird brooches, and we think they have serious gift appeal! They are the perfect way to inject a touch of fun into your spring accessories. Needle felting is a great project for profit, and stunning designs like these needle felted birds can command a considerable markup, as well as only using a small amount of roving wool.

If you’ve never tried needle felting before, we think you’ll find it a really satisfying technique. We have a complete beginner's guide to needle felting right here on Gathered which is also written by Gretel and will teach you all the basic techniques.

Gretel has given you a flamingo, toucan and macaw to try in this needle felting project, but you can easily adapt the basic pattern to make other types of birds to complete your flock! Simply jab the roving wool with felting needles to compact the fibres, then gently sculpt and shape and watch in amazement at how your ball of fluff is transformed into a three-dimensional shape full of character.

Check out Gretel's website, for more goodies including Zoom workshops, books and lots of adorable felted animals to buy. Why not follow Gretel Parker on Instagram for more needle felting inspiration, and be sure to look out for her new book, Decorative Needlefelting Projects – 20 Seasonal Projects for the Home, published by White Owl Books as part of their new craft range, which is out later this year. We've rounded up some of the best needle felting books on the market too so once you've finished Gretel's fab book you can try these!

And if you like this project, why not have a look at our other needle felting posts, including needle felting projects for beginners, our felted cherry keyring tutorial and we love this needle felted teacup pin cushion (also by Gretel!).

If you've made this project, why not show us on Facebook or post them on Instagram, we love to see what you make!

Beginner's guide to needle felting, how to make needle felted birds

To make these needle felted birds you will need:

Brooch pins – 2.5cm (1in)
Felting sponge or brush mat
Size 40 or 42 felting needles, spirals or triangular
Awl or pointy scissors

For the flamingo

15-20g of medium pink merino roving wool
Pinches of merino roving wool in pale pink, dark pink and black
1cm (1⁄4in) looped black glass toy eye
Pink thread

For the macaw

15-20g of red merino roving wool
Pinches of merino roving wool in medium yellow, blue and white
1cm (1⁄4in) looped green glass toy eye
Red thread

For the toucan

15-20g of black merino wool roving
A large pinch of merino roving wool in yellow, smaller pinches in white, pale blue, green and black
1cm (1⁄4in) looped amber or yellow glass toy eye
Black thread

Measurements

Flamingo & Toucan – 9cm (31⁄2in) from beak tip to tail tip
Macaw – 8cm (31⁄4in) from beak tip to tail tip

Needle felted bird: Flamingo

Needle felted birds: Macaw & Toucan

Step 1

These are made in a similar way as the flamingo but are simpler in shape. Measure about 20cm (8in) of black or red roving and tease into a strip. Take a pinch of filling, about 10cm (4in) and muddle it into a loose ball. Enclose ball into the strip as for the flamingo.

Step 2

The macaw and toucan are all one dumpy shape, with no neck. The fat end of the wool becomes the head and the thinner, loose
end fibres become the tail. The macaw has a slightly longer, pointier tail than the toucan.

Step 3

Add a tiny wing to the body – see step 11 of the flamingo instructions. Cover the body with a fine layer of wool as with step 13 of the flamingo instructions.

Step 4

Work the body until it is firm, then add the beak. For the macaw beak, use a small pinch of medium yellow wool and work it directly onto the head using one needle. Make it stumpy, like a fat little cone.

Step 5

For the toucan beak, use a larger pinch of medium yellow wool. You may find it easier to form the beak loosely on your mat, before attaching it to the head. This beak is longer and curves downwards; use your fingers to pinch the wool into place as you work, to get a nice pointy shape.

Step 6

Add the patterns onto the body and beak. You only need small fragments of wool for this, and one needle for precision. For band patterns, wrap the strip of wool around the body part (macaw tail, toucan beak) and stab into place.

Step 7

To make the eye patches, needle the wool in a circular direction to get a good roundness. Use one needle for precision. The macaw has one white eye patch. The toucan has a larger white eye patch, then a smaller pale blue circle overlaid on top.

Needle felted birds: Sewing eyes (all patterns)

Step 1

Decide where you would like the eye to be positioned and drill a little socket into the felt, using an awl or pointy scissors.

Beginner’s guide to needle felting, how to sew an eye, step 1

Step 2

Thread the loop of the eye with cotton in a colour that matches the body of your brooch and then re-thread both ends of the cotton into a needle.

Beginner’s Guide to needle felting, needle felted birds, step 14

Step 3

Take needle into the eye socket and pull eye snugly into the head. Tie ends at the back of the head. Re-thread the needle with the ends so you can bring them out further down the body, away from the knot, before snipping off.

Beginner’s guide to needle felting, how to sew an eye, step 3

Needle felt birds: Sewing on a brooch pin (all patterns)

Step 1

Use a needle and coordinating thread to sew the brooch back securely to the reverse side of the brooch.

Beginner’s guide to needle felting, how to sew on a brooch pin, step 1

Step 2

For a neat and professional-looking finish, cover the stitched bar with scraps of wool.

Beginner’s guide to needle felting, how to sew on a brooch pin, step 2

We hope you’ve enjoyed needle felting these birds! Make sure you check out our needle felting kits for even more needle felting goodness.

How to needle felt your own tropical birds!