Needle Felting Lesson: Sunflower Field
step by step tutorialMaterials List
Felting needles
Sturdy foam or wool pad
Prepared base panel of felted wool
Reference photo of a field of sunflowers
Two tones of yellow wool
Three to Four tones of green wool
Brown wool for the seeds
Welcome to the needle felting lesson: Sunflower Field. Together we’ll work throughout the process of developing the sixth illustration of my picture book, Flock of Rock! Thank you for sharing this journey with me. This lesson was originally recorded in April 2024.
Felting the First Layer of the Sunflower Field Background
Before we begin adding flowers the shadow background is going to have a series of long stems and blobby (this is really a word, I looked it up) leaf patterns. Everything we’re adding at this stage will have more detail added on top of it.
Felting Sunflower Petals
In this video lesson, we section off small pinches of wool in two tones to form sunflower petals.
Assembling a Felted Sunflower
In this video lesson, I begin with a round felt base and attach the sunflower petals and seeds to form the flower.
Adding Sunflowers to the Distant Field
In this video lesson, we first add undefined pinches of yellow to the field to add the flowers. Then we felt them into circles, some are adjusted into an irregular shape and others remain geometrical (they remind me of Klimt flowers). The brown seed centers are added I turn one of the 2D flowers into a 3D pop by adding the petals directly to the base.
Still Image Gallery
Tip: Click on the first image and then scroll through the enlarged format, you’re able to see everything much better.
Attaching Sunflowers Petals to the Seedy Center
This gallery includes pictures showing closeup shots of how I add sunflowers to the field, attach the petals to the seedy center of the flower which is felted to the base layer.
Master Tip
When you know there are elements of your picture that will be placed right where your hand naturally wants to rest as you work, do that section last. In these two images, I indicate where in the field my hand is typically resting, so I develop that section last.
Meet Your Instructor
Hi, my name is Hillary Dow. A few of my many hats include mother, wife, traveler, outdoor adventurer, author, family chef, marketing professional, felting artist in Maine, and oh so many more. I write children’s books illustrated with my wool creations. It is such a thrill to be a part of helping someone develop their skills and CREATE artwork. Thank you for joining me!
Want even more? Take your felting to a whole new level! Join the Felting Master Class today for a one time payment of $200.
