Start Sewing with Felt: My Beginner-Friendly Toolkit for Creatives

Sewing felt to create personalized crafts is not just fun, but also remarkably easy. Whether it's a small project like a felt hair clips and felt bookmarks to larger projects like felt bags and felt home decor, felts can be used in many ways.

I still remember decorating my college apartment with $10 and a pile of felt scraps. I didn’t have much, but I wanted to make the space feel like mine.

So I stitched together colorful wall hangings using felt shapes I cut by hand. They added color, texture, and just enough personality to make those bare walls feel like home.

Whether you're decorating a dorm room or making a gift for a friend, felt is one of the most beginner-friendly, affordable, and satisfying materials you can craft with.

This post is your all-in-one toolkit: materials, stitches, tips, and project ideas — everything you need to start crafting with confidence.

Why Felt is a Great Starter Craft

• Affordable: You can start with just a few sheets.

• Forgiving: Felt doesn’t fray when cut.

• Beginner-friendly: No machine required — hand sewing works great.

• Versatile: Comes in dozens of colors, thicknesses, and types.

From ornaments and bookmarks to wall art and toys, felt opens the door to fun, functional crafting without a big learning curve.

Felt Types 101: Wool, Acrylic, and Blended

Here’s a quick overview of the types of felt you’ll see in craft stores:

Tip: Start with acrylic felt if you're just getting started. Once you're comfortable with cutting and stitching, you might want to upgrade to a wool blend for more polished projects.

Essential Felt Craft Tools

Every felt crafter needs a few basics. Here’s what I reach for most often:

• Scissors: Use sharp fabric scissors for clean edges.

• Felt sheets: Choose based on project and budget.

• Glue or sewing supplies: Use fabric glue for quick projects or embroidery floss + needle for hand sewing.  Nearly all the items in my shop use the hand-sewn felt method.

• Templates: Great for creating shapes or sets (like matching ornaments).

• Marking tools: Pencil, chalk, or fabric pens work well for tracing templates.

• Embellishments (optional): Buttons, beads, lace, or ribbon to personalize your pieces.

Stitching Basics: Learn to Sew Felt by Hand

If you’re new to hand sewing, felt is the perfect material to learn with. It’s sturdy, doesn’t fray, and is easy to grip while stitching.

Supplies:

• Embroidery floss (use all 6 strands for bold stitching)

• Needle (choose one with an eye large enough for floss)

Stitches to Know:

• Backstitch: Great for outlines and lettering

• Chain stitch: Adds texture and movement

• Satin stitch: Fills in solid shapes smoothly

• French knots: Perfect for tiny dots or texture (like eyes or berries)

Tip: Keep your stitches even and your tension gentle — it’s okay if it’s not perfect. Practice makes progress!

Creative Felt Project Ideas

Here are a few fun, doable ideas — no machine required:

Hair Accessories: Using felt, you can create cute and colorful hair accessories such as hair clips, hair bows, and headbands. A snap hair clip is popular, but a French barrette, bobby pin, or alligator clip will also work.

Cut out your desired shape and attach it to a hair clip or headband using glue or stitching.

Felt ornaments: Felt ornaments are a popular holiday craft project that crafters can customize to match their decor.

You can create simple shapes like stars, hearts, or trees or more complex designs like animals or characters.

Felt bookmarks: Felt bookmarks are also an easy project to create and make a perfect gift for a book lover!  

There are a few style options - something that slips over a page corner, a shape stitched onto a paper clip, or even a style with an elastic band around it.

Felt toys: Felt toys are a fun and easy project for kids. You can create stuffed animals, finger puppets, a quiet book, or felt play food sets.

Felt toys are also great for developing fine motor skills and imaginative play for children.

Felt bags and purses: Felt can create stylish and functional bags and purses. You can make a simple tote bag or clutch or add embellishments and embroidery to create a unique and personalized design.

Felt wall art: Felt can be used to create unique and eye-catching wall art pieces. You can make a felt flower wreath, a felt banner with inspiring quotes or phrases, or a felt wall hanging in a geometric or abstract design.

Felt coasters and placemats: Felt coasters and placemats are an easy way to add a pop of color to your table setting. You can create simple round or square designs or add embellishments such as embroidery or applique.

Eco Tip: Use Those Scraps

I’ve been crafting with felt for years, and I keep a bin of felt scraps I reuse in my shop projects. It’s a great way to reduce waste and get the most out of every sheet. Little pieces are perfect for appliqué, stuffing, or small embellishments.

Your Felt Journey Starts Here

Crafting with felt is an easy and creative way to make beautiful, personalized items — whether you're just learning to sew or looking for a relaxing evening project. With just a few supplies and a bit of imagination, you can create something truly special.

So grab your scissors, pick out a few felt colors you love, and start stitching. You’ll be surprised how far a single felt sheet can take you.