Editing Felt (section)

===Needle felting===
[[Image:Needle-felt-making-1080204.jpg|thumb|Needle felting process to create small animal figurines]]

Rather than using water as a medium for linking and aggregating felt fibers, the method of [[:simple:Needle felting|needle felting]] employs specially designed needles. These have angled notches along the shaft that catch fibers and tangle them together to produce felt. These indented notches are sometimes erroneously called "barbs", but barbs are protrusions (like barbed wire) and would be too difficult to thrust into the wool and nearly impossible to pull out without bringing fibers with them. Felting needles are thin and sharp, with shafts of a variety of different gauges and shapes. Needle felting is used in industrial felt making{{cn|date=April 2025}} as well as for individual art and craft applications.

Felting needles are sometimes fitted in holders that allow the use of 2 or more needles at one time to sculpt wool objects and shapes. Individual needles are often used for detail while multiple needles that are paired together are used for larger areas or to form the base of the project. At any point in time a variety of fibers and fiber colors may be added, using needles to incorporate them into the project.

Needle felting can be used to create both 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional artwork, including soft sculpture, dolls, figurines, jewelry, and 2 dimensional wool paintings. Needle felting is popular with artists and craftspeople worldwide. One example is [[Ikuyo Fujita]](藤田育代 ''Fujita Ikuyo),''  a Japanese artist who works primarily in needle felt painting and [[Pipe cleaner|mogol (pipe cleaner)]] art.

Recently, needle felting machines have become popular for art or craft [[wiktionary:felters|felters]]. Similar to a sewing machine, these tools have several needles that punch fibers together. These machines can be used to create felted products more efficiently.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Freitag |first1=Lanette |title=NEEDLE-FELTING MACHINES INCREASE EFFICIENCY, PRODUCTION FOR FIBER FARMERS |url=https://www.feltloom.com/blogs/news/feltloom%C2%AE-feature-ruby-ziegler-with-zalpaca-ranchoz-fiber-arts-mill-llc |website=FeltLOOM |access-date=17 March 2022}}</ref> The embellishment machine allows the user to create unique combinations of fibers and designs.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Embellish, stitch, felt : using the embellisher machine and needle-punch techniques|last=Smith|first=Sheila|date=2008|publisher=Batsford|isbn=978-1-906388-05-8|location=London|oclc=227279237}}</ref>