What a lot of fun you can have with some wool tops, a felting needle, a foam pad and not much more. Transform carded wool into some delightful figures such as mice, bears, trolls, dinosaurs and balls, as well as useful items like pincushions and coasters.

What impressed me was how beautifully made—and lifelike—many of these figures were.  They made delightful toys or conversation piece ornaments, as well as Christmas decorations in the shape of snowmen, penguins and swaddled babies. Each of the items has a whole page photograph showing it in all its woolly glory, along with text instructions.  There is quite a lot of text in this book, and hardly any diagrams or staged photographs.  I had to read it several times before I was even close to understanding exactly how to make the figures, and it would have been helpful to have a photograph or two showing the process.  There is nothing for it but to set to with the materials and have a go; doing this is a voyage of discovery indeed, from a few sketchy drawings to the wonderful finished pieces.

If you cannot find a good range of carded wool and other items locally try  SearchPress.com for a list of suppliers.