Sweetheart Beanie – Needle Felting Applique Tutorial

Have you tried needle felting before? Here’s a quick and easy project for you to try on for size! Grab a beanie (or knit or crochet one up) and then get ready to add an adorable 3D needle felted applique on top of the brim to really make it pop!

How To Needle Felt on Crochet & Knit Projects

This needle felting applique tutorial will show you how easy it is to add embellishments to your crochet and knit projects. You will especially love this technique if you are not a fan of embroidery. Needle felting embellishments are becoming more and more popular for adding details to projects, especially for things like amigurumi.

Needle Felting Patterns for Beginners

It is so easy to make your own needle felting applique molds, patterns and templates using scrap cardboard. Just draw your design (or trace it!) and then cut it out. You can also use cookie cutters if you have one in the shape that you would like. Then you will simply felt within the shape.

I decided to make a very simple design for my first attempt: a heart. And what better symbol could there be with Valentine’s Day right around the corner? Watch the short video below to see how I needle felted a wool heart on to a beanie.

I decided to use our 100% Merino Wool Roving in the color Flamingo and I was so pleased with the result. It is so soft that I was worried that it might resist the needle but it felted beautifully. I will definitely be using this fiber in more needle felting projects in the future!

First I drew a heart onto some thin cardboard (mailers or cereal boxes work well here) and then I cut it out. Then I grabbed my felting needle and foam felting surface from my Living Dreams Needle Felting Kit. I tucked a foam felting surface behind the brim of the hat and then I placed my template on top.

I needle felted inside the cut out shape until I was happy with the coverage, and then I removed the template and used my multi-needle tool to go over everything. Then I peeled the work up from the foam felting surface, turned the work inside out, replaced the foam behind it and then felted it from the back with the multi needle tool.

I am so in love with how my beanie turned out and it’s the perfect time of year to wear it and show it off. I hope this post inspired your creativity! If you decide to add a needle felted embellishment to a beanie or something else, I would love to see your project. You can share it with me in the Living Dreams Yarn Community group over on Facebook or tag @livingdreamsyarn in your social media post on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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Happy crafting!

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