DIY: Felted Acorn Necklaces

DIY: Felted Acorn Necklaces

Making felted acorns is a wonderful fall craft for kids of all ages, its sweet, simple and they are super fun to make! Using the directions below to make a bowlful for fun fall decorations and play or attach them to a string and make an adorable necklace. 
Time: under 15 minutes per acorn, plus drying time.
Yields 1 acorn.
Tip: Felting wool takes time. At first, it will seem like it isn't working but be patient and you'll be rewarded with the cutest little wool acorns ever! 
Supplies needed:
Absorbent towels
Two medium sized bowls
Hot & cold water
Wool roving, about 3 inches per acorn
Acorn caps
Drill and a small 2.25mm drill bit
Apropriate size sewing needle
24 inches of hemp cord or embroidery floss per acorn (for necklaces)
Tacky glue or hot glue
Instructions:
1. Cover your work space with absorbent towels
2. Half fill 1 bowl with hottest water your hands can stand, add a squirt of dish soap and stir. 
3. Half fill another bowl with cool water and place your bowls side by side. 
4. Gently peel off a 3 inch section of your wool and tease it apart into loose, parallel strands. Once teased apart it should loosely cover your palm and fingers.  
5. Tear the wool into 4 roughly equal lengths. Stack 3 of them in alternating directions, lay the first strand with the fibers running from left to right, second strand with fibers running up and down and the third strand with fibers running left to right again. Set the fourth strand aside. 
6.Gently roll this stack into a very loose ball about the size of a small lime. 
7. Dip your ball into the hot soapy water, pull it out and SQUEEZE! It will become flat and floppy but that's ok! 
8. Very gently roll the wet wool into a ball again. 
Tip: If you try to make a tight ball right away by apply too much pressure, the wool will remain flat and refuse to cooperate. Apply a small amount of pressure at first, gradually increasing it as the ball begins to take shape and become firm. 
9. After your ball begins to take shape and become more solid, dip your wool into the cool water, remove it and squeeze. Roll the wool briefly between your hands, dip into the hot water once more, squeeze and roll again. 
10. Repeat this process gradually adding more and more pressure until a firm ball takes shape. At first it will be quite messy with folds and fissures but they will even out as you work. 
11. Once your ball is roughly the size of an overgrown acorn, tease apart your reserved section of wool and wrap it gently around the ball to cover any cracks. Dip gently into the hot water and continue working as before as described in step 8.
12. When you are pleased with your acorns shape roll your woolen ball into a slightly oblong shape that will fit in your acorn cap. 
13. Squeeze out excess water and let air dry.
If making a necklace continue on, if making multiple acorns for play and decoration skip to step 16. 
14. While your acorn dries lets prepare your cap. Drill 2 small holes on opposite sides of the stem. Thread your needle with your hemp cord or embroidery floss. Pass the needle through the cap beginning with the needle going up from the underside in one hole and then back down through the other. Tie off with a knot. 
15. Pull the thread up from the cap, centering the knot inside the acorn cap where it can be hidden. 
16. When your woolen acorn is thoroughly dry, add a dab of glue to the inside of your acorn cap and insert the wool acorn. Hold firmly in place until the glue is dry. 
Share a photo of your beautiful acorn and tag us @huntersmoontrading on Instagram and/or Facebook
*original crafter is Rachel Jepson Wolf

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published