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Year 6

Explore needle felting

I can use needle felting to add to my arpillera.

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New
New
Year 6

Explore needle felting

I can use needle felting to add to my arpillera.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Felting is a process where wool fibres are bonded by agitating them.
  2. To use a felting tool safely, ensure fingers and eyes are well protected.
  3. Artists can layer and blend wisps of wool to create different felted effects.

Keywords

  • Felting - the process of bonding wool fibres together using agitation

  • Wisp - a small amount of wool fibres

  • Layering - placing multiple wisps of wool on top of each other to build thickness, strength, and design

  • Blending - the process of mixing different colours of wool fibres to create new colours, textures or effects

Common misconception

Needle felting tools are easy to use without considering safety.

Remind pupils that felting needles are extremely sharp. They should be used with a high consideration of safety, particularly ensuring fingers and eyes are protected.


To help you plan your year 6 art and design lesson on: Explore needle felting, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

For this lesson, pupils should spend some time discussing and practicing how to use felting needles safely. Protective eyewear, finger guards and tools to hold multiple needles can also be used at the teacher's discretion. Pupils should be supervised at all times to ansure safe practices.
Teacher tip

Equipment

felting needles plus spares incase of breakage, felting mats, wool tops, synthetic wool squares

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions.
Correct Answer:Template,A shape or pattern you can trace around.

A shape or pattern you can trace around.

Correct Answer:Arpillera,Art on fabric which tells the story of war or conflict.

Art on fabric which tells the story of war or conflict.

Correct Answer:Appliqué,Pieces of fabric cut into shapes and sewn onto another fabric.

Pieces of fabric cut into shapes and sewn onto another fabric.

Correct Answer:Sample,A piece of fabric to practise on.

A piece of fabric to practise on.

Q2.
One way to refine your technique is to practise your stitches on a .
Correct Answer: sample, sampler
Q3.
When finishing a piece of thread, you should __________ it through previous stitches.
cut
Correct answer: loop
undo
Q4.
Match the stitch with its description.
Correct Answer:Blanket stitch,Used to sew around edges

Used to sew around edges

Correct Answer:Running stitch,Simple back-and-forth stitch

Simple back-and-forth stitch

Correct Answer:French knot,Creates a raised texture

Creates a raised texture

Q5.
Of these descriptions which best describes an arpillera?
An artwork which has been painted directly onto a wall.
A sculpture which tells a story.
Correct answer: A picture on fabric which tells a story.
A written story.
Q6.
Put the process of making a French knot in order.
1 - Draw some dots on your fabric to plan the knots.
2 - Bring the needle up through the fabric where you drew the dot.
3 - Wrap the thread around the needle 1–3 times.
4 - Insert the needle very close to where it came up and pull until a knot forms.

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which item is NOT needed to begin felting?
Felting mat
Safety tool
Correct answer: Paintbrush
Wool tops
Q2.
What is the primary purpose of a felting needle?
To cut wool fibres
Correct answer: To bind wool fibres together
To dye wool fibres
To spin wool into yarn
Q3.
Using too much wool in one go can the needle.
Correct Answer: break, damage, snap
Q4.
To create layering in needle felting, you should add wisps of wool at a time.
Correct Answer: small, little, tiny, smaller
Q5.
Match the keywords with their definitions.
Correct Answer:Wisp,a small amount of wool fibres

a small amount of wool fibres

Correct Answer:Felting,the process of bonding wool fibres together using agitation

the process of bonding wool fibres together using agitation

Correct Answer:Layering,placing multiple wisps of wool on top of each other

placing multiple wisps of wool on top of each other

Correct Answer:Blending,the process of mixing different colours of wool fibres

the process of mixing different colours of wool fibres

Q6.
What is one way to enhance the detail in your felting project?
Use only one colour
Correct answer: Blend different colours
Use thicker wool
Skip safety precautions