I’m very excited by this ‘mend’. Possible a little too excited, but hey, I take my kicks where I can these days..!
I have this plain grey, slightly boring, but very functional cardi, that has been part of my wardrobe staples for the last few years.
And I managed to get some acrylic paint on it when doing some painting with the kids ages (like more than a year) ago. (I know, I know, who lets the kids paint with acrylics…?)
I keep meaning to try and do something about it, and have mulled over various ideas, but I saw this method using needle felting for mending moth holes in woollens
Image from Woolfiler
when I was researching an article for the Guardian’s How to Mend series, and have been wanting to give it a go.
My first issue was a lack of wool ‘roving’, but this was solved on a recent trip to the Scrapstore during half term. Yes, it is officially ‘new’, but by buying it I’m supporting a great project, and wool seems a pretty low impact resource (compared to some!), so I decided that under my new ‘conscious consumer rules’, it was ok!
Then I needed some needle felting needles.
I posted a WANTED in the Make Do and Mend-able Pre-loved Craft Stuff Facebook group, and the wonderful Lisa, a textile artisit, and blogger at the Fabrikant blog, very kindly posted me not just one, but two!
Along with explicit instructions not to inadvertently stab them into my finger, as they are barbed, and this will necessitate a trip to A&E to have them removed (the needles, not my fingers…)
I think you can also buy special needle felting pads to use, but I opted for a sponge that I found kicking around in a bathroom drawer.
So I was ready to go…!
And it was super easy, and very satisfying!
I wodged the sponge into the sleeve, and positioned it under the painty bit.
Then I got a teeny bit of the roving, and placed it over one of the paint splodges, and stabbed and stabbed and stabbed with my needle felting needle:
And repeated, until all the paint stains were covered up!
The brown stain is tea I think, and I hope it will come out in the next wash..!)
I am not sure why deliberate splodges of wool, look better than accidental paint splodges, but I think they do.
And I am now on the hunt for other items of clothing I can embellish in a similar way!
What do you think?
Have you needle felted?
My Make Do and Mend Year 
Will it wash as normal – I mean, will the felt stay in when the jumper is washed? I have several pieces of clothing that need mending.
Have just washed it and all ok so far!
You may just have invented the lastest eco-friendly fashion craze 🙂 I’m impressed.
Thankyou!
Does pushing the needle felting needle repeatedly into the same place not make a hole in the cardi? Excuse ignorance in asking! Think i would have gone for little group of crochet flowers myself and repeated on other side to match.
No hole that I can see! Flowers sound good 🙂
I remember reading about needle felting on old jumpers etc, particularly with stains and moth holes, and I thought ‘what a fab idea!’ I haven’t got round to it yet but have all the kit I’d need, so watch this space! Yours looks great. I might try multiple colours and possibly even leaves, flowers or butterflies. When I get round to it!
Ooh, that sounds great! Do let us know if you have a go!
Fab idea. I’ve never needle felted, so I’m sure splodges would be my limit, but leaves flowers and butterflies sound marvellous. Better go get the acrylic paint and put on my best jumper 😉
Do it..!!
needle felting is one of my favourite things! What a great idea your card looks unique!
Thanks so much!
OOo that looks lovely, what a great idea!
Thankyou! I’m really pleased with it 🙂