Love the idea of a whimsical little terrarium, but don't like all the fuss of watering and making sure they get enough sunlight? This felted wool faux terrarium is the perfect solution to your no-maintenance greenery needs.
Supplies
- Assorted colors of wool roving (pictured red, white, brown, green, and gray)
- Felting needle
- Glass container for terrarium
- Large sponge
1. Making the Toadstool Cap
Step 1
Pull a large draft of red wool to make the toadstool cap.
Step 2
Tightly roll the wool into a log shape.
Step 3
Secure the end of the roll with a light bit of needle felting, poking the wool with your felting needle, all along the whole length.
Step 4
Fold the roll so that the two ends meet.
Step 5
Using your felting needle, felt these two ends to each other so that you have a roundish shape.
Step 6
Once the ends are felted together, gently pinch the wool ball in the middle and pull the outside of the ball down towards the ends you just felted together, The top of this shape should now be nice and round. This will be the top of your mushroom cap!
Step 7
Start at one side of the pinched seam you just made, and felt the pinched wool into the bottom of the mushroom cap. Continue felting all the way across this seam.
Step 8
This will form the flat bottom of the mushroom cap. Continue felting the rest of the bottom so that the cap is nice and flat.
Step 9
Once the bottom is flat, turn the cap over and lightly felt the rounded top. If there are any bumps or bulges, poke at those areas a bit more with your felting needle to make the cap nice and smooth.
2. Adding Spots
Step 1
Pull a small draft of white wool.
Step 2
Roll the wool you just pulled into a small ball between your fingers.
Step 3
Place the small ball you just made onto the cap and lightly felt it onto the cap by poking the felting needle around the outside and through the inside of the ball. Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for all other spots.
The toadstool cap is finished!
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3. Making the Stalk
Step 1
Pull a draft of white wool that is a bit less than the amount of red wool you used for the toadstool cap. Roll this draft of white wool into a log.
Step 2
Lightly needle felt the whole log until it holds together rolled up.
Step 3
Now fold the log in half, making the two ends meet. The point where they meet will be the end of the stalk that attaches to the toadstool.
Step 4
Needle felt the seams of the stalk together. Once the stalk holds its folded shape, continue to felt the whole piece. Make sure to turn the stalk so that it is evenly felted all around and maintains a cylindrical shape. Leave the fibers at the end, where the stalk and the toadstool cap will be joined, relatively unfelted and loose.
Step 5
Once the stalk is the desired shape and density, position the end of the stalk on the bottom of the toadstool cap.
Step 6
Once you have positioned the stalk, carefully felt the loose fibers of the stalk into the toadstool cap. Work your way around the stalk with the felting needle two to three times to make sure they are securely felted together.
Your toadstool is done!
4. Making Felted Pebbles
Step 1
Pull a small draft of wool in the color you would like your stone to be. Roll this wool between your fingers to make a roundish shape.
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Step 2
Use your needle to felt all around the shape, making the wool denser. Once you are satisfied with the shape and size, your wool pebble is complete.
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5. Adding the Terrarium Base
Step 1
Take a long length of green wool roving and fashion it into the shape of the bottom of your terrarium. The glass container used in this tutorial is round, so I made the roving into a circle. Make sure that the base is big enough to comfortably cover the bottom of your terrarium.
Step 2
Lightly felt all around the base. Felt it enough that it stays together in one piece. The more you felt, the denser and less airy the base will be.
Step 3
Once the base is felted into one piece, position the toadstool in the proper place and carefully felt around the bottom of the stalk and into the base piece. Felt around the base several times until the toadstool is firmly in place. Repeat this attachment process for any wool pebbles you have made.
Your Felted Wool Terrarium Is Complete!
Now just pop the toadstool and base into your glass container, and your felted wool terrarium is ready to go!
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The best part is that this "greenery" doesn't require any care like water or sunlight. It's the perfect plant for those who have a less than green thumb! This terrarium is perfect for almost any room in your home—it looks fantastic on a bookcase, or as a centerpiece on your dining room table.
