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When making felted wall hangings..
- 3 hours ago
- 5 min read
In one of my previous blog posts, I wrote about the moment when I first called myself a textile artist. Looking back, it took me many years of self-teaching and experimenting with felted accessories before I reached a point where I felt that something was missing. I wanted to create something more meaningful, less practical, and something that pushed my existing skills to the next level.
At the time, my first wall hanging was a small experiment, just 50 x 50 cm. My most recent piece measures 125 x 185 cm, the largest wall hanging I have ever made. But in truth, the size itself is not what matters; what matters is the journey of finding the courage to go further.
When I started with wall hangings, I did not follow a plan, as I had no experience. I simply experimented and this is a great way to explore new horizons, but I you have to be prepared to fail as well.
If you also feel the urge to experiment with wall hangings, I have created a guide to help you get started. It focuses on key elements that I believe are important when creating artworks. These are based on common mistakes I have seen myself and people make, often simply because they have not yet had the experience of seeing a whole piece through from beginning to end. We all learn through our mistakes, but I hope these tips will help you save time, energy, and frustration along the way.
Find your inspiration and your theme
For me, inspiration is the starting point of everything. It gives you energy, direction, and emotional connection to your work. This is why I encourage you to take this step seriously and explore deeply which themes truly resonate with you. Try not to follow trends here, instead listen to your intuition and choose the style, mood, story and feeling you want your artwork to carry.
I have always been drawn to textures and surfaces found in nature, so much of my inspiration comes from my daily walks. I often take the same route, yet I am constantly amazed by how much my surroundings change through the seasons. Colours shift, textures evolve, patterns emerge, and light transforms everything. Think about what similarly inspires you and choose a theme that feels close to your heart.
A clear theme helps narrow your choices and prevents you from feeling overwhelmed.
Plan and design your work
I know that feeling of excitement when you are eager to begin a new project and do not want to “waste” time on planning. This impulse belongs to the exploration mode, which is essential for nourishing our creative practice. Spontaneity and experimentation absolutely have their place, even while making a wall hanging.
However, with larger projects, it is wise to make samples and do some initial planning so that you do not end up disappointed later. I always recommend making at least a simple design on paper. It does not need to be a beautiful drawing or painting — a quick sketch or visual note is enough. My own sketches are often more technical than artistic, marking ideas for techniques, textures, and materials.
As you begin translating your idea onto paper, you naturally start considering important decisions: How large will the wall hanging be? Will it be landscape or portrait format? How will it be hung? What will the composition look like?
In my previous blog post, I wrote about different times to explore and complete. With wall hangings, this is your time to complete.
Choose your materials and felting techniques wisely
One common mistake I see is changing materials without first making samples. Once you have a design in mind, take time to think about which materials best support your concept, as different types of wool behave differently and create very different visual and tactile results.
Some artists prefer to think about materials and techniques simultaneously with the design, which can work very well in felting, as it is such a material-led process. Just remember that you do not need to use all your favourite materials and techniques in one piece. Let your design idea guide your choices, rather than the other way around.
Do not underestimate the finishing stage
After the felting process, the true colours and textures of your work reveal themselves. This can be a moment of satisfaction, but also sometimes disappointment when certain ideas do not turn out as expected. This stage is actually one of the reasons I fell in love with felt in the first place — it can be full of surprises.
If some areas have not turned out as you hoped, consider how finishing techniques might help you resolve them. Think about adding lines, movement, or additional texture through stitching, embellishment, or other textile methods.
Finally, give careful thought to how your work will be installed and hung. This is almost as important as the making itself, as it strongly influences how your artwork is perceived and experienced in space.
When you feel that something is missing in your work, trust that instinct and keep refining until it feels right. When it does, the result will bring you a deep sense of joy and gratitude.
Here you can download your free guide, which hopefully helps you with your own wall hangings. I truly believe that everyone with basic feltmaking skills can find their style, their inspiration and turn that into a beautifully finished felted wall hanging!
If you would like to follow this process with more guidance, clearer steps, and personal feedback, the doors are still open for "The Art of Felting". We begin on the 2nd of February, and I will be working closely with each participant to ensure everyone receives the support they need. During 8 weeks, we will go through every step together to make sure that every aspect of making your artwork is covered. As this is the course where I interact with everyone taking part, I will help you along your feltmaking journey with all my experience as a textile artist.
I am also thinking of hosting a live Q&A session on the 26th of January at 19.30 (CET). Would you be interested in coming along and getting answers to all of your questions?
If this time does not suit you, you are always welcome to email or book a private meeting with me.
Until next time,
Reena
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