Tutorial: Felt Journal Covers

Today, Hazel and I made gifts for her teachers. School starts tomorrow and we are continuing in the Parent/Child Bachelor Buttons Class at Cape Ann Waldorf School. Last year we joined the Bachelor Buttons class in March thinking we would put Hazel in the Nursery Class this year. However after realizing what happens in the class and the fact that Hazel is on the borderline for age for starting the Nursery Class, we decided not to push her this year and to enjoy another year of Bachelor Buttons where I get to go with her. Needless to say we will have the same teacher and assistant teacher, so we are making gifts to bring them tomorrow.

Our gifts

Yesterday we stopped at Joann Fabrics to get some felt and needle felting supplies and all of their school supplies and organizational stuff was 70% off so I bought some composition books. We made wool felt covers with fall needle felted designs on them. Hazel helped with the needle felting under close supervision. She was able to do it, but didn 't always get to move it around. Anyway, here is a tutorial for you on what we did.

Supplies:

Composition Book

Composition book or journal book
Wool Felt (enough to cover book)
Wool Roving
Styrofoam or other surface to needle felt into
Needle for needle felting
Cookie Cutters
1/4 inch elastic or glue
Thread and needle if you are using elastic


1) Cut the felt with pinky shears to be a bit bigger than the book cover (front and back).
2) Take felt piece and put on foam or surface for needling.
3) Choose location to put cookie cutter on felt piece (this will be your mold for the needle felting). Remember the right side is the front and the left is the back cover.
4) Choose roving colors and put a little of each color inside the cookie cutter.
5) The adult should use a single needle and go around the edges to make sure you lock in  the details of the shape.

6) The child can needle felt the middle of the shape. I had Hazel use my 5-needle tool which has more safety features than just a needle. I held the cookie cutter for her.

7) When the roving seems stiff enough and pushed down to be relatively flat, remove cookie cutter. (The adult may have to finish it to make sure it is felted enough.)
8) Repeat 3-7 if you want more than one cookie cutter shape/design.

Checking book inside first elastic

9) Once you are happy with the cover, sew on the elastic on the inside of front and back cover and slide book into it. Or you can glue the cover onto the book. I liked the elastic method so you could reuse the cover when the book is full.

Placement of both elastics

Acorn and oak leaf

Maple leaves

Now you have beautiful journals to keep or giveaway. Enjoy!!

For more ideas of felting with kids check out: Let the Children Play: Wet Felted Balls
I'm a teacher, get me OUTSIDE here! felted stones
Kleas: Ziplock bag felting with kids

I'm hoping to try these later with Hazel.