Needle Felted Hedgehog Tutorial

This needle-felted hedgehog tutorial walks you through how to make an adorable little hedgehog from wool roving, with step-by-step photos to guide you along the way.

If you’re new to needle felting, this is a fun project for practicing how to shape wool, add small details, and create texture. You can also visit my Needle Felting 101 guide for an introduction to the basic tools and techniques before you begin.

I originally made this little hedgehog as a friend for my Needle-Felted Woodland Owl, and I love how his soft wool “quills” give him all the charm of a hedgehog without any of the prickles!

Needle Felted Hedgehog Tutorial

Materials

• 36- or 38-gauge felting needle(s)
• Foam pad
• 5 colors of wool roving; I used Kraemer Yarns Mauch Chunky Roving in the following colors:
  • CA = water chestnut
  • CB = spice
  • CC = jelly bean
  • CD = black
  • CE = licorice snaps
• Scissors

How to Needle Felt a Hedgehog

Step 1: Shape the Body

Grab a handful of CA wool and roll it in your palms to form a ball. Use a felting needle to needle felt the wool into a firm oval shape, taking care not to felt it too firmly since you’ll still need to attach additional layers of wool. Add more wool as needed to achieve the size and shape you like.

Step 2: Add the Back and Head Shaping

Grab a few wisps of CB wool and layer them around the top and back of your hedgehog, leaving CA showing in the front. Needle felt the wool until it is securely attached. At this point, you can also shape the area where the head and body meet by working it with your needle until you are happy with the indentation.

Step 3: Shape the Face and Snout

Add a few wisps of CC wool to the face in the areas where the eyes and snout will be. Needle felt the wool into place, shaping the snout so it extends outward and comes to a slight point.

Step 4: Add the Legs, Arms, Eyes, and Nose

Roll some CB wool between your palms to form a small ball, then needle felt it into shape. Once the ball begins to firm up, attach it to the side of the hedgehog to form an arm. Repeat on the other side, then use the same method to make the legs. Using small amounts of CD wool, needle felt the eyes onto the face and add a nose to the tip of the snout.

Step 5: Add the Hedgehog Quills

Lay a few wisps of CE wool flat on your foam pad and needle felt them until the wool holds together and feels somewhat firm. I used a 5-needle felting tool for this step to speed up the process.

Place the felted wool on top of the hedgehog and form it into a small loop. Needle felt the base of the loop to secure it to the body. Form another loop beside the first and secure it in the same way. Continue adding loops until the top and back of the hedgehog are covered.

Once all the loops are secure, carefully use scissors to cut through the top of each loop to create the soft, textured quills.

Finishing

Now all that’s left are the finishing touches! Use your felting needle to refine any areas you’d like to reshape. Then use scissors to carefully trim and shape the soft “quills” as desired.

Now find a place to show off your adorable little needle-felted hedgehog, or make another woodland friend to keep it company!

More Needle-Felting Projects

• How to Make a Needle-Felted Owl {Photo Tutorial}
• Needle Felted Leaf: A Beginner Needle Felting Project
• How to Make Angry Birds From Needle Felted Wool
• Needle-Felted Heart Keychain
• A Pumpkin Needle Felting Project – Beginner Tutorial
• More Needle Felting Projects