with love: needle-felted bumblebee tutorial

We're well into Week One of the Whole Family Rhythms March Monthly Guide and the weekly theme is Bees and Honey and Working Hands. I recite a little verse and tell a story with props all about buzzing busy bees each evening before we read our bedtime book.

I've made a few of these bees for the story and I just happen to have a spare so for a bit of fun- the first person to comment this evening wins the needlefelted bumblebee pictured below-just leave you email address and I'll contact you for your mailing address.

However, don't fret if you're not the winner. Here is how to very simply make your own:

Supplies
dry-felting needle
dry-felting sponge
dry-felting yellow and black (or dark brown) wool roving
thread to hang

Let's Begin
Rip a chunk of the yellow wool off of your supply and casually roll it into an oval body shape, folding and squishing the wool between your fingers
Add more wool or take some away depending on how big you want you bee's body to be
Start pricking the wool with the needle (you're looking to simply strike the wool all the way through, in quick little jabs and all over the entire piece) and shape the wool into an oval
Once your body is fully shaped, make two wings
Tear a tiny piece of black or dark brown wool roving off of your bigger piece and roll and fold it it between your fingers to make an approximate round, flat wing shape, then start pricking the wool again until the shape is formed
Repeat for another wing
To attach the wings to the body simple hold a wing again the body and start pricking the winged wool right through to the body attaching them all along the sides and bottom
To make stripes take a tiny piece of brown or black wool and roll it into a long, skinny line, then apply it to the body and prick it all the way through and along the body to attach
Repeat 3-4 times to add a few stripes
Shape a stinger in a similar fashion- shaping first with your fingers, then with your needle and then attaching it to your bee's bottom
Finally add two little eyes using the smallest piece of wool you can possible roll into a ball and then pricking it onto the bee's face

If you have never dry-felted before- it is SO easy, I am totally self-taught and once you get the hang of a simple shape like a sphere or egg it' gets even easier. Honestly I think this is far easier than sewing your own toys, albeit a bit more labour intensive, but the results are always adorable and children love them!