All felt is not created equal. Here are my tips for what to look for when you’re shopping for felt. And be warned, it starts with a few sheets and then you end up with The Inevitable Felt Stack.

What’s it made from?

The first thing you’ll want to know is the actual contents. Is it wool? What kind? Is it synthetic? A blend?  I primarily work with synthetic materials. You will find that different craft stores sell different types and brands of felt.  Some are more flimsy than others. Usually the general rule of “you get what you pay for” applies.

For my felties, I mostly use Kunin’s Eco-Fi Felt.  Occasionally there’s some Hobby Lobby felt in there too (mostly using leftover bits from the early days). I’ve also used Flic-Flac felt from Amazon for walls or floors in scenes–it’s a thin, but slightly sturdier felt.  Kunin’s Eco-Fi is the best of all worlds, in my opinion. That, and it’s made from recycled plastic bottles, which is pretty nifty!

How thick is it?

There are some pricier, thicker felts (like Kunin’s Premium Eco-Fi Felt) that are very sturdy and also about twice the price as their regular craft felt.  I haven’t really found them useful for the small-scale objects I make. Also, I’m cheap. Ultimately, if you need something to be thicker or sturdier, cardboard is going to be your most inexpensive go-to material.  It makes a great base that you can adhere felt to. Needless to say, cereal boxes and Amazon boxes get a second glance at my house now.

Other Dos and Don’ts:

Do wait and plan for the inevitable sale to stock up on mass quantities of felt. Beware of upcoming holidays that may cause certain colors to run out quickly. (In other words, don’t even dare trying to refill your inventory of red and green before Christmas.)

Do compare the costs for individual sheets vs buying by the yard. If the sheets are on sale, they’re often cheaper than buying by the yard.  (It’s crazy, I know.) I find that storing the sheets is easier anyway.

Do keep your felt organized…so when the inevitable sale pops up, you can be prepared to know your inventory.  I usually have to reorganize my felt at least once a week to incorporate the working-stack back into my larger inventory.  The good thing about felt is the larger scraps “stick” to full-size felt sheets.

Speaking of which…

Don’t throw away scraps!  Large scraps go back into the felt stack.  I keep smaller scraps in a bag that I regularly pull from.  Because I’m working with small items, that scrap bag comes in handy for tiny accessories and last-minute bits of detail. If all else fails, you can always use scraps for stuffing and weight too.

Don’t bother with sticky-back felt.  I’ve never really understood it. I guess it’s good for making a poster with felt letters?  I’ve never actually used it, I’m just perplexed by it. If you use it regularly and it’s your favorite thing in the world, let me know.