By Riley Fontana
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Needham Free Public Library (NFPL) partnered with Pop-Up Art School to introduce a needle felting workshop as part of its children's programming. During this event, children learned the basics of needle felting and created their own rainbow pins.
Pop-Up Art School, led by art teachers Janelle Scannell and Lisa Walker, travels to libraries and schools to teach crafts to children and adults. At NFPL, Scannell guided a dedicated group of young crafters, emphasizing needle safety with rubber finger covers and needle handles before starting the project.
Scannell demonstrated the needle felting process, highlighting the importance of using small amounts of colored wool to build shapes. Once the basics were covered, the children eagerly began crafting their rainbows, with many turning their creations into wearable pins.
Supplies for a second round of needle felting were available, allowing participants to further explore their creativity. Attendees could take home extra wool, needles, and a foam block to continue practicing. Each needle card included a tutorial for making a needle-felted frog, encouraging skill advancement.
This Pop-Up Art School session successfully introduced kids to an uncommon craft, leaving them with smiles and new creations. Pop-Up Art School continues to bring educational crafting opportunities to libraries and schools across Massachusetts.
