Mirjami felts wool into animals that people sometimes mistake for real: “I’d like to make every animal in the world”

“A little while ago, I took an owl I’d made to a small exhibition that displayed art created by young people. The organizer hurried over in alarm to say that stuffed animals weren’t allowed. The owl got to stay once I explained it wasn’t real but felted.”

When I’m felting an animal, I try to put myself in its place. I think, if I were this animal, what would I do and what kind of presence would I have?

The willow tit is one of the dearest bird species to Mirjami. The feathers are made of merino wool topped with a thin layer of glue. The legs are iron wire, wrapped in merino‑wool yarn, so they can be bent around a branch. The eyes and beak are shaped from Fimo clay.

Whenever possible, Mirjami photographs her creations in their natural habitat. “I do get some puzzled looks when I’m climbing trees to place my birds or crawling around in moss,” she says. She shares photos of her work on Instagram at @mimmifelting.

Ever since I was little, I’ve loved animals and examined their behavior and body language. We always had cats, dogs and lizards at home. I even went to school for animal care, but the profession felt too demanding. Having those different kinds of experiences with animals helps me when I’m felting.

I also do plenty of research. I look for photos of the animal from different angles. If the species is unfamiliar to me, I watch YouTube videos to see how the animal moves and what postures come naturally to it. I’d love to make every animal in the world.

Mirjami is a self‑taught felter. Looking at other felters’ work or videos gives her inspiration to try new things or might help her figure out a certain detail. She starts her pieces with coarse core wool, which is easy to shape into the animal’s basic form. Merino wool is perfect for the finer details.

All you need for felting is a felting mat, wool and a couple of different felting needles. The coarser needle is used for the base and the finer one for details. The felting mat must be thick enough so the needle doesn’t poke through.

Animals bring me peace and a sense of well‑being, but because I don’t have much space, I only keep one pet, an African land snail. By felting, I get to bring animals into my life.

I start every animal by felting a ball—that becomes the head. I roll a piece of wool into a lump and poke it all over with the needle until it gets felted together. Then I start building up the three‑dimensional shapes by adding small amounts of wool. I make the other body parts separately and attach them to the head.

Wool is forgiving. If a detail doesn’t look right and can’t be fixed with more poking, you can snip it off with scissors or felt something over it.

As the piece grows, it feels like the animal is gradually coming to me. I can hardly wait to see its personality emerge. I talk to the felted creature just as I would to a real animal. If the conversation feels natural, I know the piece is finished. Then I stroke it and wish it luck on its way to its new home.

For the flying budgie’s wings, Mirjami felted a flat piece of wool onto the mat and spread glue over it. Once the glue dried, the wings became rigid enough to keep their anatomically correct shape.

When choosing a new subject for a piece, Mirjami makes a collage of pictures from the internet of species she might like to try next, then picks the one that excites her most right then. The monkey’s tail and arms have wire inside them, so it can be posed hanging.

I felt every day. I’ve just graduated as a media producer and am looking for work. I usually have six or seven hours a day for felting. Sometimes I get so absorbed that I keep going even longer.

Needle felting takes a lot of patience. The tiny willow tit took me 12 hours to felt, while a life‑size rabbit took 40. I don't mind the slowness.

I first tried needle felting in elementary‑school craft class. I made a small duckling and was so excited. With felting you can create almost anything from a material as simple as wool.

The real spark came when I was 17. My then boyfriend’s mother is an artisan and let me use her felting wool. I began making colorful Pokémon and learned a lot about felting. My studies forced me to take a break, but about three years ago I picked the hobby back up and started creating realistic animals.

Birds are especially important to Mirjami—she’s even kept quails as pets. Lying flat on its belly is a natural resting position for a quail chick, and Mirjami has captured that in her piece.

“I’ve made lots of new friends through this hobby. Many of them I’ve got to know through social media,” Mirjami says. This owl she’s felted has a head that can be moved into different positions.

I’m particular about my materials being ethically produced. I favor Finnish products and never buy wool whose origin is uncertain. I don’t want to support production where animals are poorly treated.

I usually use Finnsheep’s wool for the base and merino for the details. I once made a piece that looked like someone’s cat and used the cat’s own fur for the coat.

I’ve also tried ethically produced Finnish angora‑rabbit wool as well as flax and silk fibers. Flax is a bit coarse, but it makes a good base layer if you're making ground beneath the animal. Silk was slippery and had a lot of static and didn’t felt very well, but it added extra life to the animals.

This bunny is made of ethically sourced angora‑rabbit wool. “It might be the softest animal fiber in the world,” Mirjami says. The hobby is so important to her that her felting supplies come with her on every trip.

“I’ve felted around 70 animals. Many of them I’ve given as gifts. If I know a loved one is fond of a particular animal, I may felt one for them as a surprise or make a version of their pet,” Mirjami says. The rooster is a surprise for a friend who has a big collection of rooster whistles. The head details and the legs are sculpted from Fimo clay. The pussy‑willow twig the Easter chick is holding is Fimo as well.

I used to be shy and introverted, but felting has made me much more open. I share photos of my work on Instagram. I’ve gained courage and confidence as I've realized that sharing my work and giving out tips can inspire and help others.

Through social media, even complete strangers have started asking me to felt their pets. I’ve registered a business name, and my dream is to open an online shop. One day I hope to do this for a living.”