There are many uses for felt in artisan crafts and a number of different techniques employed for felting. What sets needle felting apart from the pack is that it doesn't involve the use of water or chemicals. Just... stabbing. 

Sounds fun, ay?

The process basically involves lying felt or raw wool over other material or itself and stabbing it a lot with barbed needles. Some felting tools have several needles attached to cover more ground more quickly. It's fast, fun and [arguably] therapeutic. 

The technique is often used for appliqué and other 2D felting work, but my favourite is the 3D stuff. In particular, needle felted animals. What's not to love about a fuzzy animal sculpture. 

These deviants all use the technique to make the cute and the cuddly, the winged and the unique, and always the fluffy.

And last but not least, this is a piece that is perhaps not in need of exposure as another photo of it got a DD recently, so it sits outside the criteria for content I'd usually post. But it is such a beautiful example of great needle felting work that I can't not include it.