Today I'm sharing a tutorial on how to make your own needle felting pads for FREE using foam from an old mattress! With over 25 students in my classroom, purchasing individual needle felting pads can get expensive, especially when they cost between $6 and $12 each. So when we replaced an old foam mattress, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it rather than throw it away.

I started by cutting the foam with scissors, but at 2½ inches thick, it was much too difficult to cut evenly. That's when I discovered that the Hamilton Beach electric knife was the perfect tool for the job! I made an 8 × 10-inch template and used it to cut the mattress into individual needle felting pads. Once I got into a rhythm, it was surprisingly easy to cut through the foam, and I was able to make more than 30 pads for our classroom.

The foam was almost identical to what you would find in commercially available needle felting pads, and I even had some smaller pieces left over that will be perfect for smaller needle felting projects. Nothing needs to go to waste!

But I didn't want to stop with just the foam pads. I thought it would be lovely to make wool covers for each one, transforming something so ordinary into a beautiful and practical classroom material.

For the covers, I used a woven wool fleece with a soft, fleecy surface that works beautifully for needle felting. I experimented with a few different patterns before settling on a simple design that covers the top and sides of each pad while leaving the bottom exposed. The covers were sewn with simple straight stitches, and I reinforced the corners with backstitching to make sure they would be durable enough for daily classroom use.

There was a little trial and error along the way! I experimented with making the covers tighter around the corners, but I actually preferred the ones with straight, square corners. They looked neater and didn't distort the foam underneath. I also discovered that the adhesive left on the bottom of some of the foam pads actually helped prevent them from sliding around on the table. Sometimes those little imperfections turn out to be useful!

I may eventually add elastic to the bottom of the covers to help secure them, but for now, I'm going to see how they hold up in the classroom before making any additional adjustments.

In the end, I made over 30 needle felting pads with beautiful wool covers, and I couldn't be happier with how they turned out! What began as an old mattress destined to be discarded has become a collection of lovely, useful materials for the children to enjoy. Even the leftover wool scraps will be saved for another project, where I plan to turn them into wool balls.

I especially love projects like this because they remind us that we don't always need to purchase new materials to create something beautiful and functional. With a little creativity and resourcefulness, we can transform what we already have into something meaningful.

If you'd like to make your own needle felting pads, be sure to check out the accompanying blog post, where you'll find the pattern directions, additional information, and links to the resources I used.

I hope this tutorial inspires you to repurpose materials you already have and create something beautiful for your own home or classroom!

Directions:

Cut foam to 8"x10" (or your desired size). My foam is 2.5" thick so the dimensions I cut the fabric are 13" by 15". Then I cut 2.5" squares out of each corner. I sew up the corners and slip the cover onto the foam pad.

Materials and Supplies for DIY Needle Felting Pads

Materials

• Repurposed foam mattress or mattress topper – This is what I used to make my needle felting pads for free!

• High-density upholstery foam, 2–2½ inches thick – A store-bought alternative if you don't have an old mattress available. You can purchase foam sheets or larger pieces that can be cut to size.

• Needle felting foam pads – Another alternative if you prefer to purchase foam specifically intended for needle felting.

• 100% wool felt fabric, nonwoven, 2–3 mm thick – For making the beautiful wool covers. Look for genuine wool felt rather than synthetic craft felt.

• Sewing thread – Choose a color that coordinates with your wool.

• ¼–½-inch sewing elastic – Optional, for securing the covers around the bottom of the pads.

Tools

• Electric carving knife – This was the most useful tool for cutting through the thick foam.

• Measuring tape or ruler

• Cardboard template – I made mine 8 × 10 inches.

• Fabric scissors or rotary cutter

• Cutting mat or protective work surface

• Tailor's chalk or fabric marking pencil

• Sewing machine

• Straight pins or sewing clips

Choosing the Right Foam

For this project, I repurposed foam from an old mattress, making the needle felting pads completely free! If you don't have an old mattress available, you can purchase firm upholstery foam from a fabric or upholstery supply store. Look for foam approximately 2–2½ inches thick that is firm enough to support your needle felting projects but soft enough for the needles to penetrate easily.

You can also purchase foam specifically designed for needle felting. I recommend testing a small piece before purchasing enough for an entire classroom.

Choosing the Right Wool for the Covers

For the covers, I recommend 100% wool felt, approximately 2–3 mm thick. Look for nonwoven wool felt rather than woven wool fabric or inexpensive synthetic craft felt.

Wool felt makes a lovely surface for needle felting and doesn't have the woven threads that can become damaged by repeated needle penetration. I recommend testing a sample first to make sure the surface works well with your felting needles.

A Note About Cutting Foam

An electric carving knife makes cutting thick foam significantly easier than using scissors. This part of the project should always be completed by an adult. Be sure to work on a protected surface, as the knife can easily cut through the foam and damage whatever is underneath.

For my classroom, I made over 30 needle felting pads measuring approximately 8 × 10 inches, with additional smaller pieces left over for future projects.

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