Needle felting is a more recent creative outlet for me. Ever since I saw my first needle-felted toy at a craft fair, I fell in love with the inherent charm of a toy made from natural materials. It wasn’t until the year COVID hit that I decided to try it, and I took to it like a duck to water. The tools are simple: wool— either dyed or natural— and a barbed needle that “knits” together the wool through repeated poking. I still poke my fingers occasionally (band-aides are part of my crafting kit), but even so, I find the process more forgiving and meditative than painting, so it’s become my go-to whenever I feel stressed.