Needle felting starts by placing a cushion or mat on a flat surface. To create a 3D object, a small amount of wool is tightly rolled up into a small bundle. The wool is then stabbed over and over again with the felting needle to lock the fibers together, eventually creating a firm texture that is called felt. Adding more wool and poking it repeatedly into the felt expands the object until it achieves the desired shape. Needle felting can also be used to create 2D wool paintings. For this process, wool is applied to an existing piece of felt or fabric. Small amounts of fiber are painstakingly poked into the fabric to create the desired image.