In this tutorial I want to show you where the feathers of small forest dragons come from)
In general, the process of creating a dragon consists of three steps— dry felting of the body base, making feathers and felting these feathers to the dragon.

The body of the dragon is just like the bodies of all other felted toys, so we can skip the first step and go directly to the most interesting.

But why bother to felt feathers from scratch if you can take ready pieces in store? First, the store felt is mostly made mechanically on a needle-punching machine, so when working this felt starts fraying at the base and the feathers eventually wither. Secondly, a homemade felt allows to create a great palette of various colours. Thirdly, such felt is very thin, but quite dense. I like laying out various spots and gradients on felt.

So, you need:

• Merino tape, 18 MKR (base colour about 15 g)
• coloured pieces of carded wool for the top layer of felt
• bubble wrap
• mosquito mesh
• soap, water and a towel
• my mother's hands of gold (mom's layout is always the most smooth and beautiful)

Take the Merino tape of the base colour and gradually nip off strands. Remember that felt shrinks approximately to 30%, so that the finished pieces will turn much smaller in size. Lay out layer 1 horizontally, layer 2 vertically, and so on. You should try to make the layout evenly, otherwise the finished item will have gaps. I made 4 layers, three green and one coloured (I like thin felt).
Layer 1:

Layer 2:

For layer 3, make small clouds of pieces of Merino tape, they allow you to hide all flaws and holes that one might have missed.

Firmly press the felt with your hands and check if it has flaws (the most important thing at this step is not to sneeze):

The last layer 4 is layed out from thin strands of carded wool. Get inspired by bright autumn trees:

The finished blank is cover with a mesh (this role is played by a piece of an old nylon curtain), dilute olive soap in water in a bowl and pour over the surface. Felt should soak the soapy water well:

Rub the surface properly, however, this procedure is carried out without fanaticism, not to shift the layers.
Then raise the mash and carefully wrap an edge of the blank. Rub the bends to felt the strands to the base. Cover with the mesh and massage the felt a little, really paying attention to the edges.
And then cover with a film and buzz with a vibrogrinding machine for 5 minutes.

Gently wrap in the bubble film, wring it out from the excess of water, then roll in a towel. Roll a towel about 50 times in one direction.

Unwrap the blank. Now roll it in the transverse direction again about 50 times. In total, rolle it in different directions 8 times per 50 movements.
Wash the finished blank under running water and iron through a wet cloth:

So, the felt ready, and now you can make the feathers.
For this you need:

- ready felt blanks (select pieces of matching colours from your old stock)

- scissors

- carcass of the dragon

- needle for felting, No. 38

Cut the felt into large rectangles, cut each in the shape of a wood leaf. Cut teeth on the dark leaves:

Cut strips of the same thickness of different colours — to make little scales of the primary feathers. Cut out per one piece, there should be a lot. Many.

Felt large wing feathers with the needle:

By the way, the feathers are very tight:

Felt small feathers one by one, starting with the tail:

And add carved scales:

Felt the remaining small feathers to the head and chest, grind the tail, head, belly and legs with a thin needle and our dragon is ready:

Thank you for your attention! :)