Felting Needles for Needle Felting Wool

What Can I Use Instead of a Felting Needle?

You must use a specialized felting needle in needle felting. Wool has naturally occurring scales on each fiber, just like zip ties, these scales only go in one direction.

Felting needles have notches on the tapered end of the shaft. When the felting needles drive into the wool, those notches grab on to the wool fiber, causing the scales of the wool to entangle and mat together, creating “felt”. This needle felting process will not occur with smooth needles such as sewing needles.

What Size Felting Needle Do I Need?

Felting needles are like paintbrushes; each is great for a specific task. You will likely use multiple on a project. Personal preference can also play a factor in needle selection. 

We always recommend starting with a coarse needle (a 32 or 36 gauge) to build a firm foundation for your needle felted creation. Once you have a solid foundation, you will switch to your general sculpting needle (a 38 gauge). After you've built up your sculpture and are ready to add color, you can switch to a finer needle to help smooth out the surface of your project (a 40 or 42 gauge).

Many of our needle felting kits have needles included or the option of upgrading the kit to include them, making them an excellent beginner-friendly project. Our felting needles also follow our own Living Felt color code system making them extra easy to keep track of.

If you are unsure what felting needle you need for your project, we offer an excellent video tutorial that breaks down all the felting needles we carry and where to use them, just scroll all the way up to the top of the page!