Felting needles

Felting needles are sold by size, also called gauge, and the scale runs backwards: the higher the number, the finer the needle. Size 32 and 36 are coarse and move a lot of wool. Size 38 is the all-rounder. Size 40 and 42 are fine needles for detail and for a surface without holes. The felting needle size chart shows which size and shape suit each job.

Shape matters as much as size. A triangle needle has three barbed edges and is the standard one in most packs. A star needle has four, so it felts faster at the same size. A spiral, or twisted, needle is sold for a neater surface, and a reverse needle has its barbs turned around: it pulls fibers out of a felted piece to make fur. Color codes are not standard, so a green tip from one seller is not the same needle as a green tip from another.

Needles are thin and brittle. They snap when they are bent sideways, so the rule is straight in and straight out along the same line. A bare needle is hard to grip for long: a needle holder or a felting pen helps, and multi-needle tools speed up flat areas. If needles keep snapping, see why felting needles break.