Do Felting Needles Wear Out?

My first felting needles were given to me by a friend and I used them for almost a year.  Eventually I either broke or I lost them and had to go and purchase new needles because I was very much hooked on needle felting.  I remember using the new needles for the first time after felting for almost a year with the old needles.  Felting became fun again!  I hadn’t even realized how much the needles had worn out until I used the new ones.

When a needle is worn out it doesn’t grab the wool as easily and so it takes many more stabs of the needle to do what it used to do.  This can be frustrating if you don’t realize why you aren’t getting anywhere with your project.

I needle felt everyday sometimes for many hours and sometimes it’s the wool that slows down the felting process but most of the time it’s the needle.  There is some wool that is more slippery and course and it is harder for the needle to grab the wool and pull it in.  It doesn’t felt as quickly as other types of wool.  Wool can vary in it’s texture within the same breed as well, so you never are quite sure how it will felt.  This left me continually wondering, is it the wool or the needle that is making this project drag out so long.

 

I finally decided I would just change to a new needle after about every 5 hours of use. I have found I get the most benefit out of the needle in that amount of time.   If I needle felt for most of the afternoon I will switch to a new needle the next time I sit down to felt.  This has been very helpful in making sure I am getting the most out of my time and not causing any added frustration.

If you are interested in learning even more about needle felting check out my other blog posts that contain many helpful tips and techniques.  I also have designed needle felting kits that are perfect for beginners.  A membership in my Needle Felting Academy gives you access to variety of needle felting courses from beginner to advanced.

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