All levels · 6 min read
The color code, explained
With a color-coded, comfy grip, you can pick the right tool at a glance.
Felting needles come in many, many sizes and types and are designed to fit into industrial machines. And they all look alike! You’re not a machine, so you want felting needles made for you. These wonderful tools are color-coded to accompany all Felt Alive Needle Felting Video Tutorials.
Orange — Beginner, 40 star
New to felting? Short, sturdy blades make them perfect for novices — less breakage, more fun. Great for working over wire, embellishing through fabric, and introducing kids to needle felting.
Yellow — All-purpose, 40 triangle
A fine gauge 40t with a triangle blade. Kay says she could felt the world with her yellow 40t. The single for details, the double to start nearly every project, the quad for large surfaces and flat needle felting.
Red — Superstar, 38 star
A medium gauge star blade and a customer favorite. For those that felt with fine fiber like alpaca, it grabs and felts the fiber like none other. Kay’s favorite for finishing down the fuzzies with short, sideways strokes.
Black — Heavyweight, 36 triangle
The thickest gauge, longest, toughest needle we carry. Perfect for attaching parts, driving in hair, and making strong joints. Single point only — it is quite difficult to pierce as a multi-needle tool.
Blue — Fine finisher, 42 triangle
Ultra-fine 42t triangle for intricate finishing, loved by advanced felters. Miniatures, faces, and that last pass on a surface.
Purple Twist & Green Reverse
Purple Spiral Twist — a twisted blade that felts fiber just a bit faster. Green Reverse — a specialty needle that pulls fiber out instead of felting it in.