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NSW AustraliaHi ,
wondering if you use a Felting Tool for your needles. I was playing around yesterday and found using the bare needle a bit difficult. I remembered reading somewhere about using sculpty or fimo ( baked) to make a knob/handle. Actually after finding color coded needles, I decided why not colour coded knobs.
I was wondering if it's actually ok to keep the needles poked in a piece of foam for storage ie does it blunt them??
At the moment I have a piece of foam with a dozen or so needles with sculpty tops. Had hubby excited as he thought I'd baked him a tray of lollipops ( haa haa) Lucky he didn't try and eat one.
Matilda Huggington-beareI dont have trouble holding my needles. So havent bothered with handles. I saw some at the last fair I attended and really was'nt that fussed with them. Hand made to suit the individual sounds good though. I keep my needles in the foam. When I first started I put them away. I didnt want to get them mixed up. Now I couldnt careless. I use quilting pins to hold pieces in place while felting, so I have a pile of them in the foam as well.
I printed out the wizpick pages and have been having the best read. 
Rufnut Teddy'sRikki, I left some of my needles in a foam block once, and won't do it again, :twisted: came home, someone had knocked it over, bent the needles and broke one, I would not recommend it.
You can store your needles in a thin plastic tube with wool to support the tip, or store them in between corregated cardboard cut to size, so you can see the colour tips when your ready to use them.
Also saw a tip the other week to hold your felting needles in a piece of dowell, when your felting larger pieces and need to use more than one needle. I havent found a supplier yet, but it wouldn't be too hard to make yourself.
Hope that helps. 
MerBear OriginalsI bought the wooden knobs for holding the needles but don't like them. I now use a plastic coffee stir stick - you can cut them down and slide a couple of needles into them if you want more than one needle. I generally leave an assortment of needles in my foam block during a project - if I know I'm not going to be felting for awhile I slid them into tubes for storage. I also line the foam block with window screening - much easier on the foam and much easier to move your felting pieces (thanks to Bobbi Ripperger).
Marion
vermonti have a little piece of foam attached to the bottom of my large Colman's English Mustard spice tin. 
i put my needles in the tin point down to the foam, and pop the tin lid back on and they are kept safely inside.
the old tin is the perfect size for the needles and it was too pretty for me to throw away. i had flowers in it for a while, but it's perfect for the needles because it has a lid, too. i ended up putting nail polish colors on the ends of my needles as i eventually got used to holding the needle without a "handle".
ginnie
LuxembearsHad hubby excited as he thought I'd baked him a tray of lollipops ( haa haa) Lucky he didn't try and eat one.
too funny Rikki!
Great ideas on the needle storgae and identifying.
I use a styrofoam block weigthed on the bottom with large metal washers (they are taped in place with packing tape). Then I taped tags with each size needle and leave them there while I am working. It makes changing needles easy. I can see the potential. like Karen said, though, about having someone knck it over and break them. I can tell you that I have a very active toddler and , so far mine have been safe.
I don't like the wooden knobs either. They are too bulky and I don't feel like I have good control with them.
I am going to be buying the color coded needles very soon.
Back Road BearsJudi -
I ordered the color coded needles from Sierra Meadows. Do you know of anywhere else in the US to get the Wizpick Felting Needles? Those are the color coded ones. The nearest distributer I found was in Canada. I'd like to get them wholesale. Sierra meadow's 50% discount helped a lot though. I bought a couple of packs. :dance:
I have the round wooded needle holders but am not crazy about them. There are a lot of interesting holders on eBay from time to time. If I had the slightest clue as to what to do with sculpty I'd make my own but I'd waste too much time trying to figure it out! :doh:
NSW AustraliaHi Daphne,
I just rolled the sculpey into a ball about the size of a marble,
( make it a size you feel comfortable with,) poked blunt end of the needle into the sculptey, stood them them on an oven tray & baked for 20 to 30 mins ( 275 Fahrenheit or 130 centigrade). Let them cool.
I had the sculpey over from some projects I was trying. Here it's a craft store type product.
Back Road BearsOh, wow, Rikki, thanks for the directions!
I just might have to try this. I'm heading to the craft store tomorrow and will pick some up!
:hug:, Daphne
NSW AustraliaHi Daphne,
don't go overboard just in case you don't like feel, I like it better than just the plain needle. You may be able to get a better guide to times & temperatures, but mine did work at what I gave you.
I originally bought my sculpy to make some mini food /ornaments ( as accesories for my mini bears), but discovered I could pick this sort of stuff up on ebay, far better than what I could make. Also had in mind making sculpy noses & teeth for dogs & bears, but never quite got round to it. Quite a versatile product, but not all that cheap here in Aust.
Oh, wow, Rikki, thanks for the directions!
I just might have to try this. I'm heading to the craft store tomorrow and will pick some up!
:hug:, Daphne
Posts: 8,574http://www.mielkesfarm.com/flt_ndls.htm#needles
They have a vise grib that "ADAM" has made into felting needle holder-I like it because it is balanced and weighted and so the weight does some of the work for me- they are $12.00 each, but easy to change needles and the hubs liked them so much he suggested I get a few more so that all my needles could be in one-who in her right mind would argue with that logic!
At least go take a look- I keep them in their tubes with the coffee stirrer thingy on the needle and I color coded.
Prior to that I bought an old fathined recipie box and put foam in it and stored my needles in it with the lid down so know would think they were for cocktail olives. :lol:
Dilu
LuxembearsPrior to that I bought an old fathined recipie box and put foam in it and stored my needles in it with the lid down so know would think they were for cocktail olives.
Dilu, awesome idea. I put mine on a styrofoam block but your idea has a lid. COOL!
Neysa sells color coded needles on her site. I also think on the Wizpic site they have a link to US retailers. I want to try them all! :dance:
Posts: 8,574Yikes- can you tell my head was somewhere else when I postsed....the spelling! help!
You guys ought to consider at least looking at "ADAM'S" vise grip holder- the weight and balance are really really nice....
I tried to get a picture from the web site to shw you but couldn't make it work.....
:P
The recipie box does work well, Miss Judi....also when the cats go tearing through the house and knock stuff over the needles are corraled in their box...
Good Morning,
Using any kind of needle holder is easier on your hands. I have carpel tunnel and something larger to hold onto helps.
I use the needle holders that I make and sell but I also like to use Crayola Model Magic to make knobs. It's a non bake-able kids clay found in craft stores. I roll a ball insert the needles top - the "crank" into the clay and pinch it shut. If I break a needle I work the broken one out of the clay insert a new one add Elmers Glue and let it dry and I'm back in business. I have lots of extras made so I don't have to wait.
Neysa
NSW AustraliaHi Neysha,
haven't heard of Crayola Model Magic, have to see if it's available here. The sculpey is fairly pricey , and if the needle breaks I have to throw out the whole thing. Thank yu for the tip.
Christchurch, New ZealandBefore I bought the colour coded needles I use to paint the tops of my needles with nail polish....luckily my tastes in nail polish colours has varied over the years...blue, purple 
- those small pots of enamel paint for modeling also works.
Mel
The needles I sell I color code them with the plastic coating used for tool handles. I dip the needles crank (head) in the coating. It can be found in hardware stores. Neysa
