Rooting Needles

Okay, I am NO expert at rooting needles, in fact, I am still learning all the different kinds myself but lately, through the help of Rachel Maynard in the UK, I finally learned what "crown" needle is! Back to that in just a moment...

Up until now, my needle of choice has been the 42 gauge FELTING needle from Bountiful Baby.

~Bountiful Baby Website~

I like this needle a lot however, it sometimes will root too many hairs at a time, especially if I am using 1st clip kid hair. This is the order # for the 42 gauge FELTING needle:

#1146 - ONE OUNCE Uncut 42-Gauge Felting Needles for Hair Rooting

I see that now Bountiful baby has 42 gauge German REGULAR needles. The needle above used to be called the REGULAR needle but is now called the FELTING needle.

As I read a recently delivered Discover Dolls Magazine, Rachel Maynard had stated in her portion of a rooting article that she uses a "crown" needle. Well, on all the websites I have looked on, I had never seen a needle advertised as a "crown" needle. Since Rachel's dolls hair simply blows me away, I contacted her.

She told me that she gets her needles from Tinkerbell Creations in the UK. So I went looking on that site. Here's the home page to TC~great website!

~Tinkerbell Creations Website~

While browsing, I found this WONDERFUL piece of information on rooting needles! Thank you Tinkerbell Creations!

Help with choosing needles

38# Fine

40# Very fine

42# Super fine

43# Extremley fine

46# Almost Invisible! ( for Silicone dolls only )

Star.... (the stem is a cross formation with 2 barbs to each face randomly placed = 8 barbs )

Crown ..( the stem is a triangular formation with 3 barbs all at the same level 1/4" from the tip )

Fork.....( Round stem with a groove at the tip )

3 Barb..(Triangular stem formation and randomly placed one barb to each face = 3 barbs )

1 Barb...(Triangular formation and one barb placed 1/4" from the tip = 1 barb )

And there it was....CROWN!

By the description of the "crown" needle, I got to looking at the needles I keep in stock. Huh, the 36 and 38 gauge ULTRA needles that I use for teaching rooting were exactly as described on Tinkerbell Creations as the "crown" needle. I became excited as I also use these needles when I am rooting a harder headed doll and want just a bit more hair. They are super strong and rarely break. (I did have one student who broke several of these~Love you Heather!)

The 42 gauge I had been using, I found out is a "star" needle having EIGHT barbs! No wonder I got too much hair at times! LOL I never knew there were 4 faces to the needles. I was so confused when people would say they have 3 barbs or 8 barbs on their needles as my needles always had 2-4 that I could see.

So I got on the Bountiful Baby website and ordered some German 42 gauge ULTRA needles:

#2853 - One Ounce GERMAN Uncut 42 Gauge ULTRA Needles


Payton has been my first "victim" with the new needle. I desired that she have "just there" hair and this needle helped a lot in that process. I was able to very finely root her.

It seems that the needle may have a "sweet spot" OR the vinyl just was NOT going to take the hair as I had a few areas on her head that just did not want to root. I used my 38G ULTRA needle for those spots and got at least more coverage. I will know more with the next doll I root.

The needle appears to dull easily. I would be hard pressed to break it though.

So this is what I have learned about needles over the past couple of weeks. Again I am no expert and will continue to learn.

Oh and about German FORKED needles? I hate them! I cannot root with those to save my soul!
I use them for piercing my dolls ears~LOL

Have a great day and happy rooting. (I am putting Miss Payton together today!)