Ok, so I’ve finally decided to start practicing on rooting hair 
. I’ve been holding it off long enough 
. I have a few questions, what is the best needle to use, where can I get good mohair and are there any good tutorials I can watch. I want to see if it’s even an option for me 
. Any help will be EXTREMELY APPRECIATED 
3 Likes
You can get both needles and mohair from Etsy. Happiness for Dolls sells nice mohair for affordable prices. I’m sure there’s lots of tutorials on YouTube.
These are the needles I root with! They’re extremely cheap for high quality needles, I very rarely break them
https://www.etsy.com/listing/665191258/42-gauge-crown-felting-needles-great-for?ref=yr_purchases
7 Likes
I use 42 crown as well. Some use a tool or wrap rubber bands around the end. I just use the bare needle. Sarah Silk of Facebook (silk effex mohair) has very good hair but it sells out fast. You pretty much have to be there as soon as she releases them.
1 Like
I also order from Cupid Falls and Heidi Feathers on Etsy. I usually use 40 gauge spiral needles with a pink felting pen. The bare needle is too hard on my hands. You can use up to 3 needles for felting, but for rooting I just use 1. I’ve seen them at Michael’s and online. I suggest getting a couple of test heads or a large limb like 3 month Joseph legs to practice on. A little tip that works very well for me. I use air dry paints and don’t heat my heads. I fill the head with polypellets up to the neck flange and pack them in tightly with paper towels. It keeps the vinyl from ‘giving’ and bending the needle. Mine usually wear out before they break. Another tip regarding needles. Wipe them off with alcohol before you start using them. They have oil on them that will come off in the rooting hole and is hard to get out. I was getting my mohair from Russia through Etsy but she closed her shop. I’m not sure where I’ll get it now. Good quality mohair makes a huge difference in the end result.
Felting pen
1 Like
I only root with pink Heavenly Illusions
You are doing so many amazing elaborate crafts that mastering rooting will be so easy for you!
When I began reborning I was so influenced by artists on this forum that I trusted at that time who were saying that rooting is so hard. Because of that I postponed rooting for almost a year. Turned out that rooting is much easier than painted hair. It tedious and takes time, but it’s not hard at all. YOU CAN DO IT!
4 Likes
I have those too! They are pretty much the same as the pink handled ones everyone loves
2 Likes
Thank you so much to everyone, I do have the thing that holds the needle because I do root eyelashes. And I have some test heads I will be using until I get the hang of it lol
1 Like
I started with a 40g 3 barb, I now use 42g 1 barb. Keep tweezers near by and pluck out any extras of ones that are too thick.
2 Likes
Ok, now don’t be to hard on me, it’s the first time ever I’ve attempted rooting . I don’t even know what needle I’m using, just one I had for rooting eyelashes lol. I’ve ordered the ones you lovely Ladies have advised me. This is an old practice head I had. It’s been vanished so it’s making the holes more noticable. but I was impatient and wanted to try anyway. Actually I do like rooting, I just need to learn and practice alot. I’m going to start with a combi I think.
Oh and I do realize I start BACKWARDS
Id take some tweezers and pluck out the tails. The small pieces of the hair that stick out. In the second pic you can really see them. My first attempt was much worse your’s is great!!
2 Likes
Looks good for the start!
Tweezers should be your friends 
To avoid those sticking tales try to grab a hair with your needle at the very end of each hair.
I like J. Kramer’s rooting video that BB sells. I learn a lot from it.
1 Like
I did realize after awhile that I needed to catch the hair at the very end , so thank you 
. I need a better magnifying glass, it’s so hard to see!! Lol Another question, how do you know how to hold the needle? Is there a certain direction, mine seems to catch a hair sometimes and other times it don’t. I really appreciate all the help.
@YelenaRey I actually have the DVDs by Jacquelin Kramer ! I totally forgot I had bought them when I first started reborning. I don’t have a DVD player though lol
1 Like
Mine catches the best and not plucky with “L” pointed to my right. I use the pink illusion needles.
But I also root toward myself with the neck hole facing away. I am not sure if I would need to hold it different if I rooted away from me.
2 Likes
Do you have a computer that can play it?
2 Likes
I used to have a laptop way back when, lol. I use a tablet now.
1 Like