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Prym Special Needles: Punch Needle & Felting
Quick guide: Prym special needles for advanced techniques: punch needle in 3 sizes for raised embroidery, felting needles for dry needle felting, beading needles with extra-fine gold eye and assorted hobby sets for yarn, embroidery and tapestry.
Special needles are those designed for techniques that require a dedicated tool: the extra-fine eye for threading beads and sequins, the triangular tip of felting needles, the hollow tube of the punch needle. Prym makes them in treated steel with gold eye for smooth gliding, in the sizes each technique demands.
Find the full catalogue in the sewing and craft needles section. For classic thread embroidery, explore the Crewel and Smyrna embroidery needles too.
For beginners and multi-technique crafters
The assorted hobby needles (10 pieces) cover yarn, embroidery and tapestry: a single purchase to always have the right size without buying individual packs.
For specific and advanced techniques
Punch needle, needle felting and beading require dedicated needles: the Prym punch needle set in 3 sizes lets you work different yarn weights with the same tool.
Explore special needles by technique
Assorted Hobby Needles — yarn, embroidery and tapestry
10 Prym needles in assorted sizes for the most-used techniques: from heavy yarn to tapestry and cross stitch. Nickel-plated steel body with gold eye that does not clog. The right set for crafters working across multiple projects without buying individual sizes.
Felting Needles — dry needle felting
Prym needles with triangular tip and micro-barbs: they penetrate raw wool and tangle the fibres without using water. Available in fine (for details and finishing) and coarse (for building masses and volumes). Indispensable for sculptural felting and wool decorations.
Beading and Sequin Needles — extra-fine gold eye
4 Prym needles in sizes 10 to 13 with extra-fine gold eye: the reduced cross-section passes through the hole of seed beads and sequins without forcing them. Long body for working long rows in sequence. Ideal for bead loom jewellery, bead embroidery on fabric and garment decoration.
Prym Punch Needle Set — raised embroidery in 3 sizes
The punch needle is the hollow needle that creates raised embroidery on monks cloth: push with a regular rhythm and the yarn forms loops on the back that become the three-dimensional design on the front. The Prym set includes 3 sizes for different yarns — from thin wool to bulky — with a side-loading eye to avoid knots.
Explore the full Tessiland needle range
What is punch needle and how is it used?
The punch needle is a hollow needle with a side hole used for raised embroidery on monks cloth or open-weave linen. The yarn is threaded through the internal channel; hold it vertically, press with a regular rhythm into the fabric and advance about 5 mm with each push — the mechanism holds the yarn forming loops on the back that become the three-dimensional design on the front. The Prym set includes 3 sizes calibrated for different yarns: small for cotton and embroidery thread, medium for fingering weight yarn, large for bulky yarn or ribbon.
How are beading needles used?
Beading needles have a long body, extra-fine cross-section and an eye proportioned to the diameter of seed bead holes — often under 0.8 mm. They are used with waxed beading thread or monofilament nylon. The Prym gold eye glides without deforming in sizes 10, 11, 12 and 13 (higher number = finer needle). For bead embroidery on fabric use size 10-11; for brick stitch necklaces or loom bracelets, 12-13 with single waxed thread.
Selection guide — special needles by technique
1. For punch needle and raised embroidery
- Prym Magic Needle set 3 sizes (cod. 20305): pair with monks cloth or embroidery linen. Does not work on close-weave fabrics like denim.
2. For needle felting (dry)
- Fine size (cod. 20279): details, puppet faces, fine finishing.
- Coarse size (cod. 20279): building raw wool masses, forming volumes. Always work on a foam pad — the tip cuts through anything it touches.
3. For beads, sequins and seed beads
- Size 10-11 (cod. 20265): standard 4-6 mm beads, bead embroidery on fabric.
- Size 12-13 (cod. 20265): Japanese seed beads with narrow hole, loom necklaces. Always use waxed thread.
4. For general and multicraft use
- Assorted Hobby Needles 10pcs (cod. 20257): the multiuse set for crafters who alternate yarn, cross stitch and tapestry without buying individual sizes each time.
Frequently asked questions about special needles
What fabric is used for punch needle?
Punch needle works on open, even-weave fabrics: monks cloth (the most common), embroidery linen, fine burlap. The open weave lets the needle penetrate without forcing and the yarn to catch on the thread intersections. On close-weave fabric, jersey or felt the needle does not glide and the work comes out wrong.
Can felting needles be used on unwashed raw wool?
Yes, they are designed precisely for raw wool. The micro-barbs on the triangular tip tangle the keratin fibres transforming them into compact felt. They also work on washed and spun wool, but the process is slower. Always use a foam pad under the work: the tip is sharp and will penetrate the work surface too.
What yarn is used with the Prym punch needle set?
It depends on the needle size: the small one works with cotton embroidery thread or fingering weight yarn; the medium with DK or sport weight yarn; the large with worsted, bulky yarn or thin ribbon. The yarn must not create friction in the tube — if it struggles to glide, move up to the next size.
What is the difference between a beading needle and a regular embroidery needle?
A beading needle has a much longer, thinner body and an eye proportioned to the hole of seed beads (often under 0.8 mm). A standard embroidery needle has a too-wide eye: it gets stuck in the bead or simply does not fit. Prym Crewel needles are a good middle ground for large beads (4-6 mm) on fabric, but for seed beads, dedicated beading needles are essential.
