Needle felting kit- advice please

My daughter loves making things but she hasn't found her passion yet. So for Christmas and birthdays she enjoys getting different crafting materials. She has expressed interest in needle felting and I'd like to get her tools and supplies for her next birthday. Since I have zero experience, I have no idea what are good quality materials at a beginner level or what might be a beginner level project. Say, something harder than a ball... 🤷 Budget is about $20. I've seen beginner kits for about $8 like this one  https://bookoutlet.com/products/9781488945120B/my-felted-friends-needle-felting-kit  but I don't want to waste my money on what might be cheap junk.

Advice? Ideas? TIA!

Where you live does your local area have craft or sewing shops?

If so, why not check them out for needle felting supplies?

To me, a "kit" makes a nice gift though just buying a book on needle felting, some felting needles, and the wool would also make a nice gift.

For an example here are the needles from Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Needle-Felting-Needles/b?ie=UTF8&node=8090914011

Wool for felting:

https://www.amazon.com/LoveinDIY-Materials-Felting-Beginner-Handmade/dp/B07XWVYVYV/ref=sr_1_4

Buying locally might not be cheaper though you can see what you are getting.

Ok, my thoughts, as one of the felters on staff, is that those kits rarely include decent quality tools, which can cause the experience to be very frustrating, and often leaves a person with very negative feelings about the craft. As an adult (aka: able to buy the good quality tools that I want), many projects I tried and kicked to the curb, the first time I tried them are much more fun now, because I'm not fighting with inferior tools that let me thinking I was just a clod. In the case of felting, the quality of the needle makes all the difference in the world. The kit seems OK, otherwise, but I'd get some good quality needles, to replace the ones in the kit.

Thanks Carla! That's what I wanted to know. I had no idea there was a range of quality for needles. How do I know what a good quality felting needle would be like or how to pick one out? How much does a good needle set cost?

Yes Anne, if I can find the right supplies and a good book, that would make a nice kit. Do you have any recommendations for books?

Needles aren't really expensive, but I got my good ones at a fiber arts conference. Gimme a day or two to track down the better needles online, for you.

I've not tried theirs (yet - in thinking about ordering shine, next week), but this would be a great informational & purchasing starting - and possibly finishing point: https://www.hawthornhandmade.com/en-us/pages/guide-to-felting-needles

Carla Burke wrote:I've not tried theirs (yet - in thinking about ordering shine, next week), but this would be a great informational & purchasing starting - and possibly finishing point: https://www.hawthornhandmade.com/en-us/pages/guide-to-felting-needles

Wow, I didn't realize there were so many kinds of felting needles. I know even less than I thought I did. 🤪