"Cactus picks" have little prickles built into the mold that they make the picks in. Those work well, too.
It'll let you know if your grip on the pick is too hard, too! Drip...drip...drip.... 
I love your enthusiasm ("But oh my gosh, I bet it would be fun.") and it sounds like you've got a lot of great ideas and ways to be really creative with this--plus a really nice machine!
I started sewing at a very early age (made my first dress at age 6) and have found sewing projects to be more frustrating than fun. I love the creativity and the planning stages--and buying the supplies--but things fail in the execution.
I love the idea of culling materials from thrift shops, Goodwill, etc. There are things I have kept because I could use the material from it to make something...but it seems like those projects never get done. You can also get upholstery scraps from places that remake furniture as well as places that make upholstered seats, etc., for RV's and boats.
You may also want to think about making music stands.
I know some people like pick bags to be small, but I like one that is about 5 x 8 so I can also have room for tuners and capos and extra strings--and the string winder!
In Sam Edelston's class at Kentucky Music Week this summer, we made extra frets using the long side of a jumbo paper clip. I was amazed at how well that worked! We found it worked best to have our tape running perpendicular to the fret. Scotch makes Removable Tape that is clear (with a matte finish) and can be removed from paper the way painter's tape can be removed from a wall http://www.scotchbrand.com/3M/en_US/scotch-brand/products/catalog/~/Scotch-Removable-Tape-Dispensered-Roll?N=4335+3294529207+3294603443&rt=rud
Now THAT's a jam! Thanks for sharing this! My harmonica is 73 years old and still sounds good. It's a chromatic---I know, some of you will probably think I should just get a guitar....I've heard that before!
I Googled her...lives in Michigan and is a dance caller and a freelance writer...among other things! She would probably get kick out of being the topic of a current discussion based on an article she wrote 32 years ago!
I suggest you go on the site and click on Contact Us to bring up the names of a couple people who distribute these dulcimers. I know John Hawk and think he would be happy to answer any questions you might have--including string gauges! His phone number is given, as well as his email contact information.
Yep, can see your pics just fine! One of the prettiest bags I've ever seen!
This is beautiful, top and bottom! Have never heard of the maker, though.
I'm wondering if the top could be sour gum.
Congratulations, Mark! Thanks for sharing your songs with us!
Wow, Mark! So proud of you! You've always been a winner in my book! Bask in the glory--you'll always be a champ!
Ha! I knew there was a good reason I was up in the middle of the night!
Great seeing Bubbles again!
Rod, I wish you would make a video of all those strum styles! Sounds fascinating! And I love your fingerpick garters! I guess that wouldn't even make sense to young people....
I have made picks from credit cards (including the fake ones that come in the mail in ads) and stiff cardboard--but those get pretty flimsy really fast. One of my favorites was punched out of the pink vinyl cover of a spiral notebook (I have Dana McCall to thank for that one! 
)
Yes, I have a pick punch. No, I don't use it nearly as much as I thought I would. I still buy picks!
There are several things that could be making it painful to press down the strings. Strings too high off the fretboard ("high action") is the first that comes to mind, and I see you're checking that out. Next, I guess, would be needing a different gauge of string--and you're looking into that, too. I just had my husband lower the action on a dulcimer in preparation for loaning it out to a novice level student, so I was finding this discussion very interesting. Even after it passed the "nickel test" (he didn't know about the dime test), it still seemed too high to me. So I got out a dulcimer that has a very good action (in my opinion--I do a lot of chording) and when I compared the two fretboards, it was obvious right away that my comfortable one had very low fret wires. Was this important or not? That made me think that there could be much more to comfort in pressing down the strings that I had originally thought. A Google search came up with this interesting information on the subject--in the context of guitars, but I think a lot of this applies to a dulcimer fretboard, as well. Here's a link to the "10 Things You Should Know About Frets" article.
http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/10-things-you-should-know-about-frets-0705-1.aspx
Additionally, I personally feel the development of callouses helps me play better, even though I know some great players who think that if you have callouses you're doing something wrong. When I was first learning to play, I would put several layers of clear fingernail polish on the part of each finger that pressed on the wire (I would press a chord first, then paint...dry, then press a different chord and repaint, etc.) Those indentations show you exactly where you need the real or fake callouses!
This has helped me; I hope someone else can benefit from my experience. And read this short article--it's very interesting!
Stewart, I had that same conundrum several years ago (more than 20!), since my first real wooden dulcimer was made by Warren May and, after awhile, I wanted geared tuners like it seemed everyone else had (even though I only played it about once a year). My solution was to buy a second Warren May dulcimer--one that had the 6.5 fret and geared tuners! That may not be your solution. You may want to consider shipping it to Warren and having him change out the pegs...he'll do it "for a price" (don't know what that would be these days) and you could be sure the job would be done right!
Cindy, if you don't look like the head of a dulcimer, I won't recognize you....
Once the string is taught enough you can remove the capo.....
That's my problem--it's my strings that are apparently learning challenged! 
Seriously, though, these are all good suggestions. I may even use some of my old strings and practice with some shorter scale instruments til I get better at this.
As a newbie dulcimer player, I didn't realize this is a first year festival. Kudos to the organizer for managing to pull this kind of talent; covering such a huge spectrum of personalities and musical styles, together for our benefit.
Me--I am loving that I get FOUR consecutive days playing the blues with Bing, singing and playing sweet Appalachian tunes with the lovely Sarah Morgan, finally getting a chance to learn to arrange my own songs with Tull--master of arrangers for the dulcimer, learning how to memorize and make the songs I love my own with the inimitable Erin Mae, and working on finessing my technique with Stephen Siefert.
Hey, Cindy! This is a new time for gathering at Black Mountain, but a few years back many of us attended Dulcimerville, held there in the summer and headed up by Lois Hornbostel. So it's not exactly brand new...these organizers really know the ropes, and, yes, the instructor lineup is phenomenal (I've had classes from almost all of them). It doesn't fit into my fall schedule, or I would have considered going.
I know you'll have a LOT of fun! And maybe I'll meet you down the road...Unicoi, perhaps?
Maybe you could show me a few tricks, Jennifer! Mine always end up looking like a 2 yr old wearing oven mitts attempted the task.
Sometimes I'm even surprised they manage to hold a tuning!
It's probably fear that keeps them in their place! 
Just buy a couple different thinner strings and try them all until you find one you like!
Um....perhaps Jennifer does not, yet, (like many of us!) feel proficient about changing strings? This is an acquired skill that takes quite a bit of practice for some of us....
John, I do the "learn it backwards" thing, too, especially on a tune I'm not familiar with and that has a lot of tricky parts. I learn the end, then back up and play through to the end again, then, when I have all that learned pretty well, I back up even more, etc. etc. There are just some tunes that seem to work well with this technique!
I found a Modern Mountain for sale on Craigslist in Phoenix for $370...that the one?
Did you mean to say you HAVE a Starsong? Wow!
Thanks, Dusty! I should probably send Jim Fox a note and tell him how much I'm enjoying this Little Mule! The first one I saw was at the Great American Dulcimer Convention at Pine Mtn. State Park in KY last September...Gary Sager was there and I think he sold all the ones he brought. Either he didn't have one with a 1.5 fret or he did, but it was already promised to someone else, so I didn't get one then. I had to think about it for about a year, trying them out whenever I saw one again at this festival or that. But when I picked up THIS one, I couldn't resist, even though I certainly had NO intention of buying a dulcimer while at Dulcimer U this year (Craig came with me this year and was going to be bringing home the one he made from a McSpadden kit that week). I'm glad you like the tune...it's nice to have some fun, lively ones in my repertoire!
Dusty, I finally got around to making another audio clip, and it just happens to be with the "Little Mule" soprano dulcimer made by Jim Fox that I bought from Gary Sager of Prussia Valley Dulcimers while at Dulcimer U this summer. I really like the tone of this little guy (same model as Joy W's, above)...it has a bell-like quality that really resonates with me (ha ha!)
http://fotmd.com/jan-potts/soundcloud/219/donkey-riding
Good to hear from you, John! Loved your account of traveling with your naked dulcimer...I will probably never think of uncased instruments the same!
I have safely traveled with a McSpadden "Ginger" in its soft padded case in an overhead bin, as well as an even smaller Ron Ewing "Dulcimette" in a soft padded case. This was on American Airlines flights. The Ginger had to be counted as a personal item, but the dulcimette was part of the contents of a large tote bag.
Objectsession said
We used to tape up our empty ramen packages on the dorm door . . the *outside* of the door. Kind of a pride/shame thing I guess. 
That's what we did with demerits when I was in college (LONG before the days of Ramen noodles!!!). We were supposed to feel ashamed that we'd gotten them, but most who got them felt like they didn't deserve them, so it was sort of an act of defiance to tape them to your door so all could see.
I (ahem!) got a few my freshman year--and, yes, I taped them to my door as was customary!
I hope music instruction is part of your homeschooling! I learned a LOT of songs from members of my family. If you have a section of your home used for instruction, I would start a list of Tunes We Know by Heart and add to it any time someone comes up with a tune they can hum or sing all the way through. If they can sing the lyrics, add a star! Keep another list on excel file and you can keep it alphabetized for quick reference. This is something that every member of the family (age 2 or 3 and up) can join in on. Sing while you do chores, wash dishes, etc. Helps the time pass faster, too!
Sandi, I see your question as addressing several issues, as well.
I bought some mini lights that clip onto your cap or shirt collar.
now I play dulcimer either with a very thin dunlop nylon pick or my fingers. but when I play guitar I like to use dragon heart picks. But they cost 10 dollars and I lose picks alot.
Noah, the thin Dunlops (.38) made a huge difference in my ability to increase my playing speed--necessary for those lickety-split fiddle tunes. The test strips have about the same flexibility, depending on how close to the end you hold it. And I have 2 or 3 newly available ones every day! 
We know about the picks made from butter tub lids, old credit cards, etc., but maybe you have a favorite pick made from something you don't see others using. Share your creativity!
I have two unusual favorites. One (which I've mentioned before) is a pack (block?) of Post-it flags....the older kind, made of paper, gummed together on one side. This works great for when you want to play your dulcimer with your normal intensity, but don't want anyone other than you to hear what you're playing. Just strum as you usually do; very little sound is produced...just enough so you can tell that you're getting the notes right...or not!
The other is a new favorite...a blood glucose test strip (use a new one if you're concerned about the used ones being a biohazard). I use a Freestyle brand monitor and these little plastic strips--smaller and thinner than a collar stay--are the perfect pick for my new Little Mule soprano dulcimer made by Jim Fox.
What have you recycled into your pick pocket?
Barges, A Ram Sam Sam, Tell Me Why, Please Play for Me, Green Grow the Rushes O, Rattlin' Bog, Streets of Laredo, Molly Malone, Sing Your Way Home, Give Me Oil in My Lamp (aka Give Me Gas for My Ford), The Night Will Never Stay, I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me, Sinner Man, and 'most anything made popular by Peter, Paul, and Mary!
Hmm...I'm currently at Dulcimer U at Western Carolina University with Larry Conger, Ann Lough, and Joe Collins.....maybe I'd better take another look in the vendors' area!
Can't post them if they're copyrighted...
I like Spotted Pony, Columbus Stockade Blues, Rock the Cradle, Joe, Rosin the Beau, Old Yellow Dog...I'm sure there is tab for some of these on Everything Dulcimer (which has a HUGE archive of tab for public domain tunes.)
For anyone else headed to KMW who's wondering about "Sunday afternoon"...the Best Western "General Nelson Inn" has told us that our rooms won't be ready until 4 or 4:30 or so....So they're making the event building (in back of the motel behind the pool) available to give us a place to congregate, jam, talk, etc. So it will be sort of a "meet and greet" before we head over to Bardstown Elem. at 5pm. The school is just 2 blocks from the Gen. Nelson and the Stephen Foster Restaurant is next door if you want a convenient place for supper.
Hey, Boo! (Sorry....I couldn't resist). It's great having you join us and I hope you'll find us a fun, helpful bunch. I have a Ginger that I really like. It was especially helpful when I was first learning chords. I've never been to Mountain View, but I hope I can go some day.
Sounds like a real treasure, George!
For anyone eating suppers out, the Stephen Foster Restaurant at 503 W. Stephen Foster Rd. (2 blocks from the school and just west of the Best Western--also called the "General Nelson Inn"...and kind of behind a gas station) is one of the places frequented by KMW attendees--just show up anytime between 5 and 6:30 and you'll find folks to sit with. They have a buffet that's around $10 and it has a wide variety which changes slightly every day. Not gourmet, but typical country home cookin'. You can expect things like fried catfish, pork chops, chicken, ham, shrimp, pot roast, mashed potatoes, greens, corn, brown beans and cornbread, salad bar, chocolate cake, hot cobbler and a Make-your-own sundae station with soft serve ice cream (which is also good on top of the cobbler).
There are many really good restaurants in Bardstown...I just mention this one because it's easy to connect with other KMW folks--we just keep filling up the tables!
Not fully aware of the daily schedule at KMW at this time.
Can be found here http://www.kentuckymusicweek.com/schedules.html
Kandee, I want to meet you and the other FOTMD attendees! I'll ask Nancy (the director) if it's OK to connect in various ways. Having lunch together--Tuesday?-- would be one way. I was thinking of putting some helium balloons on a couple tables so we'd know where to sit. Those of us not signed up for the lunch plan will either bring a lunch or will buy something to eat at the concession stand. I was thinking about putting up a sign with FOTMD in large letters and lots of space around it to "sign in" that you're there...maybe add a photo, say where you're staying, put down what classes you're taking...any other suggestions? It really is great to meet our fellow members in person, and early in the week is the way to do it.
I'd also strongly urge members who are attending KMW or DulcimerU or ANY of these other events to purchase the FOTMD button...pin it on (or near) your name tag so it will be easily noticed! The ordering info is on our home page.
Let me know if you have other suggestions. And if you want your photo on the poster, send it to me or let me know it's OK to print off one from this site.
