How to Choose the Right Needle for Your Hand Embroidery Project
3 STEPS TO CHOOSING THE RIGHT EMBROIDERY NEEDLE
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!
As an Amazon Associate I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your kind support!
Everything You Need to Know About Needles
Choosing the right needle for your hand embroidery project can make the difference between having hours of fun, or hours of pure frustration! Not only that, but using the wrong needle can lead to needle breakage, fraying thread, holes in your fabric, and poor stitch quality. It can also lead to wear on the needle over time, which will eventually affect the quality of your work. Ain’t nobody got time for that!
Although often overlooked, choosing the right needle - one that matches your thread, your fabric, and the stitches you’re using - is very important for embroiderers of all skill levels. Keep reading to find out how to make this important decision for any project you’re working on.
Needle Material
Before I get into the meat and potatoes of this post, I wanted to touch on a topic not often talked about - the material of the needle itself. While nickel plated needles are sold in abundance at popular craft stores, you may find yourself craving a more high-end needle once you get serious about your embroidery.
Below, I’ve listed the different materials of which needles may be made. The price point for each type may play a role in your decision to purchase, as well as any possible nickel allergy. Generally, the further down the list you go, the more expensive, and consequently, the more durable, the needles will be. Please note, some needle brands or types may not be offered in all the materials listed.
Plastic - These are used with plastic canvas, mesh needlepoint, and for young children who are beginner sewists. The needles’ large eyes make threading easy, and the blunt points are safer for young children or for those who may have reduced dexterity or poor eyesight.
Nickel Plated - These needles are high-carbon steel or heat-treated iron plated with nickel, which gives them a shiny appearance. These are the most common variety sold, but may trigger nickel allergies in some.
Stainless Steel - 100% stainless steel needles will not trigger nickel allergies. They are also rust and corrosion resistant (think of sweaty hands and saliva - come on people, I know I’m not the only disgusting person wetting thread in their mouth!).
Titanium Alloy Plated - These needles are sturdy and will outlast any other needle in your collection. They can last up to 7 times longer than most other sewing needles.
Gold Plated - Ooh la la! Gold plating allows the needle to slip through the fabric with ease. They reduce friction, which speeds up the sewing process. Some versions are gold plated only at the eye - this keeps cost to a minimum but gives you some of the advantages of the gold-plating. Gold plated needles will wear out quicker than your typical sewing needle.
Platinum Plated - Similar to gold plated needles, platinum plated needles allow the needle to slip through the fabric with ease due to reduced friction. Buyers beware - according to reviews I’ve read, once you have sewn with a platinum plated needle, you won’t want to use any other kind!
Now, onto the topic you’ve been waiting for!
3 Steps to Choosing the Right Needle
When choosing a needle for your hand embroidery project, the decision should be based on the following variables:
Needle Type
Needle Size
Needle Shape
Each variable is described in depth below.
Needles pictured here for comparison (left to right):
Betweens, Tapestry, Milliners’, Chenille, Darner, Embroidery, Beading
1 —
NEEDLE TYPE
Generally, the name of the needle itself will point you in the right direction as to its intended purpose. The key is knowing what the different types of needles are used for. And although it’s a good idea for beginners to start with an embroidery needle, any type of hand sewing needle can be used in embroidery.
I find that keeping needles in their original packaging is not ideal for the way I work. Luckily, the information below will help you identify a needle and its purpose, even without the original packaging to help you. Additionally, check out this Sewing Needle Identification Guide from John James Needles.
There are two needle types covered below - those traditionally used for general hand sewing and repair, and those identified as crafting needles (embroidery, cross stitch, tapestry, etc.). Keep reading to find out the traditional use for each needle type and the sizing options available.
SEWING & REPAIR NEEDLES
Sharps - Sharps are used for hand piecing and appliqué. Hand piecing is a technique used for constructing quilt blocks with running stitch. Appliqué is a needlework technique in which pieces of fabric are attached to a larger background fabric to create pictures or patterns. Sharps are both longer and sharper than betweens needles. Sharps come in sizes 1 to 12.
Easy Threading/Calyx Eye/Spiral Eye - Easy threading needles are made specifically for those with diminished dexterity or eye sight. Calyx eye needles are standard sharps with a slit through the top of the eye that allows the thread to pass into the eye from above (pictured below). The calyx eye needles come in sizes 4, 6, & 8. Spiral Eye needles serve the same purpose, but their construction is slightly different in that the slit through which the thread is pulled is to the side of the eye rather than the top.
Quilting/Betweens - Betweens (a.k.a., Mi-Longues) are traditionally used for hand quilting. These needles are very short and fine with a small round eye. The small eye prevents the needle from becoming larger in diameter (bulging) at the eye of the needle. The shorter length allows quilters to create quick and even stitching, while also increasing the strength of the needle. These are similar to the diameter of sharps needles, but are shorter in length. Sizing is based on the eye of the needle - the higher the number, the smaller the eye. Sizes range from 1 to 12. A size 7 or 8 is recommended for beginners. A “Big Eye” version, which is designed for easier threading, is also available and is offered in sizes 10 and 11.
Note: Several reviews on Amazon state the needles are not made in England (as the picture suggests). However, most of the sets sold directly on the John James website are also no longer made in England (see www.jjneedles.com).
CRAFT NEEDLES
Tapestry/Cross Stitch - These needles have a large eye and a rounded point. They are used in needlepoint, bargello, hardanger, petit point, blackwork, counted cross stitch, and plastic canvas work. These needles come in sizes 13 to 28.
Embroidery/Crewel - Embroidery needles have sharp points and an elongated eye to accommodate multiple strands of stranded cotton thread. Also called crewel needles, these can be used in all kinds of embroidery techniques, including crewel embroidery (which is simply embroidering with yarn). Because of their large eyes, these needles are suitable for general sewing, surface embroidery, smocking, cutwork, and crazy quilt embroidery. Embroidery needles have similar length and point profiles as sharps needles, but with an elongated eye. Embroidery needles come in sizes 1 to 12.
Chenille - These needles, which may also be referred to as ribbon embroidery needles, have a very large eye and a sharp point. They are typically used for crewel embroidery and ribbon embroidery, as they are slightly shorter than embroidery needles and only come in smaller sizes. Chenille needles are similar to tapestry/cross stitch needles in length and diameter, but have a sharp point. These needles come in sizes 13 to 26.
Beading - Standard Beading needles are very fine and long, with thin eyes to accommodate the small hole of a bead. The thinnest ones can also be very flexible, which allows the needle to pass through multiple beads at once while lying against a flat surface. These needles are designed to be used with beads, pearls, and sequins. Beading needles come in sizes 10 to 15.
Short Beading/Bead Embroidery - Short beading needles diameters are similar to regular beading needles, but are shorter in length. These are particularly useful for embellishing garments with beads or sequins when hand embroidery is already existent on the fabric. The shorter length allows you to get the needle into small areas between other stitches. The tips come in both sharp or blunt/ballpoint versions. These needles come in sizes 10 and 12.
Milliners’/Straw - The name of this needle comes from its original use as a hatmaker’s needle (a hat maker is called a milliner). A milliners’ needle is long and relatively thin (although not as thin as a beading needle) with a small round eye. The needle is the same diameter at the shaft as it is at the eye, with no bulge. These needles are typically used for pleating, smocking, and some types of beadwork. They can also be used for bullion stitches and French knots.They are similar to an ordinary sharps needle, but much longer. They come in sizes 1 to 10, 15, & 18.
White Work/Candlewicking - White work or candlewicking needles get their name from their traditional use in white work embroidery, in which candle wick thread was used. White work is traditionally worked with white thread on white fabric and uses mainly the colonial knot, although other stitches may be used. In the past, candle wick thread was commonly available, even when finer threads were not. Today, you can use whatever thread you prefer, including pearl cotton or six-stranded cotton floss. White work needles have a very large eye to accommodate thick thread. These needles are similar in diameter to tapestry needles, but have a moderately sharp point and are shorter in length.
Curved - Curved needles (sometimes called curved quilting needles or curved repair needles) are mainly used for making fabric boxes, repairing vintage lampshades, wig making, and for bookbinding. The curvature of the shaft makes it ideal for using ladder stitch to sew together two perpendicular surfaces (as in two sides of a fabric box). Traditionally, these needles were used for binding the many layers of fabric and batting together in quilt-making. These needles are typically sized according to the width of the needle, measured across from end to point (common sizes are 1 ½ - 2 inches). Curved needles also come in a beading version which is extremely thin in diameter.
Sashiko - Sashiko needles are specific to the Japanese art of sashiko. Sashiko is the art of attaching patches to clothing with decorative stitches, similar to visible mending. This style typically uses heavy cotton thread against a contrasting background (such as white thread on indigo or denim fabric). These needles are thick, strong, and very sharp. They have a large eye to accommodate heavy thread and come in both long (for straight lines) and short versions (for curved lines). These needles are specifically designed to avoid warping, although milliners’ needles may also be used for this style of sewing.
2 —
NEEDLE SIZE
After considering which needle type will suit your project (sharps, betweens, embroidery, tapestry, etc.), your next choice is to decide on the size of your needle. The general rule is, the higher the needle size number, the smaller the eye and the thinner its shaft. Keep in mind, the needle type directly influences the size and shape of your needle.
Choosing the correct size needle is based on both the thickness of the thread you’re using and the weave and weight of your base fabric (for more info on choosing fabric for your project, you can read my post here). The more threads you use, or the thicker the thread, the larger the needle (the lower number) you will need to use. Additionally, the thicker and heavier your fabric, the larger size needle you will need. The vice versa applies here as well - the finer your thread and/or fabric, the smaller the needle (higher the number) you should use.
A good rule of thumb - if you find that threading the needle is overly difficult, or if you find yourself forcing the needle and thread through the fabric, go to the next size up. Otherwise, this could result in breaking your needle and can also be very tiresome on your hands and fingers due to the constant tugging on the needle.
It’s important to remember that each needle type has its own unique characteristics - its general length, eye shape, and tip shape. Therefore, a specific size in one needle type will not necessarily be similar to the same size in another type. For example, a size 9 embroidery needle is quite different in diameter, length, and eye shape from a size 9 betweens needle. That’s why I recommend first choosing the specific needle type before choosing its size.
For general size recommendations, see the charts below.
General size recommendations
Needle size recommendations based on Stranded Floss & Pearl Cotton
3 —
NEEDLE SHAPE
If you followed the steps above and are still struggling to choose the correct needle, or have chosen one but are not getting the results you’re looking for, consider the following points regarding needle shape to clarify your choice:
Needle Point
Eye Shape
Needle Length
Shaft Diameter
The four points above can be considered separately from the needle’s intended purpose (needle type) or size. So, even when a needle is no longer in its original box or container (and let’s face it - how many actually are??), you will still be able to choose the right needle for your project.
Needle Point - Sharp or Blunt?
Whether to choose a sharp point or ball/blunt point should be a relatively simple choice. In counted cross stitch, tapestry, or any type of stitching that does not require piercing the fabric (needle lacing, for example), a blunt point is ideal.
If the needle will be passing through the fabric, consider the fabric’s weight and weave. Generally, a tightly woven fabric (such as muslin) will require a sharp needle, while a loosely woven fabric (such as aida cloth) will not require a sharp point. When considering the weight of your fabric, a thick or heavyweight fabric will require a very sharp point. A thin or delicate fabric may also require a very sharp point to avoid snagging the fabric when the needle passes through.
Needle Eye - Regular or Elongated?
There are two things to consider when looking at the eye of your needle - the size of thread you’d like to use, and whether a bulging eye will affect your final project. Some needles are specifically made with narrow eyes so the fabric is not pierced more than necessary. A narrow eye is also important in beadwork, to allow the needle to pass through the small hole of a seed bead.
However, if you are using thick thread, such as a pearl cotton or all 6 strands of a stranded floss, an elongated eye that bulges will be ideal, as long as your fabric is not too delicate. This is why choosing the correct fabric for your stitch project is also important to the overall quality of the finished project. For more on choosing fabric for your project, see this post here.
Needle Length - Long or Short?
Needle length and diameter should match your thread and fabric as well. Shorter needles allow for more control, such as in thread painting, but longer needles are typically desirable when doing beadwork or sashiko, when it is helpful to have more room on the needle to hold beads or fabric. Needle length is generally a more personal choice, based on your individual preferences and comfort level.
Shaft Diameter - Thick or Thin?
The needle shaft should be neither too thick nor too thin for the weight of your fabric, and should ideally be a tad larger than the diameter of your thread. The needle’s diameter should be thick enough to allow for the doubled thread at the eye of the needle to pass through the fabric with ease, but not so large that a gaping hole is left behind after passing through the fabric. This is especially important when working with less forgiving or delicate fabrics, as the wider hole may not shrink closed after the needle has passed through.
If working with a coarse or medium to heavyweight fabric, a thicker needle is typically suggested. However, if you are working delicate stitches on a coarse fabric, a smaller needle may be appropriate. For example, I typically use a size 9 betweens when doing thread painting on canvas or utility cloth.
Conclusion
In summary, making your needle choice is as simple as 1, 2, 3:
Needle Type - What is the needle’s original purpose?
Needle Size - What fabric (weight & weave) and thread (thickness) will you be using?
Needle Shape - Point, Length, Shape, Diameter
By following the 3 steps above, and comparing those to the types of stitches you’ll be using, you’ll be able to make the correct choice. But don’t sweat it - eventually, through trial and error, you will develop your own preferences and soon, you’ll be able to choose the right needle right off the bat.
Finally, if you’re a beginner and would like some recommendations for needle variety packs to help get you started, see my suggestions below!
If you found this article useful, check out my tips on choosing the right thread for your embroidery project.
