Always choose the right needle for the job, and that means for the thread you are using and the fabric you are sewing. You will need to know two pieces of information; 1. The name of the needle and 2. The size of the needle. Change the needle often and choose a high quality needle – this is an investment to produce good work.
Things to remember
All needles for domestic sewing machines fit all machines. Be sure that the flat side is to the back on any machine made after 1960. Ensure that the needle is fully inserted and the screw tightened securely. Dispose of used needles carefully – an empty needle packet is ideal.
The different types of sewing machine needles available
Universal needles – As the name suggest, universal needles are designed to be all-purpose and can be found in all sizes.
Stretch needles – Designed for use with very stretchy fabrics such as swinwear, stretch jersey or sweatshirt fabric. They have two special features which help prevent puckering and skipped stitches, namely a special coating and scarf.
Ballpoint needles – These are particularly useful when stitching knit fabrics. The tip of the needle is rounded to prevent the fabric being split during sewing, thereby avoiding holes or runs in the garment. They are often confused with stretch needles but if you look closely at the fabric you are sewing and can easily see on the surface the knit pattern (similar to something that has been handknitted) then you need a ballpoint needle. If the fabric is simply stretchy then a stretch needle would be required.
Sharps – Thinner and sharper than universal needles, these are often used for quilting and appliqué or for natural fibres such as cotton, wool and linen.
Leather – With a very sharp spearhead design, these needles are most suitable for leather, faux leather and densely woven synthetic fabrics.
Jeans/Denim – Speciality needles for jeans, denim and canvas. The have a sharp point and strong scarf to enable them to tackle multiple layers of dense fabric.
Metallic – Designed with an extra large eye and Teflon coating to enable metallic thread to pass through more easily, resisting shredding and thread breakage even at high speed.
Embroidery – Generally used for machine embroidery where the machine stitches at high speed. They are perfect for creating dense embroidery designs where the special scarf and large eye resists thread breakage.
Top Stitch – An extra sharp point allows the needle to penetrate through several layers of densely woven fabric.
Sizes of sewing machine needles
Sewing machine needles usually have both American and European measurements indicated on them. The American measurements are from 10 to 20 whereas the European measurements are from 60 to 120. The measurements are indicated side by side, eg 70/10; 80/12 etc
| Fabric Type | Size of Needle | |
|---|---|---|
| Very Lightweight Chiffon, voile, organza, sheer fabrics |
60/8 | |
| Lightweight Challis, crepe de chine, cotton knits, georgette, interlock, jersey, seersucker, silk, taffeta, microfiber |
70/10 or 75/11 | |
| Medium-weight Broadcloth, brocade, double knit, flannel, linen, oxford cloth, pique, satin, suiting, sweatshirt, swimwear, synthetic suedes, terry, velour, velvet, velveteen |
80/12 or 90/14 | |
| Heavyweight Coating, denim, double knit, drapery fabric, fake fur, felt, fleece, gabardine, leather, leather-like, quilted fabric, sweater knits, ticking, twill, upholstery fabric |
90/14 or 100/16 | |
| Very Heavyweight Canvas, duck, sailcloth, upholstery |
100/16 or 110/18 | |
If you are just starting with sewing why not read our blog on “Sewing for Beginners – Everything You Need to Know“.