You’re ready to sew! Well…almost. Now you need to figure out what needle to use. Why are there so many types? Can’t you just pick one and hope for the best?
I guess you can, but you really shouldn’t.
Let’s talk about it.
Sewing Machine Needles
We’ll start with needles for sewing machines. Different types of needles are specialized for different types of fabrics. There is such a thing as a universal needle, and that does work for most everyday fabrics, but sometimes you need others. You might need a denim needle for working with denim, since it is a much heavier fabric. Or a ballpoint needle for working with knit fabrics. And the list goes on.
Hand Sewing Needles
Needles for hand sewing are numbered by size. The larger the number, the smaller the needle, which always seems counterintuitive to me. The size you use will be a pretty individual choice, as everyone has different sized hands. I personally prefer a size 11 needle for hand sewing, but you may like other sizes. Most big box stores aren’t going to have a wide selection of needle sizes, so you may need to look online to find other sizes. There are also specialized needles for quilting, embroidery, and more.
Did you know there were different types of needles? Or do you just use whatever is handy and hope it works out for you?