An essential component of the sewing process is the sewing machine needle. The needle needs to be powerful and sharp enough to cut through multiple layers of fabric. It should also be able to sew evenly and smoothly without endangering your product or the machine. Selecting the incorrect kind of needle while handling delicate materials like silk or leather can break your sewing machine or result in mishaps.
Fabric type matters
Think about the kind of fabric you plan to work with before choosing a needle. Particularly with heavier materials like denim and leather, some people have bigger hands than others. Some are delicate and thin, ideal for lighter materials like lace or silk. It’s important to think about how frequently you’ll be using your machine as well. If it’s mostly used to sew clothes or curtains, then a sharp needle is probably the ideal option. A blunt-ended needle can be a better option if your focus is on craft projects like quilts or stuffed animals, as these materials require more patience than speed when stitching.
Perfect Sewing Needle for Your Creative Projects
Sewing machine needles come in a variety of sorts that you can use for different purposes.
Ballpoint needles
These are the most popular and are utilized for everyday sewing. Fibres have rounded edges and sharp tips to prevent breaking or bending.
These needles are used for needlework on suede, leather, and other high-quality textiles like velvet and silk. Their wide eye can hold several threads for work involving multiple colors of embroidery.
Jeans/Denim needles
Denim needs special sewing machines that employ heavy-duty denim or denim needles with larger eyes than regular sewing machine needles since the cloth is so thick. This prevents any threads from being torn or broken when passing through thicker fabrics.
Leather needles
These are perfect for working with leather goods such as shoes or purses, since they have a wide eye and sharp point that allow them to quickly pierce through strong hides without breaking any thread or causing damage.
Microtex needles
For fragile materials that can’t take a lot of pressure, such as silk, velvet, and other fine fabrics, these needles are perfect.
Quilting needles
Large eyes are needed for multicolored quilting projects in order to hold several threads. Additionally, the incredibly soft materials these needles are composed of ensure that they won’t rip any delicate fabrics you may be working with. Whether you’re new to sewing or have been doing it for years, sewing machine needles are the most popular kind of needle and can be used for any job! By inserting the thread through a hole at the end of the tool rather than trying to poke it through yourself, you may thread your needle more quickly and effectively.
Stretch needles
For knits such as t-shirts, stockings, and other clothing composed of elastic materials, stretch needles are perfect. They are able to hold onto the material without tearing or creating holes in it thanks to a unique coating.
Also Read: Choosing the Right Needle for Knit Fabrics: Tips and Tricks
Topstitch needles
These needles are ideal for sewing seams that require topstitching because of their big eye and strengthened point.
Universal needles
These needles work well for both knit and woven materials and are perfect for ordinary sewing. They are perfect for dealing with leather goods such as shoes and purses, since their wide eye and sharp tip allow them to readily pierce through strong hides without breaking any thread or causing damage.
Size your needles accordingly
Considerations such as stitch type and cloth weight should be made while selecting a sewing machine needle. You should select a larger needle the thicker your thread is. It’s also crucial to take into account the kind of material you’re stitching; if it’s canvas or denim, for example, using a thicker needle can assist avoid fraying and shredding as you go.
Match your thread with a needle
The diameter of the eye is measured by the needle size. The needle gets bigger the higher the number, and vice versa. The amount of thread that can fit through a needle at one time determines its size.
Select needles that are appropriate for the thickness of your thread; if they are too little, you may skip stitches; if they are too large, you may experience shredding or breakage issues. To make this information easy to obtain while shopping in stores or online, look for it on packaging and needles.
If in doubt, use a universal needle
To be safe, use a universal hand needle if you are not sure what kind of needle your machine needs.
Nearly all sewing machines and fabrics use universal needles. With the exception of materials like leather or suede that demand for a certain kind of needle, they may be used on almost any material.
Linen and cotton need sharp needles
For sewing thin materials and knits, use a needle with a sharp tip. If you deal with heavy or slippery fabrics, you should also use a sharp point needle.
Stick with an extra ballpoint needle if you want a smooth ride—and who wouldn’t? The ultra-fine coating on this kind of needle keeps the thread from snagging on your cloth as it is being stitched through. Sheer sewing fabrics that don’t show lint buildup at the seams include silk organza, chiffon, and organza.
Ballpoint needles are best for stretchy fabrics
First of all, for stitching knits and elastic textiles, ballpoint needles work best. The cloth can move while you stitch since they are more flexible than other needles. When stitching together numerous layers of fabric, especially delicate materials like silk or lace, you might need to use an extra-wide stitch length. Because they don’t penetrate through the threads in your seam allowance as rapidly as other types of needles, it also makes them perfect for stitching over seams.
When used with thick threads like embroidery floss or heavy weight yarns (like wool), ball point needles tend to dull quickly on materials that require a sharp point, like leather, vinyl, and heavy canvas. This can result in skipped stitches or holes in your garment.
Heavy-duty fabrics require wedge-point needles
For sewing heavy-duty materials like canvas, leather, and denim, a wedge-point needle works well. Because of the angled point of this kind of needle, you can stitch through thick materials without worrying about the tip breaking or bending. By allowing your machine to take in more fabric as it travels through the feed dogs, it also helps you generate a stronger stitch when using heavier thread.
If you’re stitching thicker materials like wool or quilting cotton, you might also want to think about using a wedge point needle.
Quilt with a quilting needle
If you’re a quilter searching for a needle specifically designed for your preferred fabric, there is one available. Quilting needles have a greater strength rating and are simpler to push through numerous layers of fabric at once because they are thicker and longer than standard sewing needles. Additionally, because their eyes are bigger, they can hold heavier threads without breaking.
Heavy or visible stitching needs a topstitching needle
Try a topstitching needle if you’ve never sewn before or if you usually use a serger for delicate work and would like to try something new. Sharp tips and high carbon steel or stainless steel are features of topstitching needles.
Because of its tip, a topstitching needle is ideal for decorative stitching such as quilting and embroidery.
Embellish with an embroidery needle
Generally composed of rayon or cotton, embroidery thread has a higher twist than conventional sewing thread. Embroidery needles are manufactured expressly to operate with this type of thread. Larger eyes in embroidery needles enable thicker threads to flow through faster, while sharper points prevent the thread from fraying at the end. Make sure the needle you’re using—a sharp topstitching needle—is suitable for the style of stitching you’re performing, such as French knots or chain stitch.
Final Thoughts
Selecting the ideal sewing machine needle for your project might be challenging due to the abundance of options. You can locate the perfect needle for any project, though, if you first evaluate the cloth you’re working with before figuring out the needle size!