They come in sizes 13-28 the same as tapestry needles and are often used for crewel work because the eye is easier on the wool thread. they come in sizes 10-15 and are made from the finest steel wire.Ĭhenille needles are the same as tapestry needles except they have a sharp point rather than blunt. They are very long and bend out of shape very easily, are very sharp and have a really small eye. is generally my go to.īeading needles are the thinnest of all the needles so that they can pick up and travel through the tiniest of beads. They are very long and thin with a shaft that is the same thickness as the eye.They are really useful for decorative stitches such as Bullion and French knots where the thread is wrapped around the needle several times. Milliner needles are my favourite to embroider with and are commonly used in the Millinery trade. These are suitable for children to use with Aida or Binca fabric. They come in numbers 13-28 with 28 being the finest.These can be used for whipped stitches where the needle goes under the thread rather than through the fabric. Tapestry needles have a blunt point and a large eye and are generally used for cross stitch and counted thread embroidery. They can be used for surface embroidery, crewel work, whitework and goldwork. They come in numbers 1-12 and 6-8 are the most commonly used. So in a nutshell, these are the most common needles used for embroidery.Ĭrewel or Embroidery needles are medium length with a sharp point and a narrow eye. An important thing to know about all needles is that their number suggests their size and the higher the number, the finer the needle. My favourite needles may not be your favourite and my needle may change with different types of fabric and thicknesses of thread. Rather than tell you which needle to use, you need to experiment with different types to see which suits you best.
Whatever I’m stitching, I need to know that my needle is: easy to thread not too thick for the fabric otherwise it will leave a hole easy to pull through the fabric and not a battle. I have learned over the years that using the right needle for the right job is essential if you want the sewing to be a pleasure rather than a chore. There are so many needles on the market today, it can be very confusing.