Different Types of Needles and their purposes
1. Sharps
These are all purpose needles used for everyday purposes. They have a Round eye with a medium length.
These needles are used in dressmaking, to make bullion knots or French knots in counted work, smocking. Applique is another use.
2. Embroidery or Crewel Needles
They have long narrow eyes with a very sharp point. They are of medium length. This is what we use as normal embroidery needles. They come in different sizes .
These needles have a blunt point and a large eye (Oval eye) – elongated eye for easy threading, and blunt point glides smoothly through the holes in your fabric, without splitting the threads.
Tapestry needles have different sizes. Smaller the number the larger the needle size
4. Beading Needles
These are the needles used to string beads in bead embroidery. The small beads need a needle with a very small eye, so normal needles cannot be used. Common beading needles are very thin and long with tiny eye otherwise small beads would not pass through.
This needle have large eyes and very sharp points. The eyes are large enough to accommodate ribbon and other thick yarn.
These needles have very large eye and are commonly used for threading bulky yarn and wide ribbons. The tip of the needle is slightly curved, making it easier to pick up stitches. These long sturdy needles have very sharp points .
These needles are suited for darning and doll making.
These needles have long shanks and can easily penetrate through your quilt layers. They are quite short with small, round eyes. They make even small stitches needed for quilting and hemming.
These are L shaped sharp needles meant for repeatedly jabbing on felt wool
9. Canvas Needles
These thick blunt needles are suited for use on plastic canvas. You can use these needles to join knitted fabric pieces as well
10. Bodkins
These are long thick and blunt needle (some times with sharp point)with a large eye. They are used for threading elastic, ribbons, and cords through casings
11. Curved Needles
These needles are also called upholstery needles. This curved needles are used to repair and mend usually upholstery weight fabric and gives almost invisible blind stitches. It is also helpful in reaching for seam which is impossible to reach with normal needles
12. Leather Needles
These are needles (Glovers) with a sharp tip shaped like a triangle for cutting into thick leather.
13. Milliners Needles
These are long sharp needles traditionally used in millinery trade. Nowadays they are used for making decorative stitches
14. Between Needles
These are needles used for hand quilting, and fine needlework such as shadow work embroidery. They have sharp points, Round eye and a short length
These are needles with a special groove in the eye, so that you can easily thread the needle
16. Tambour Needles
These needles are used for Luneville embroidery. Luneville embroidery is a term used for making different types of tambour embroidery.
*Credit goes to Sewing Guide for this amazing Needle Guide*