How to Choose the Best Sewing Needle


Using sewing machines is not common nowadays like the past, and families prefer to buy ready clothes. However, some housewives still work with thread and needles and sometimes design and produce clothes. Therefore, an important issue such as the needle arises, which determines the final quality of the sewing.

The appropriate sewing needle is selected based on the type of fabric, thread and sewing. For example, if a large needle is used to sew thin and very sensitive fabrics, the fabric texture will be damaged in such a way that the final quality of sewing is reduced. Therefore, many professional designers and tailors choose needles and their size according to the type of fabric models.

In this article, we intend to introduce the important criteria in choosing a sewing needle. As a result, you will get acquainted with the basic principles of choosing this practical tool.

Classification of sewing needles

Needles are classified according to their name, shaft size, needle length, point type, and eye shape in such a way that each of these types of tools are designed and manufactured based on different needs. As an instance, embroidery needles which are classified in terms of their name should only be used to do things like embroidery. Because these needles are very delicate and must be used for sewing fabrics with this degree of sensitivity. Another type of classification is based on the size of the shaft and according to which each needle has a specific size. The larger the needles size, the smaller and more delicate they are. Embroidery needles are used in high delicacy and delicate fabrics.

Moreover, needle length varies according to different functions. For example, quilting needles are longer depending on their type of usage. The eye of the needle is the part where you pass the thread. Needles vary greatly even in the size and shape of the eyes. If you want to buy a needle, you should pay attention to the following points and buy a needle that is suitable for your job. The following points must be considered in choosing your desired needles:

  • Shaft size
  • Needle length
  • Eye type
  • Dot size
  • Name

What size sewing needle do you need?

There are a lot of needle sizes in the market. Such diversity is due to meeting the needs of consumers. Therefore, when buying, make sure that you buy packages that have different types of sizes. To know the size of the needles, pay attention to the numbers written at the bottom of the package. The minimum and maximum size in the package is written. In this case, you get a needle that fits your needs. Usually a needle with size 3 is very large and coarse.

In fact, all of its criteria such as size, length, eye width, etc. are large. As a result, the thickness of the needle is larger and its use is very suitable for sewing all kinds of thick fabrics. In contrast, the sewing needle with size 9 is very delicate and small. Such tools are usually used for sewing very sensitive fabrics in such a way that the effects of sewing and the location of the needle movement can be hardly seen in the fabric, and increases the quality of sewing.

The importance of needle eyes

Needle eyes are usually produced variously according to the available threads in the market. The smallest and the largest threads can be used in a variety of needles. In fact, needles with very small eyes are used for very thin and delicate threads such as cotton threads. Using such a thread and the needle with such an elegance will lead to a high quality and extraordinary sewing.

How to choose a suitable sewing needle?

Note that choosing an inappropriate needle for the type of work, fabric and thread is actually a waste of fund. Before buying, consider your intention for sewing, your fabric and your thread type. After reviewing these cases, it is time to select the tool that performs the final operation.

When choosing a sewing tool, you should pay attention to the following points:

  • Type of fabric
  • The size of the needle and its eye
  • Conformity with the sewing thread

The importance of fabric in choosing a sewing needle

We begin this issue by raising a question. Do you think that sewing cotton, silk and other thin fabrics and thick fabrics such as quilt fabric is done with one type of needle?

Obviously, each fabric has a specific thickness. If you plan to use a thin cloth, consider the thickness of your thread and needle as fine as possible. In this case, the final result of the work will be a professional sewing.

Why is the size of the needle and needle eye important?

When choosing a tool, we must also pay attention to the type of thread. If the eye size of the sewing needle and the thread do not fit together, we has made a mistake in choosing it. Therefore, the thread should be smaller than the eye of the needle, or we should choose the needle in such a way that its eye size be larger than the thickness of the thread.

The importance of thread in needle selection

In fact, the thread is determinative in choosing the type of needle. When we decide to use some kind of thread according to the conditions, then, we should choose the size of the sewing tool based on the type of thread. As a result, it is not possible to use a sewing needle smaller than the thread type.

On the other hand, if the needle size be much larger than the thread type, its excessive thickness may slow the sewing operation. Also, the type of loops that are executed during the sewing process do not have a good quality. Therefore, the type of thread and needle must be exactly the same size and fit. Otherwise, the sewing operation will face many problems.

The result of choosing a wrong sewing needle

Choosing an inappropriate sewing tool is a mistake that only beginners make, and it can significantly reduce the quality of sewing. Also, an inefficient tool can sometimes cause fabric damage. In this case, in some cases where the price of the fabric is very high, an irreparable damage occurs.

Sometimes a wrong choice can even reduce work safety. In this case, it is even possible to break the sewing needle while working. Since the needles are metal, breaking needles increases the risks and sometimes even cause irreversible events. To avoid such errors, it is best to get familiar with different types of tools before purchasing.

  • General sewing needle
  • Long needles
  • Leather needles
  • Cross needles
  • Embroidery needles
  • Chanel needles
  • Quilting needles
  • Sewing machine needles

General sewing needles

General sewing needles are very common and popular and they are used almost for many everyday tasks. These types of tools are called sharps and are medium in all aspects such as length, type of eye and thickness. These tools are very ideal for hand sewing.

Long needles

Long sewing needles have been very successful in helping tailors. Successful cooperation of cotton and thread with the special design of such needles cover the defects of the fabrics well. The size of such needles is usually about 14 to 18.

The eye of such tools is very large and easy to use. They are even used for knitting or embroidery. Although such needles are commonly used, they are suitable for repair. Their thickness and size is so good that they are effective even in sewing and modifying fabric boxes.

 Leather needles

Do not make a mistake! They are not made of leather, instead, these tools are used to sew all kinds of leather and similar fabrics. Since such fabrics have a very high strength, the structure of this sewing needle should be such that it goes well into the fabric. So many tailors who intend to use thick fabrics use such tools.

There are two types of leather needles, manual and machine, each of which is designed and marketed according to the customers' needs. Regarding the efficiency of such needles, their use in small and large handicraft workshops is quite common.

Of course, the types of traditional handicrafts are different and different thicknesses are used in different types of fabrics; but usually the use of leather is more in such a way that they justify the use of such a tool. It should be noted that the main needles used in handicraft workshops are small or large types of leather needles.

Cross sewing needles

These kinds of needles have a large eye that makes them easy to use. Also, the existence of a round dot on the needle is very efficient. Such tools are commonly used to create a variety of stitches.

All kinds of tools for embroidery

Embroidery is a delicate craft that is usually used in relatively thin fabrics. Although the embroidery sewing needle is also suitable for general sewing, it is mostly used in very delicate and handicrafts such as embroidery.

Its eye is almost suitable and it is easily diagnosed by people with poor eyesight. Having such a large eye is quite appropriate considering its efficiency. Because sometimes you have to pass several types of thread inside its eye. Usually the size of this tool is around 7 and 9. Of course, there are other different types of sewing needles, but these sizes are more efficient.

Chanel needle and its applications

You may not have heard the name of such a needle, but you have certainly seen it among different types of needles. It is a bit difficult to identify different types of sewing tools and requires special skills and knowledge. These specimens also have mostly large eyes and make the job easy for many people.

Types of quilting

Different types of sewing needles specialized for quilting are very popular and famous. Regarding the high efficiency of this type of needles, various samples of them are available in the market. But, such as the size 10, also have many. Such tools cover almost everyone with any level of vision and help a lot in creating curls.

Sewing machine needles

Sewing machine needles are used as widely as general needles and they are used for all kinds of sewing. Sewing machine needles are also extremely various and usually use different patterns for different sewing machine models.

What we learned about needles....

The choice of needle may be as important as the type of fabric. If you have the best kind of fabric and tailors, you will waste all your expenses, unless you use the right needle. Therefore, you should pay special attention to the type of fabric and thread in the time of choosing the type of needles.

There are many types of sewing needles that you should get familiarized with them before buying. In this article, we have tried to review all the issues related to needles and provide valuable information. Note that the more knowledge you have, the more ideal choice you will have.