WHAT SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE IS RIGHT FOR MY FABRIC?

 If you are confused as to what needle is correct for your sewing and quilting needs,

Please read this general overview of the most common types of sewing machine needles on the market for the home sewer today

Standard or General use needles:
 

Universal Needles

Sizes range from 68/8 (smallest) to 110/18 (largest and strongest)

Uses - Safest needle choice for most fabrics with the most common and most widely used needle and size being 80/12.

Configuration - Has slightly rounded point and elongated scarf to enable almost foolproof meeting of needle and bobbin hook.

Troubleshooting - When fabric is not medium-weight woven, consider needle specifically suited to fabric. For example, size 18 universal needle works on heavy denim, but size 18 jeans needle works better.

 Ballpoint and Stretch Needles

Uses - Ballpoint needle for heavier, looser sweater knits; stretch needle for highly elastic fabrics, like Spandex, or Lycra

Configuration: Both have rounded points that penetrate between fabric threads rather than pierce them. (Stretch-needle point is slightly less rounded than ballpoint.)

Troubleshooting - Test-stitch knits with ballpoint, stretch, and universal needles to see which doesn't cut yarn and yields best results. If ballpoint skips stitches, try stretch needle.

 Microtex and Sharp Needles

Uses - Sewing microfiber, silk, synthetic leather; precisely stitching edges; and heirloom sewing.  Quilters like this needle because it is very sharp.

Configuration: Has an very sharp point.

Troubleshooting - Essentially trouble-free, but fabric may require a Teflon, roller, or even/dual-feed presser foot.

 Leather Needle

Uses - Excellent for sewing natural leather. Cuts through instead of poking through leather making a nicer finished hole for the thread to pass through.

Configuration:  Has slight cutting point (almost like an arrowhead).

 Troubleshooting - On synthetic leather, unless it's very heavy synthetic, cuts rather than pierces stitch hole and can tear leather. Most synthetic leathers require Microtex or sharp needle.

 Denim (jeans) Needle

Uses - For heavyweight denim, duck, canvas, upholstery fabrics, artificial leather, and vinyl. Quilters like this for quilting though high loft batting.

Configuration - Has deeper scarf, acute point, and modified shaft to sew without pushing fabric down into needle-plate hole. Goes through fabric and meets bobbin hook better on dense woven fabrics.

Troubleshooting -  If stitches skip when sewing very heavy fabrics, try larger needle and sew more slowly or walk needle through fabric.

Handicap/Self-threading Needles

Uses -  Enables easier threading for sewers with vision or hand problems.

Configuration - Universal needle with slip-in threading slot at the eye.

Troubleshooting -  Always pull sewn piece back away from needle before cutting thread so needle doesn't unthread. Needle works well on woven fabrics, but may occasionally snag knits, so test-sew to check for fabric and needle compatibility

Decorative Use Needles

Topstitching Needle

Uses  - Topstitching any fabric.  Larger eye, heaver shaft to go through multiple layers of fabric and use heaver weighs of decorative threads.

Configuration - Has extra-acute point, extra-large eye, and large groove for heavy thread.

Troubleshooting - Use smallest size needle that accommodates your thread to avoid punching large holes in fabric.

Embroidery Needles 

Uses - Machine embroidering or embellishing with decorative threads.

Configuration - Has light point (neither sharp nor ballpoint) and enlarged eye to keep decorative threads from shredding or breaking, and skipped stitches

Troubleshooting - If thread still shreds on dense or heavily stitched design, use larger size needle or Metallica needle

 Metallic Needle (Metafil or Metallica) 

Uses - Sewing with decorative metallic threads.

Configuration - Has universal or standard point; large, elongated eye; and large groove to allow fragile metallic and synthetic filament threads to flow smoothly.

Troubleshooting - Metallic threads are very sensitive to problems in machine: Tiniest burr on thread path or needle can cause problems

 Quilting Needles 

Uses - Piecing, quilting, and stippling.

Configuration - Has special tapered shaft to prevent damaging fabrics when stitching multiple layers.

Troubleshooting - Move fabric smoothly without pulling on needle when free-motion stitching to prevent breaking needle.

Special-purpose Uses

 These needles are used only with front-to-back threading machines with zigzag features.

Make sure your throat-plate needle hole is wide enough to accommodate needle's width,

and zigzag width function is set at zero to prevent sideways movement.

Hemstitch (wing)

Uses - Hemstitching or heirloom embroidery on linen and batiste.

Configuration - Has fins on sides of shank to create holes as you sew.

Troubleshooting - Stitch is more effective when needle returns to same needle hole more than once. If needle pushes fabric into needle hole, put stabilizer under fabric

Twin Needle (double)

Uses - Topstitching, pin tucking, and decorative stitching.

Configuration - Two needles on single shaft produce two rows of stitches. Measurement between needles ranges from 1.6mm to 6mm, and needles come with universal, stretch, embroidery, denim, and Metallica points

Troubleshooting - Be sure throat plate allows for distance between needles.

Triple Needle

Uses - Same uses as for double needle.

Configuration - Cross bar on single shaft connects three needles to sew three stitching rows. Comes with universal point in 2.5mm and 3mm widths

Troubleshooting - Same as for double needle.

Spring Needle

Uses - Free-motion stitching with dropped feed dogs.

Configuration - Has wire spring above point to prevent fabrics from riding up onto needle, eliminating need for presser foot

Troubleshooting - Before using, practice free-motion stitching with heavy regular needle, paper, and dropped feed dogs. Don't pull paper/fabric; instead gently guide it through stitching. Wear safety glasses for free-motion work, since needles often break.

I hope you find this information useful and informative.

Please send us a message, check your sewing machine manual or ask your dealer if you question if a needle, especially a special use needle will fit your particular machine.

All of the needles listed here can be found in our store under the Schmetz Brand and Schmetz Needles will fit a very wide range of home sewing machines.

Schmetz Needles are the #1 brand recommended by most sewing machine manufacturers today and are featured in most new sewing machines sold.

Please check out our current supply of Schmetz Needles

The Fabric Room

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