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I had a lot on my mind about hand embroidery needles, and I've had a lot of questions from both beginners and advanced users about this magical tool we can't live without.
Today, I would like to share some points about hand embroidery needles so that you can make a good choice when choosing which needle to use for your next embroidery masterpiece.
We all have our favorite specialized tools, but the most basic and important sewing tool, the needle, is one we cannot live without.
And choosing the right needle can mean the difference between a frustrating and enjoyable sewing experience.
Types of needles used for hand embroidery
The types of needles you choose for your embroidery project depend on the type of embroidery, but five categories of needles should be available for many embroiderers. Here's a list of the five hand embroidery needles you'll need and their uses.
Crewel needles are also called "embroidery needles."
Crewel needles have a medium-length eye, a shank slightly narrower than the eye (the eye bulges slightly at the top of the shank), and a sharp tip.
They are used for general surface embroidery, circular embroidery, gold smithing, white smithery, and virtually any embroidery technique that requires a sharp needle.
Crewel needles range in size from 1 to 12, with 1 being the largest and 12 being the finest.
For beginners unfamiliar with choosing the right needle for their thread, purchasing a variety of packs is recommended. Variety packs typically contain sizes 3-9 or 1-5. Both packs are handy to have on hand.
Tapestry needles have a long eye, a shank slightly narrower than the eye (the eye is slightly bent at the top of the needle), and a blunt tip.
Tapestry needle sizes range from 13 to 28, with 13 being the largest and 28 being the finest. They are mainly used for counted threadwork (cross-stitch, blackwork) and needlepoint, or needlework on fabric or canvas where holes are made to determine where each stitch is placed.
Tapestry needles are also used for hitting and lacing embroidery stitches. A slow or tie stitch is already used in the base fabric up and down but doesn't often move the fabric inside and outside. The blunt tip of the needle helps prevent snagging on basic stitches.
Flapping and lacing stitches can also be worked without tapestry needles. If the tips of the needle are sharp enough, pierce it from the eye down.
Chenille needles have a long eye, a slightly narrower shaft than the eye (the eye is slightly curved at the top of the needle), and a pointed tip.
Chenille needles range in size from 13 to 28, just like tapestry needles. The size 28 chenille needle is a relatively new needle on the market and is suitable for very fine threads. Larger sizes (lower numbers) have thicker shanks on chenille needles. A size 13-18 chenille needle looks decidedly gigantic to sewers accustomed to working with finer needles.
Chenille needles are used for surface, circular, and chenille embroidery. It can be used whenever you require a large, long thread eye and a sharp tip to pierce through fabric. Many Crewel embroiderers prefer chenille needles for their Crewel work. This is because the wool thread is easy to weave, and the sharp tip and large shank create good holes in the fabric, allowing the wool thread to pass through relatively unscathed.
Mad Hatter needles - also known as "straw" needles - have small, rounded eyes with a thick shank like the eye (the eye is not bulging at the top of the needle) and a sharp tip. The Mad Hatter pin is considerably longer than the other pins above.
Hatter sizes range from 1 to 10, with 1 being large and 10 being fine. Also available in sizes 15 and 18, 15 is larger than size 18 and 18 is larger than size 1. Confused? Yes. I don't understand why they are so big.
Special needles mean specially curved needles and beading needles for those who do a lot of beading.
Curved embroidery needles are usually medium eye, like Crewel needle eye.
Curved needles come in several different sizes. Some are very large (used for interior decoration), and others are much finer. The size that is used for most fine embroidery threads is a size 10 curved beading needle.
Conclusion
Note that there are no absolute formulas or rules about needle size for a particular thread. While we can make general suggestions, needle selection is often based on personal preference. Which needle is comfortable in this sewing situation? Over time it slowly becomes second nature to know which needle size works best.