Buy Sewing Machine Needles at SewSpares.com

The most normal thing when starting to sew by machine is to always use universal needles which, due to their versatility, are the ones that have the most applications. However, when we start to experiment with different fabrics, threads and stitches, things get complicated. Choosing the appropriate needle is the key to smooth and perfect stitches, but not only that: if we work with the wrong needle we can have problems when sewing. From damaging the fabric or thread to bending or breaking the needle.

Sewing machine needles can be classified in a number of ways, and if you are not very familiar with them, you may be overwhelmed by the wide variety that exists. Do not panic! We are going to try to make this choice a little easier by explaining what types of needles there are and what each one is for.

1. Types of sewing machine needles according to their complexity.
Sewing machine needles Based on this general criteria, you will find:

- Simple needles: one-pointed, the most common. A little further down we explain what types you can find according to their type of tip.
- Double needles: with two points, for specific and / or decorative tasks. Beyond decorative use, they are ideal for sewing knitted fabric, as well as for the hem of T-shirts and pants. You can find them with a different degree of separation between the needles: the more separated the needles, the more separated the stitching will be.
- Triple needles: three-pointed, for decorative stitches. They are quite rare.

2. Size and thickness of sewing machine needles.

Sewing machine needles Needles are usually labeled with two numbers: the larger one corresponds to the European size and the smaller one corresponds to the American one. The smaller the number, the finer the needle. The finer the needle, the finer the fabric it is designed for. Easy right? Here is a small summary of the correspondences:

- 60 (EU) / 8 (USA): It is the finest needle on the market. Suitable for very fine and delicate materials such as silk.
- From 65/9 to 70/10: Fine fabrics, with little thickness, like cotton.
- From 75/11 to 90/14: All types of medium thickness fabrics (except knitwear).
- 100/16: Thick fabrics.
- 110/18: For upholstery or denim (for denim there is also a special range, which you can find in a single or double version).
- 120/20: Thick canvas.

3. Most common needle types.

Sewing machine needles– Universal needles: They have a slightly rounded tip for sewing knitted fabrics, but they can also be used to sew woven fabrics (cotton, linen, silk…). Make sure you have a selection of universal needles with different numbering on hand: fine for light fabrics and thick for heavier fabrics. Although they have a wide spectrum of application, do not forget to substitute them for more specific needles when you handle a complicated fabric.
- Ballpoint or ball point: Ideal for sewing knit or stretch fabrics. As they have a round tip, they do not pierce the fabric but rather separate the fibers without breaking them, thus avoiding hooking or piercing it.
- Strecht or Superstrecht): This type of needle also has a round tip and is suitable for highly elastic synthetic knitted fabrics.
- Quilting or quilting needle: It has a sharp, tapered point with a long shaft, so you can pierce multiple layers while keeping stitches straight, or penetrate thick layers without damaging the fabric. Thin but resistant ... For quilting work like patchwork or quilting.
- Sharp or blue point needle: Extremely fine, this needle is ideal for making straight points or stitching on especially fine and delicate fabrics, such as silk or microfiber. It is also especially useful for sewing buttonholes, an area where the stitches are very close together and tight.

4. Highly specialized needles:

Sewing machine needles are used for very specific tasks.

- Metallic: With a particularly long eye in all thicknesses, it is designed to sew the hardest threads, such as metallic ones.
- Denim or denim needle: Its name says it all ...
- Leather or leather needle: This type of needle belongs to the group of those with a sharp point. This edge is what makes it can penetrate leather, artificial leather, vinyl and filling materials.