The Strongest Sewing Machine Needle
by Kelsi Watts: The strongest sewing machine needle is typically made of high-quality, hardened steel and has a thick, sturdy shaft and a sharp point. It's also quite large, typically a 120 size.
The size and type of needle you use will depend on the specific project and the type of fabric being used.
For example, a heavier fabric such as denim or leather may require a larger, stronger needle, while a lightweight, delicate fabric such as chiffon or lace may require a smaller, finer needle.
Sewing machine needles that work on leather
Cutting point sewing machine needles work well on heavy leather materials. For lighter weight leather something like an R point Groz-Beckert sewing needle works well. R point needles are considered sharp enough to punch through light leather quite easily.
What a 90 14 needle is used for
90/14 needles are suitable for medium weight fabrics, slightly heavier weight cotton, polyester, linen and lightweight upholstery fabric. Lighter weight fabrics such as silk require a smaller sized needle. The lighter the fabric, the smaller the needle required.
About size 11 sewing machine needles
Size 11 needles work well on light-medium weight knit fabrics and are the recommended needle size for light to medium weight embroidery. Size 11 works especially well when quilting with polyester thread. A size 11 needle should be part of a good basic sewing kit.
Choosing the best needle for free motion quilting
For free motion sewing machine quilting choose the needle size that best suits the weight of your thread. As a general rule 40 wt thread requires a size 75 needle. Unless you are piecing together extra thick padding a small to medium sized needle that is sharp to slightly rounded will work fine.
Needle size for sewing vinyl
Vinyl is a heavier weight fabric requiring a larger size needle to handle thickness without breaking. Before starting your next vinyl project, prep your sewing machine with a leather or denim needle size 90/14. For perfectly symmetrical stitches in vinyl use a denim twin needle.
Difference between stretch and ballpoint needles
Stretch needles have a specially shaped ‘scarf’ or groove on the back side which ballpoint needles don’t have. Stretch needles are designed to push through stretchy fabrics, like those used for most swimwear. Ballpoint needles tend to miss more stitches than stretch needles in stretchy fabrics.
The best sewing machine needle for cotton
The best needles for sewing cotton fabric are medium-sized needles such as 80/12 and 90/14. They work well with quilting pieces, lightweight upholstery, denim, cotton, silk and other fabrics of similar weight.
What 70 10 sewing needles are for
70 10 sewing needles have a slightly rounded point and are best for projects with woven fabric and knits. 70 10 needles are excellent all purpose needles that works with any household sewing machine brand. Brocade, fleece, thin leather and velvet also work well with 70 10 needles.
What the colors on sewing machine needles mean
Most new household sewing needles have two bands of color. The top color band indicates needle type and the lower color band indicates needle size. Special use needles, like those used for hemstitching, double eye, and quick threading, only have one color band to identify needle size.
