HAND SEWING NEEDLES - WHERE TO START?
Welcome to the world of hand sewing needles. A needle is a needle right? Well kind of...
Needles come in a vairety of types and sizes.
- The TYPE of needle you should use is normally determined by the project you want to work on. For example - quilting, general handsewing, embroidery, darning, and so on.
- The SIZE of needle you need is determined by the fabric you are working with. A thicker, stronger needle is needed for heavy fabrics such as denim, while a finer needle is needed for fine fabrics.
The most common needle used for general sewing is a SHARP, but they are all relatively small and have small round eyes. If you are a Little Person, just starting to learn, you will find these needles are hard to thread and to handle. What you really want is a large needle with a large eye for easier threading. The problem being, a large needle won't go through all fabrics.
* So, what needle to start with?
At our place, where we have five year old hands and the accompanying dexterity, we choose the biggest needle with the biggest eye, but one that will still easily go through the fabric we are working with. Normally a CHENILLE or CREWEL (see explanations below). Our aim is to build confidence by making things as easy and as simple as possible.
Once you are confident threading the larger needles you can start choosing needles that are more suited to your job. This will, with time, make your sewing easier and neater.
Here's a run down on some common needle types.
Once you are confident threading the larger needles you can start choosing needles that are more suited to your job. This will, with time, make your sewing easier and neater.
Here's a run down on some common needle types.
* Great Hand Sewing Needles to Learn With
Children's Plastic Needle - this is a great starting needle, especially for pre-schoolers. The large eye is easy to thread and it's size is great for little hands. Perfect for projects like threading beads, weaving, threading cards, sewing with burlap or hessian, and cross stitch with binca (large weave embroidery farbric)
Long Darner - this is designed for darning (mending holes in clothes using a weaving technique). It has a relatively large eye and a sharp point. Along with darning, it is also useful for basting. This can be a good option for learners as it is relatively easy to thread and handle.
Chenille - designed for tapestry and embroidery projects, these needles have large eyes for threading wool and embroidery floss and have a sharp point. Easy to hold and easy to thread, and beacuse they have a point they can be used for medium to light weight fabrics if you are just starting out. We often use these needles.
Tapestry - the same as a Chenille, but with a blunt point. Great needles to start with and to practice threading. Because they are thick and blunt, they are better suited for craft projects, threading cards, weaving, cross stitch and similar.
* General Purpose Needles
Crewel - similar to the Chenille, but finer and smaller. Designed for embroidery on linen, it has a long eye and sharp point. This is a good needle to progress to for your general hand sewing if you've mastered the Chenille. This needle will sew most fabrics, while still being relatively easy for little hands to thread and handle.
Sharp - a general purpose hand sewing needle. Great for most things, but hard for little hands to master. An essential for the sewing kit, but not so much for Littlies. Best suited for slightly bigger hands or more confident Little People.
Self Threading - Also known as Easy Thread or Calyx Eye needles, these are, as the name suggests, easy to thread. Instead of pushing the thread through the eye, you pull the thread down into the eye from the top of the needle. They can be a bit too fiddly for pre-schoolers and younger sewers, but might be a good option for seven year olds and up and sewers who have trouble seeing or find threading an ordinary needle difficult.
Ball Point - Similar to Sharps, but with a rounded point. This is to use with knitted fabric - the rounded point slips between the threads of the fabric so as not to cut any holes in the knit.
* Different Sizes of Needles
As you can see in the photo below, each type of needle can come in a range of sizes. It is normally a good idea to buy a packet of needles that has a range of sizes. (You can also get packs of needles with various types as well). Each size is numbered - although the numbers don't seem to be the same for each needle type. But the common rule is:
Big Number = Finer, Smaller Needle Small Number = Thicker, Larger Needle
If you are sewing with a fine fabric, use a fine needle, otherwise you might damage the fabric by tearing or pushing large holes through it.
If you are sewing with a thick fabric, you will need a thicker needle that has the strength to sew the fabric.
Big Number = Finer, Smaller Needle Small Number = Thicker, Larger Needle
If you are sewing with a fine fabric, use a fine needle, otherwise you might damage the fabric by tearing or pushing large holes through it.
If you are sewing with a thick fabric, you will need a thicker needle that has the strength to sew the fabric.
