Needles are sharp or sharp needles…

Well, we got in a new line of needles over the last week and I thought what a great topic for this week’s blog: Needles! In many cases, which needle to use is really a matter of personal preference, but if you do a lot of stitching, you will find that there is a difference in the types and manufacturers of needles. So, today, we will go ahead and explore the stitcher’s primary tool, the needles.

The first bone needles were used thousands of years ago and the technology hasn’t changed much over the millenniums, just the materials and manufacturing has changed. But there are still things to look at when buying needles. These include:

* Materials
* type of needlework
* preference of needle length
* Allergies or metal reactions (yeah, this is an issue for some)

There are several types of needles on the market and we sometimes get a little confused as to why we need so many. Here are some of the most common and their uses:

Sharps – The work horse of needles, sharps are a great general purpose needles. They have a small round eye and medium shaft.
Tapestry – Tapestry needles are the most common in Counted work, Cross Stitch and Needlepoint. They are medium length and have a blunt tip, so that they will travel between the fibers of the fabric rather than piercing them. They, also, have a long eye which makes it easier to use multiple strands of floss. Tapestry Needles do come in petite sizes for those that prefer a shorter needle.
Crewel/Embroidery – A fine, medium length needle, Crewel needles are great for most of your basic embroidery and smocking needs. The eye of the Crewel Needle will be shorter than that of the Tapestry needle.
Chenille – Like the Tapestry needle, the Chenille needle has a long eye, but is sharp like the Crewel Needle. This is a great needle for those that want to use heavier threads or are doing needlepoint that needs them to pierce the canvas.
Milliners/Straw – Great for doing bullion stitches, these long shaft needles have a small, rounded eye and a sharp tip.
Darners – Extra long with a short, elongated eye, Darners are named for what they are used for Darning Socks! These needles are sometimes used in Brazilian work and other dimensional embroidery.
Betweens – A very short, fine needle, betweens are popular with quilters and hand stitchers of all kinds.
Glover’s Created for piercing leather, glover’s needles have a triangular point that acts like an awl.

These are the main types of needles in use by stitchers and, of course, we carry them all!

So, now, you know your uses, but what other things are there to think about in needles. Most needles are a composite metal that is nickel plated. If you are allergic to nickel or you find your needles are “blackening” or corroding quickly, you may want to check out either gold or platinum plated needles. Even if you don’t have nickel reactions, gold and platinum needles can be a good choice for their smooth movement through your fabric.

However, I have found that a well manufactured needle, doesn’t need to be of precious metals. That is why we are now proud to carry needles made by Bohin. Made in France, Bohin needles just feel wonderful in the hand and stitch like a dream. I really enjoy these needles, but you may prefer John James, Mary Arden, or Richard Hemming & Sons, all of which are great needles and popular with stitchers all over the world.

What ever needle you use, make sure that it is the right size for the job you are doing. Your needle should be just a tad bigger than your thread for most needlework. This allows the needle to push the ground fibers away so that your thread will pass smoothly through the fabric. Too small a needle and you will be fighting the ground fabric or canvas. Too big a needle and you will leave very noticeable holes and may even weaken the fabric. And, remember, the higher the size (22, 24, 26), the smaller the needle. So, a size 3 sharp will be a bigger needle than a size 9 or 10 which are very fine.

This week’s stitch is a Variation on the Scotch stitch:

Bibliography (I did need a little help on some of my definitions):