What Size Cross Stitch Needle To Use?

Have you ever wondered what size cross stitch needle or tapestry needle you need?
Sadly, there’s no exact answer to this, however the accepted size chart is below:

However, there are a lot of people that prefer a smaller needle (higher number) than the above table suggests, as it can allow for faster cross stitching. In which case, drop by one size only, as anything more will slip in the aida.

Happy stitching,
Lord Libidan