The needle is easy to overlook, it’s the smallest thing in your kit, but the wrong one can make a project harder than it needs to be. This guide pulls together everything on the site about choosing, using, and looking after your cross stitch needles.
Every post tagged below covers some part of this topic, newest first. If you want a specific answer right away, start with the sections below.
Choosing the Right Needle
Needle size and brand make more of a difference than most stitchers expect, and getting it right from the start saves a lot of frustration with fabric snagging or thread splitting.
Start with what size cross stitch needle you need, then what’s the best cross stitch needle for you if you want a fuller comparison. Who makes the best cross stitch needles covers the brand side, and why embroidery needles are given random size numbers explains the numbering system that confuses almost everyone at first.
Needle Types and Special Options
Standard tapestry needles cover most projects, but there are a few variations worth knowing about, especially if you’re blending threads or working with delicate fabric.
Why you should try gold plated needles and whether pony black needles are better than gold both look at needle finishes. If you’re blending threads, double eye tapestry needles are worth a look, and why you should use multiple types of needles makes the case for not settling on just one.
Threading and Everyday Use
Threading a needle sounds simple until you’re doing it for the fiftieth time in one sitting, and knowing when to retire an old needle matters more than most people realize.
Self threading needles, are they worth it and needle threaders both tackle the threading problem from different angles. There are two eyes to every needle is a small trick worth knowing, and time to ditch that old cross stitch needle covers the signs a needle needs replacing.
Storing Your Needles
Loose needles have a habit of disappearing entirely or turning up somewhere they shouldn’t. A bit of organization goes a long way.
How to properly store cross stitch needles covers the basics, and how to store needle tubes looks at keeping the packaging itself under control.
Needle Minders
A needle minder keeps your needle safe and visible mid-project, and there’s a surprisingly large world of options out there once you start looking.
How to find a perfect needle minder and how to make a needle minder cover buying versus making your own. The crazy world of needle minders shows just how far the hobby has taken this, and if you hate needle minders, there is a solution for anyone who’s never gotten on with them.
How Needles Are Made and Their History
If you’re curious about where your needle actually came from, this is for you.
How cross stitch needles are made and the surprisingly interesting history of the cross stitch needle both go behind the scenes of the humble needle.
Petite Size 26 Tapestry Needle (left) and Standard Size 26 Tapestry Needle (right) in a hand (Source: catkinandlillie.com)
One of our most used cross stitch tools is our cross stitch needle table, telling people which needle to use with which count aida fabric. But one of the most often questioned things on the table is petite cross stitch needles. Confusion exists around what these needles are, and when the best time to use…
Easy guide cross stitch needles (Source: Etsy.com)
A few weeks ago I wrote about a new type of needle; Pony's Black Line. And whilst these are now my go to needles, some of the comments on the post made me realise that not everyone swaps needles out for each project. So I thought I would give my guide on the best needles…
Pony Black Embroidery Needle Sets (Source: ponyneedles-europe.de)
I've heard of "paint it black" before, but not when it comes to needles... Today we look into Pony's new black line of needles, and see just how good they are for cross stitching. What Are They? I was first alerted to the Black Line of needles a long time ago, but recently they've been…
Needle Tubes In Cotton Bub Box (Source: needlenthread)
We talk about storage a lot, however when it comes to cross stitch needle storage we like to get serious. We've gone over storage at length, but in short, we're strong advocates of one method of storage in particular; needle tubes. These things are great, not only do they allow you to store your…
