HOW TO choose your needle

Here is an explanation of the difference between a sewing machine needle and a hand sewing needle

And here is some extra information on choosing your what type of Sewing Machine Needle or Hand Sewing Needle you want.

SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES-

copied from THIS website (I must say that I am a lazy needle changer and I normally don't change my needle unless it is bent or broken. Shame on me.)

The REGULAR SHARP POINT NEEDLE is ideal for all woven fabrics because it helps to produce an even stitch and causes a minimum of fabric puckering. This needle is not recommended for knits, as it has a tendency to "cut" yarns and cause skipped stitches. This needle comes in a wide range of sizes from the finest size 9 to a heavy size 18.

The BALL POINT NEEDLE is specifically designed for knit and elastic fabrics and has a "rounded" point rather than a sharp point. This needle pushes between the fabric yarns rather than "cutting through" the yarns. This needle comes in sizes 9 to 16 and the larger the needle size, the more "rounded" the needle point is.

The WEDGE POINT NEEDLE, which is designed for leather and vinyl, easily pierces these fabrics to make a hole that will close back upon itself. This eliminates unattractive holes in the garment, and also reduces the risk of the stitches tearing the fabric. The wedge point needle comes in sizes 11 to 18. The size 11 needle is designed for soft pliable leathers,while size 18 is designed for heavy or multiple layers of leather or vinyl.

In addition to choosing the right TYPE of needle, it is also important to know the proper needle SIZE for the type of fabric being used. As a general rule you can utilize the following fabric category/needle size information when choosing the needle for your next project.

DELICATE fabrics such as silk, chiffon, voile, fine lace and organdy would need a fine "size 9" needle.

LIGHTWEIGHT fabrics such as synthetic sheers, batiste, taffeta, velvet, stretch fabric, tricot and plastic film would need a "size 11" needle.

MEDIUM WEIGHT fabrics such as gingham, poplin, linen, muslin, chambray, wool crepe, flannel, knits, jersey, wool, chintz, satin, raw silk, wool suiting, stretch fabric and drapery fabrics would need a "size 14" needle.

MEDIUM-HEAVY fabrics such as sail cloth, gabardine, heavy suiting, tweed and heavy drapery fabrics would need a "size 16" needle.

HEAVY fabrics such as denim, overcoatings, ticking, upholstery and canvas fabrics would need a "size 18" needle.

One final needle pointer is always replace dull, bent or nicked needles. If you hit a pin, you should immediately change the needle. A bent needle, even if only "slightly" bent or nicked can cause skipped stitches and can easily cause damage to your fabric by tearing the fabric yarns.

HAND SEWING NEEDLES-

information copied from THIS website

Hand sewing needles are used for different types of projects. Hand stitching is used for some sewing projects, quilting, and crafts such as needlepoint. Make sure that your needle is small enough to go through the fabric without stretching it or tearing it, and large enough for the eye to accommodate your chosen thread. Use "sharps" for general-purpose hand stitching. Sharps come in a variety of sizes - the larger the number, the smaller the needle. The large size and sharp point of "glover" needles allow you to sew heavy canvas or leather projects. Tapestry needles have blunt points and are used for needlepoint and tapestry projects. The blunt points allow the needle to slip between the canvas mesh without splitting the mesh threads. Use sharp crewel or embroidery needles instead of tapestry needles when you embroider on a tightly woven, non-mesh fabric. Use short quilting needles for hand stitching quilts. The shorter needle length allows you to work through the heavy fabric layers more easily than you can with the longer sharps. Select a darning needle for mending holes in woven fabrics. These needles are larger in diameter and longer than general-purpose sewing needles which allows you to draw your thread over large gaps in the fabric. A multi-needle pack offers a variety of needles to choose from when you are unsure of the appropriate needle size for your project. A thimble or other hand protection will protect your fingers or hands when you hand stitch a sewing project.