| There are many different types of needles to use in | | | | needles are long and thin because tapestry needles |
| embroidery and cross stitching. Quality and size vary | | | | are usually too large to add beads to cross stitch |
| greatly, so try several different needles to find which | | | | projects. |
| one you are the most comfortable using. To help you | | | | Chenille needles - Are used in ribbon embroidery |
| get started, I have written up some basics to keep in | | | | because they have a long eye and sharp points. |
| mind when choosing which needles to use and when | | | | Quilting needles - Are quite short and have a small, |
| to use them. | | | | round eye and a sharp point. They are perfect to do |
| Types of needles: | | | | short stitches quickly and precisely. |
| The most common needle used in cross stitching is an | | | | Milliners needles - Are the best needles to use when |
| embroidery or tapestry needle. Other needles exist, | | | | doing French and Bullion knots. They are very long, |
| such as beading, chenille, quilting, and milliners needles, | | | | with small round eyes, as opposed to the long oval |
| and each type has a specific use. Here is a brief | | | | eyes of a tapestry needle. |
| description of each type of needle. | | | | Quality: |
| Tapestry needles - They have a blunt point, which | | | | Look for high quality needles and threads, as this will |
| pushes aside evenweave fabrics instead of piercing | | | | make for a more enjoyable stitching experience and |
| them, and a large eye to accommodate several | | | | produce a higher quality finish. Poor quality needles are |
| strands of thread. | | | | harder to thread because they have a rough eye that |
| Embroidery needles - Much like a tapestry needle, | | | | will actually pull and fray your thread. Poor quality |
| except that the tip is sharper, the needle is thinner and | | | | thread will fray easily, making it hard to thread through |
| the eye is smaller than a tapestry needle. They are | | | | the needle and giving your finished piece a fuzzy |
| easier to use in cross stitching when you are doing | | | | appearance. |
| French knots, as the needle is able to pierce the fabric | | | | Different needle sizes: |
| easier than tapestry needles. | | | | On higher count fabric, you need a smaller sized |
| Petite tapestry needles - Are shorter in length than | | | | needle. Kind in mind that the larger the number size of |
| tapestry needles, which makes stitching faster since | | | | the needle is, the smaller the actual needle will be. For |
| there is less of a needle to pull through the fabric with | | | | example, a size 26 tapestry needle is smaller than a |
| each stitch. | | | | size 24 tapestry needle. The higher the count of the |
| Double-eye tapestry needles - Are needles with two | | | | fabric, the smaller the holes in the fabric, therefore you |
| eyes and are especially useful when using different | | | | will need a smaller needle. As a guideline, use a size 24 |
| types of floss or two or more colours (known as | | | | tapestry needle for stitching on an 11 or 14 fabric count; |
| blending colours). | | | | use a size 26 for fabric with a fabric count of 18 or |
| Beading needles - Are used for adding beads. The | | | | greater. |