The best needles for cotton fabrics are medium-sized needles. They also work well for quilting & lightweight fabrics.
Making a stitch on cotton? Check out this article for the needle you should use.
Needles are available in different packaging styles, so it’s important to get one that fits your sewing machine if you want it to work correctly. This article will show which type of materials each style works best with and why!
- What Size Sewing Machine Needle For Cotton
- Type Of Needle To Use For Sewing Cotton
- 1. Universal Needles
- 2. Serger Needles
- 3. Leather Needles
- 4. Metallic Needles
- 5. BallPoint Needles
- 6. Spring Needles
- 7. Twin Needles
- 8. Sharp Needles
- 9. Top Stitching Needles
- 10. Denim Needles
- 11. Stretch Needles
- 12. Wing Needles
- 13. Embroidery Needles
- 14. Self Threading Needles
- 15. Triple Needles
- Needle Size Guide
- FAQs
What Size Sewing Machine Needle For Cotton
Medium-sized needles like 80/12 and 90/14 work well with quilting pieces of cotton, lightweight upholstery, denim, silk dupioni. These needles are generally used for general sewing threads such as all-purpose polyester or 50-weight cotton.
How to Determine the Type of Needle to Use for Sewing Cotton
There are many types of needles designed for different fabrics. The cotton fabric is usually stitched using the 80/12 and 90/14 needle sizes, but there is no limit to which one you can use on your project!
You have experience in sewing so deciding what type of needle works best will be based on that knowledge. Here’s a list below:
1. Universal Needles
The tip of the needle is slightly rounded for when you’re knitting a sweater or other similar fabric, but sharp enough to pierce through thick cotton.
Although it’s called a universal needle and can technically be used in any situation, this type was found to work best with knits rather than cotton fabrics.
2. Serger Needles
Needles for Overlock machines are different than regular sewing needles. They have a pointed tip that makes them versatile and can be used with all fabrics, but they should only be changed after 15 hours of using the machine in order to avoid needle breakage or bending.
3. Leather Needles
The corner stitch is a type of hand-sewing needle, and it’s ideal for sewing on leathers like suede or vinyl. It can also be used for thick materials that are non-woven fabrics.
While you’re using this kind of needle, make sure to pay attention to where you sew because the hole will stay permanent in your material – don’t use this one with knits! The best part about these needles though?
They won’t leave holes if they perforate the fabric which makes them awesome when working with thicker materials since there isn’t any extra thread at all once finished so no need to tie off anything either!
4. Metallic Needles
This needle is designed for extra-large eyes and works best with monofilament and metallic thread. It has a wide groove scarf giving it an elegant look, while the pointed tip makes sewing metal threads easy.
5. BallPoint Needles
The preferred needle for knitting. It is slightly rounded to pass between the threads of the fabric in time, piercing them without damaging spandex fabrics along the way.
6. Spring Needles
Many people use the needle as a sewing tool, embroidery accessory, and even for free monograms. The thread-wrapped tree acts as a foot to push and release fabric while you sew different projects. Y
You can buy needles in various shapes such as universal, elastic, or padded depending on your need at any given time!
7. Twin Needles
This “needle” has a single axis that connects two needles. This is usually used when a designer wants two perfectly matched stitches, such as on jeans and decorative stitching.
The user’s sewing machine should be double-needle because you need separate line spools for each one (one from each needle). A
available in denim, elastic, embroidery metallic, and universal thread types; there are also winged varieties of this type of needle to use with zippers or other fabrics where the edges curl up and need some stabilization before it can go through your machine’s feeder mechanism without getting caught by anything(like fabric scraps).
8. Sharp Needles
The needle is fine, which means it works best on fabrics like silk and chintz. It also makes the perfect traditional sewing tool or any other type of stitching!
9. Top Stitching Needles
The needle possesses a wide groove and sharp point, giving it the ability to make heavy decorative lines such as embroidery. Use this tool for all-purpose thread until there are stitches visible partially outside of your project in order to achieve a neat appearance.
10. Denim Needles
A denim needle can pierce multiple layers without breaking, making it perfect for working on thick fabrics like jeans or canvas.
11. Stretch Needles
Needle flexibility makes this needle ideal for sewing silk jerseys, Lycra fabrics, and other stretchy materials. If you find skipped stitches while using a ballpoint needle switch to the flexible one because it’s more suitable for these types of fabric.
12. Wing Needles
Winged needles are used for heirloom seams that can be held with traditional stitches. They have two wings on each side of the shaft, ideal for decorative and heritage stitching like Batiste or linen.
13. Embroidery Needles
This machine is one of the best for embroidery and sewing. It protects both your cable and needle, so you can use it at high speeds without disruptions or breakages.
14. Self Threading Needles
The needle is designed for all purposes but has an enlarged eye so users who have difficulty attaching needles can do it with ease.
15. Triple Needles
This needle is only provided as a universal needle. You need to have a triple-needle machine in order to use it.
Needle Size Guide
No. 60/8 65/9 – Silks
No. 70/10 75/11 – Lightweight Fabrics
No. 80/12 – Medium Fabrics
No. 90/14 – Medium (slightly heavier) Fabrics
No. 100/16 – Heavyweight Fabrics
No. 110/18 – Upholstery Fabrics
No. 120/20 – Very Heavy Fabrics
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How often should I change my sewing machine needle?
People often ask how long they should use the same needle. Some retailers recommend that you change your sewing needles every time you start a new project or after 6-8 hours of sewing, but I personally find it hard to know when my projects are complete and which type/size is best for me.
In order to get the best stitch possible, I simply test a needle on my fabric and take it out of the machine. If there are any concerns with how well it is stabbing through materials or if its tip looks bent from use, then that’s when I think about changing needles.
Why do Needles Break?
Denim needles are slightly angled at the end so that when you push them through denim, they penetrate materials less tightly.
This makes it easier to sew with this needle because instead of pushing against rigid fabric layers like jeans or tweed, they move fluidly across your material and allow for a more even distribution of stitches.
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