Sewing Machine Needles

Sewing machine needles come in different sizes and if you are a beginner sewist it can be a bit confusing. Do not despair, because it's fairly simple to determine the type of sewing machine needle you will need. The only confusion is between American and European sizes.

Sewing machine needles come in the following sizes with the lower numbers meaning a lighter needle on up to the heaviest:

American - 8,9,10,11,12, 14,16,18,19

European - 60,65,70,75, 80,90,100,110, 120

So if you were going to sew a very lightweight fabric such as a sheer, you would use a #8 or #60. If you were to sew a very heavy fabric such as denim or some uholstery fabrics you would use a # 19 or # 120. Sewing a cotton or medium weight fabric would require a needle somewhere inbetween.

How To Choose A Needle For Sewing Machine