The short version: use the needle system your machine’s manual names (most home machines take 130/705 H, a flat-shank needle). Then pick the type by fabric and the size by thread. Start with a Universal 80/12 for medium wovens, a Jersey (ball point) or Stretch needle for knits, a Microtex for fine, tightly woven fabric, and a Jeans needle for denim and other dense wovens. Use a Leather needle only on leather, artificial leather and heavy nonwoven synthetics. The chart below lists each type with the sizes SCHMETZ makes it in.
All needle descriptions and sizes on this page come from SCHMETZ’s published guides. We have not run sewing trials.
Needle types chart
| Needle type | Point or feature (per SCHMETZ) | Use it for | SCHMETZ sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal | Slight ball point | General sewing on wovens and knits | 60/8, 65/9, 70/10, 75/11, 80/12, 90/14, 100/16, 110/18, 120/19 |
| Jersey / Ball Point | Ball point | Knits and some stretch fabrics | 70/10, 80/12, 90/14, 100/16 |
| Stretch | Medium ball point, specially designed eye and deep scarf to prevent skipped stitches (system 130/705 H-S) | Highly elastic knits (Lycra, spandex) and synthetic suede | 75/11, 90/14 |
| Microtex / Sharp | Sharp point | Straight stitching on delicate and microfiber fabrics | 60/8, 70/10, 80/12, 90/14 |
| Jeans / Denim | Medium ball point, reinforced blade | Denim and other thick, dense fabrics | 70/10, 80/12, 90/14, 100/16, 110/18 |
| Quilting | Tapered shaft, slightly rounded point | Piecing and quilting through layers | 75/11, 90/14 |
| Embroidery | Designed for embroidery threads | Rayon and polyester machine embroidery | 75/11, 90/14 |
| Topstitch | Extra sharp, enlarged groove | Heavy topstitching thread, dense fabrics | 80/12, 90/14, 100/16 |
| Metallic | Enlarged polished eye to prevent shredding | Metallic and other specialty threads | 80/12, 90/14 |
| Leather | Cutting point | Leather, artificial leather, heavy nonwoven synthetics; SCHMETZ says not to use it on knit or woven fabrics | 70/10, 80/12, 90/14, 100/16, 110/18 |
Twin versions exist for several types (Universal, Stretch, Jeans, Embroidery, Metallic). Check that your machine and throat plate support a twin needle before you buy one.
How to read a needle package
- System. SCHMETZ describes 130/705 H as the system used by home sewing machines: the needles have a flat shank and a scarf. Copy the system from your manual. A needle that physically fits the clamp is not necessarily the right system, and sergers and industrial machines often use different ones.
- Size. The first number is the metric size, which is the blade diameter in hundredths of a millimeter (75 means 0.75 mm). The second is the US size, so 80/12 is one size, not a range.
- Color bands. On SCHMETZ needles, the upper color band indicates the needle type and the lower band indicates the size.
Picking the size
SCHMETZ’s rule is to choose the size by thread thickness and the type by fabric. Heavier thread needs room in the eye and groove, which is what the enlarged groove on Topstitch needles and the enlarged eye on Metallic needles are for. If thread and fabric pull in different directions, for example heavy decorative thread on a fine fabric, sew a sample before the real project.
A bigger needle does not raise your machine’s capacity for thick seams. If the machine strains at a seam crossing, stop and check threading, the presser foot and the material bulk before moving up a size.
Three common cases
Jersey T-shirt hem. Start with a Jersey needle. If you get skipped stitches on a very elastic knit, switch to a Stretch needle, whose deep scarf is designed to prevent them. The needle does not make a straight stitch stretchy, so use a stretch-capable stitch too. Our ballpoint needle guide compares packs.
Denim hem. Use a Jeans needle (SCHMETZ makes them up to 110/18) and test on a folded scrap that includes the seam crossing. The reinforced blade helps with dense fabric, but your machine’s limits still apply.
Faux leather. SCHMETZ lists the Leather needle for artificial leather and heavy nonwoven synthetics, but says not to use it on knit or woven fabrics. Check what the backing of your “faux leather” is. If it is a knit or woven base, a Leather needle’s cutting point is the wrong choice. Test on an offcut, because holes in a coating stay visible.
If a setup that used to work starts skipping or shredding thread, replace the needle first. The needle-change planner covers wear and replacement.