Tool

Needle & thread guide

A skipped stitch, a puckered seam and a run of shredded thread are usually the same problem wearing three faces: the wrong needle. This is the chart worth screenshotting before you buy a pack.

Needle type

Showing 71 of 71 fabrics.

Fabric, the needle SCHMETZ recommends for it, and the thread family to pair with it.
Fabric	Needle (SCHMETZ)	Thread
Artificial leather	Microtex or Leather 70/10–100/16	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Bamboo	Microtex 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester
Batiste	Universal 60/8, 70/10	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Bed linen, jersey	Stretch 75/11, 90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Bed linen, woven	Universal 70/10–100/16	All-purpose polyester
Bouclé	Jersey 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Brocade	Universal or Microtex 60/8–90/14	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Cambric	Universal 60/8, 70/10	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Canvas	Jeans 90/14–110/18	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Chambray	Universal 80/12, 90/14	All-purpose polyester
Chenille	Universal 90/14	All-purpose polyester
Chiffon	Universal or Microtex 60/8, 70/10	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Coated material	Microtex 70/10–110/18	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Cork	Microtex 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Corduroy	Universal 80/12–100/16	All-purpose polyester
Cotton, knit	Jersey 70/10–90/14 or Stretch 75/11, 90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Cotton, woven	Universal 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester
Crepe	Universal or Microtex 60/8–80/12	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Crepe-de-chine	Universal or Microtex 60/8–80/12	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Crinkle	Universal or Microtex 60/8–80/12	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Denim	Jeans 70/10–110/18	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Double-face woven	Universal 70/10–110/18	All-purpose polyester
Elastic	Stretch 65/9–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Felt	Universal 80/12–100/16	All-purpose polyester
Flannel	Universal 80/12–110/18	All-purpose polyester
Fleece	Universal 70/10–90/14 or Stretch 75/11, 90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Foils	Microtex 60/8–110/18	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Fun fur	Universal 70/10–100/16 or Jersey 70/11–90/14	All-purpose polyester
Gabardine	Universal 70/10–100/16	All-purpose polyester
Gauze	Jersey 70/10, 80/12	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Georgette	Universal or Microtex 60/8–80/12	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Jeans	Jeans 70/10–110/18 or Jeans Twin 4.0/100	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Jersey	Jersey 60/8–80/12	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Jersey with elastic	Stretch 65/9–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Knits	Jersey 70/10–100/16	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Knits with elastic	Jersey 70/10–100/16 or Stretch 65/9, 75/11, 90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Lace	Select by fabric type 70/10–90/14	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Lamé	Microtex 60/8–90/14	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Leather, thick & artificial leather	Leather 100/16–120/19	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Leather, thin	Leather or Universal 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Lingerie	Stretch 65/9, 75/11, 90/14 or Jersey 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Linen & half-linen	Universal 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester
Lycra	Stretch 65/9–90/14 or Jersey 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Microfiber	Microtex 60/8–90/14	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Nylon	Universal or Microtex 60/8–90/14	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Oil cloth	Microtex 80/12–100/16	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Organdy	Universal or Microtex 60/8, 70/10	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Organza	Universal or Microtex 60/8, 70/10	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Polyester	Universal or Microtex 60/8–100/16	All-purpose polyester
Poplin	Microtex or Universal 60/8–80/12	All-purpose polyester
Quilt	Quilting 75/11, 90/14 or Jeans 70/10–110/18	50 wt for piecing, 40 wt for quilting
Rayon	Universal 70/10, 80/12	All-purpose polyester
Seersucker	Universal 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester
Sequined fabric	Microtex 70/10–90/14 or Stretch 75/11, 90/14	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Silk	Microtex 60/8–90/14	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Silk jersey	Stretch 65/9, 75/11	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Sweatshirt	Jersey 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Taffeta	Microtex or Universal 60/8, 70/10	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Terry cloth	Universal 80/12, 90/14	All-purpose polyester
Thermovelour fleece	Universal 70/10–90/14 or Stretch 75/11, 90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Tulle	Universal or Jersey 70/10, 80/12	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Twill	Jeans 70/10–110/18	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Velour	Universal 70/10–100/16	All-purpose polyester
Velour jersey	Stretch 75/11, 90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Velvet	Stretch 75/11, 90/14 or Universal 70/10–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Velvet burn-out	Stretch 65/9–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Velvet panne	Stretch 75/11 or Universal 70/10–80/12	All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread
Vinyl	Microtex 60/8–90/14	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Voile	Universal 60/8–80/12	A fine thread — and the finer needle to match
Waxed cloth	Microtex 80/12–100/16	All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread
Wool & wool blends	Universal 70/10–100/16	All-purpose polyester

Every needle recommendation above is transcribed verbatim from SCHMETZ's Needle & Fabric Recommendations. We research gear rather than testing it, and needle-to-fabric suitability is a manufacturer claim — so this is the manufacturer's claim, not ours, and nothing has been added to their list. Sizes are written European/American: size 75 is a 0.75 mm blade, per SCHMETZ's needle guide. Grouping the fabrics into the five thread families below is our own arrangement; the sentence inside each one is its manufacturer's.

The five thread families

All-purpose polyester

Gütermann describes its Sew-all thread — 100% polyester — as a universal thread suitable for all fabrics, woven fabrics and many other materials, for closing seams, top-stitching and decorative stitches.

Source: Gütermann creativ, Sew-all Thread

All-purpose polyester, or an elastic thread

All-purpose polyester sews knits on most machines. Where a straight stitch has to stretch, Gütermann sells Maraflex as an elastic sewing thread for household machines, for light to medium-weight elastic and woven fabrics, used as both needle and bobbin thread.

Source: Gütermann creativ, Maraflex

All-purpose polyester, or a heavier topstitch thread

Construction seams still go together with all-purpose polyester; the heavy thread is for the visible topstitching. Gütermann's Jeans Thread is sold for darning and decorating jeans by hand or machine, and Gütermann pairs it with a Universal needle NM 80–100 — a different needle from the Jeans needle SCHMETZ recommends for the fabric itself.

Source: Gütermann creativ, Jeans Thread

50 wt for piecing, 40 wt for quilting

SCHMETZ ties the quilting needle size to the thread weight directly: size 75 is fine for piecing with 50 weight threads, and size 90 works well with heavier plain or variegated 40 weight threads.

Source: SCHMETZ, How to pick the correct sewing machine needle

A fine thread — and the finer needle to match

SCHMETZ's stated principle: in general, the finer the thread and the finer the fabric being sewn, the finer the needle should be. On these fabrics that means starting at the small end of the size range above.

Source: SCHMETZ, How to pick the correct sewing machine needle

Two things the chart cannot tell you

When to change it. A needle is a consumable, not a fitting. If the machine starts thumping, skipping or snagging on a fabric it was fine on an hour ago, put a fresh one in before you change anything else — it is the cheapest variable on the machine.
Which end of the range. SCHMETZ gives a range because thread weight decides the rest: the finer the thread and the fabric, the finer the needle. Start in the middle, and move down a size if the fabric puckers.

Where to go next

Tension problems, diagnosed in orderThe needle is the first thing to rule out — this is the rest of the checklist.Read the guide Machine needles, comparedAssorted packs and single-type packs, with prices — plus thread if you need a starter selection.See the shelf

Buying your first assortment? The thread and machine needles shelves cover both, and the Machine Finder is next door if you have not chosen a machine yet.