Needlepoint guide
Needlepoint needle sizes
Needlepoint uses tapestry needles: blunt, so they slip between canvas threads instead of splitting them, with a large eye for thick thread. Bigger numbers are smaller needles.
Needle size by mesh
| Canvas mesh | Tapestry needle |
|---|---|
| 10 | Size 16 or 18 |
| 12 | Size 18 or 20 |
| 13 | Size 20 |
| 14 | Size 20 |
| 18 | Size 22 |
| 24 | Size 24 or 26 |
Size charts overlap where one range meets the next, so treat this as a starting point. Stitch a little in the margin and see which size suits your canvas and thread.
How to tell if the size is right
Drop the needle, point first, into a hole of the canvas. The right needle falls until the widest part of its eye meets the canvas and stops there, then comes through with a gentle pull. If it falls straight through, it is too small. If you have to tug it through, it is too big, and it will push the canvas threads out of line.
A needle that is too small is hard on the thread, which wears and fuzzes as it is dragged through the canvas. If your thread keeps fraying, go up one size.
Threading
Fold the end of the thread over the needle, pinch the fold tight between finger and thumb, slide the needle out and press the eye down over the fold. Move the needle, not the thread. If it will not go, turn the needle over and try the eye from the other side.
Looking after needles
Needles tarnish with handling, from the acid in your skin. Do not stitch with one that is rusty, bent or discolored. Needles cost little, so replace it, and keep the spares somewhere dry. A magnet on the edge of your frame keeps the needle from disappearing into the sofa.