Needles
Machine needles from Schmetz, Organ, Klasse, Singer and Brother in every common system — 130/705 H for household machines, ELx705 and DCx1 for sergers, 16x231 and DBx1 for industrials — and every common point: universal, ballpoint, stretch, jeans, Microtex, leather, quilting, embroidery, metallic and topstitch. Hand needles from John James, Clover and Dritz are here too. This category also holds needle plates, needle clamps and needle threaders for specific machine models, because that is where people look for them.
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Clover Felting Needle Tool$75.99 -
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Which needle do I need?
Two things are printed on every packet: the system and the size. The system is the shank standard your machine takes — most household machines take 130/705 H, also sold as 15x1 or HAx1. Sergers commonly take ELx705 (which has a second groove on the shank) or DCx1; many industrials take DBx1 or 16x231. A needle in the wrong system will not seat at the right height and the machine will skip stitches or break needles. Your manual names the system; so does the needle guide here, by machine type.
The size is the thickness: 60/8 for fine silks and sheers, 70/10 and 80/12 for ordinary woven cottons and polyesters, 90/14 for medium-weight denim and twill, 100/16 and 110/18 for canvas, heavy denim and upholstery. The thread has to fit the needle's eye and groove — a 40-weight topstitch thread in an 80/12 needle will shred.
The point type matches the fabric: universal for most wovens, ballpoint or stretch for knits and lycra, jeans for dense twill, Microtex for silks and microfibres, leather for leather and vinyl, quilting for layered cotton and batting, embroidery and metallic for decorative thread, topstitch for heavy thread.
Change the needle every eight to ten hours of sewing or at the start of each project. A dull or burred needle is the cause of most skipped stitches, thread shredding and popping sounds, and it is the cheapest fix there is.
Frequently asked questions
Is 130/705 H the same as 15x1?
Yes. 130/705 H, 15x1 and HAx1 are the same household flat-shank system under different naming conventions. Schmetz uses 130/705 H; Organ and Singer often print 15x1 or HAx1.
Can I use household needles in my serger?
Only if the serger's manual specifies 130/705 H — some do. Many sergers take ELx705 or DCx1, which are different lengths. Using the wrong system is a common cause of serger skipped stitches.
What size needle for quilting cotton?
80/12 for piecing with 50-weight thread; 90/14 quilting needle for quilting through the layers; 75/11 or 90/14 embroidery needle for machine embroidery thread.