Sewing Machine Needles Guide

The most commonly used needles.

Smaller numbers size are finer and mostly used for lightweight fabrics. Larger sizes are used on medium to heavyweight fabrics.

Use a universal needle for sewing with polyester, cotton or silk threads.

Voile, sheers, delicate silk
web page: ORGAN Needles #70/10 (5 pcs.)

Shirting, poplin, rayon, light wool
web page: ORGAN Needles #80/11 (5 pcs.)

Medium ~ heavier cotton, polyester, calico, linen
web page: ORGAN Needles #90/14 (5 pcs.)

Heavy fabric, upholstery, bag making
web page: ORGAN Assorted Sewing Machine Needle Set (5 pcs.)

Extra heavy fabric, upholstery
web page: Assorted Set with Jeans & Stretch needles (10 pcs.)
ORGAN Assorted Sewing Machine Needle Combi Set (10pcs.)

Ball point needles have a rounder tip.

It pushes the fabric fibres apart rather than cutting through.
So it's more ideal for working with most knit fabrics, e.g. rib knits, interlock, cotton knits, fleece, double knit, and it prevents them from running or laddering.

Polyester and polyester-cotton blend threads are best to be used with Ball point needles.

Finer needles for finer threads.

Light knits, tricot
web page: n/a

Interlock, Lacoste
web page: Ball Point Needles Size 80 (5 pcs.)

Medium heavy knits, double knit
web page - 1 pc.: ORGAN Ball Point Needle (1 pc.) web page - 5 pcs.: 
ORGAN Ball Point Needles Size 90 (5 pcs.)

Jersey needles have ballpoint too.

They push though in-between the yarns of fabric instead of piercing it.
This should stop holes or a ladder occurring in the fabric.

Lighter weight jersey, e.g. t-shirt weight
web page: ORGAN Jersey Needle Mix (5 pcs.)

Medium weight stretchy fabric e.g. ponte roma
web page: ORGAN Jersey Needle Size 80 (5 pcs.)

Heavy weight sweatshirt fabrics e.g. terry loopback, fleece back
web page: ORGAN Jersey Needle Size 90 (5 pcs.)

Heavier weight sweatshirt fabrics
web page: ORGAN Jersey Needle Mix (5 pcs.)

For sewing on highly elastic, synthetic and knit fabrics.

It is distinguished by its medium ball point, deep scarf and a uniquely shaped eye that holds the thread in position to prevent skipped stitches.

The slightly tapered point reduces snags and damage to elastic materials.

Highly elastic, synthetic and knit fabrics
web page: ORGAN Super Stretch Needle Set (5 pcs.)

Jeans needles have a very sharp point and a stronger shank to prevent needle bending or breakage and push through the heavy fabric.

The best needles for sewing denim and other densely woven fabrics such as heavy twill, canvas and heavy linens.

Denim, tightly woven fabrics
web page: ORGAN Jeans/Denim Needle Set (5 pcs.)

Heavy denim, vinyl, furnishings
web page: ORGAN Jeans/Denim Needle Set (5 pcs.)

Leather needles have a point that looks like a chisel and it acts like a chisel when in use.

It should be used for sewing genuine leather, suede and difficult to sew projects, but should not be used with PU imitation leather, ultra suede or synthetic suede.

For all leather and suede
Do not use on synthetic leather
web page: ORGAN Leather Needle Set (5 pcs.)

It have a larger eye than other needles for metallic/coated threads.

The large needle hole allows the thick coated threads e.g. gold thread, silver thread, lame thread, to pass smoothly.

Also recommended for stitches using thick yarn.

This needle has a ball point, i.e. not suitable for hard materials like denim and leather.

Decorative sewing on various fabrics
web page: ORGAN Large Eye Metallic Needle Set (5 pcs.)

Quilting needles has a reinforced shaft for using with several layers of fabric and wadding.

It is shorter in length than the sharps needle to allow quilters to achieve quick and even stitching.

Quilts made from cotton, wool or polyester with wadding centre
web page: ORGAN Quilting Needle Set (5 pcs.)

Embroidery needles have a wider eye to allow threads such as rayon, polyester or cotton machine embroidery threads to pass freely and easily when embroidering.

It have a pontoon scarf with an oversize bump which reduces the chance of missing stitches happening by reducing the amount of movement in the fabric.

Decorative sewing on lightweight fabrics
web page: ORGAN Embroidery Needle Set (5 pcs.)
ORGAN Embroidery Needle Combi Box (5 pcs.)

Decorative sewing on heavier fabrics
web page: ORGAN Embroidery Needle Set (5 pcs.)
ORGAN Embroidery Needle Combi Box (5 pcs.)

Twin needles are used for pin tucking and decorative stitches with two threads.

It should be used at a reduced speed when sewing.

The 1st part of number indicate size of needle, and 2nd part after "/" is width (mm) between the two needles.

Decorative sewing on most fabrics
web page: Various ORGAN Twin Needles

Titanium coated needles or heavy work loads,
lasts much longer than normal needles because they are 4 times stronger than normal needles.

web page: ORGAN Titanium Needle Set (5 pcs.)

134R needles are for industrial/commercial sewing machines and don't fit for home sewing machines.

web page: Various ORGAN 134R Industrial Machines Needles