Silk Road Needle Arts
St. Petersburg, Florida
Choosing the right needle--
There are rules, and rules are often broken! The
needle you choose should be large enough that it permits the thread to move
through the fabric/canvas without abnormal abrasion, but it should not be
overlarge such that it disturbs the other threads or stitches.
When working with silks, it is recommended that a slightly larger needle be used
in order to open up the ground fabric and avoid excessive wear on the thread. In
some cases, it is difficult to thread the recommended needed with the thread
(especially pearl type threads), so a needle threader is highly recommended in
some cases.
Needlepoint:
| Mesh Size | Needle Size |
| 5 | 13 |
| 10 | 18 |
| 12 | 20 |
| 13/14 | 22 |
| 16-18 | 24 |
| 24 | 26 |
Counted Thread:
| Fabric Count | Needle Size |
| 6-9 | 22 |
| 11-14 | 24 or 26 |
| 16-22 | 26 or 28 |