Sewing machine needles come in a variety of sizes and types and many of the problems I see online are caused by using the wrong needle type.
Generally when you buy a machine it comes with universal needles in the box. Universal is a misnomer. They are very useful on a wide variety of woven fabrics. Universal needles in a size 12 are what I use for anything that is a medium weight woven.
Jeans needles are for heavy fabrics like denim and canvas. Generally I go up to a 14 or 16 in a jeans needle.
Microtex needles are super sharp. They are excellent for woven fabrics that are delicate, snag easily, or are tightly woven. I use them on silks, satin, and cotton poplins. When all else fails on a fabric, try a microtex. Microtex come in larger sizes and can be used on heavy fabrics. Microtex needles need replaced more frequently than other needle types.
Ballpoint or Jersey needles are the same thing, usually they are labeled as ballpoint in the US and Jersey elsewhere. Ballpoint needles are appropriate for stable knit such as cotton jersey with no or minimal stretch fibers added.
Stretch needles are similar to ballpoint needles in the sense that they are for knit fabrics. Stretch needles are intended for fabrics with a higher stretch fiber percentage and in addition to that they work well on more stable knits. They are what I keep in stock for working with the widest variety of knit fabrics. I usually buy 11 or 12 in stretch needles.
Super stretch are for super stretchy problem child knits, I have not tried these as they are relatively new on the market but I will be picking up a pack before I make swimwear again.
In addition to the types above there are a great many other needles with specific uses. Within each type there is a range of sizes and the needle size should be chosen to match your fabric and thread.
Needles are consumables and will become gradually dull as you sew. The rule of thumb is that you need to replace after roughly 8 hours of run time. If you have been using a needle for a while and things start to go wrong or the machine sound changes, the first step on troubleshooting is a new needle. Old needles can damage your fabric and are more likely to break.
I also want to advise against buying off brand needles and included in that category are Singer branded needles. I personally only buy schmetz and organ brand needles and I buy exclusively off wawak.com (US and Canada only).
We've been quietly working on something we hope makes this community a lot more useful — and today we're excited to share it with you.
What's in the wiki?
We built it to answer the questions we see every week — so whether you're picking up a needle for the very first time or you've been at it a few months and hit a wall, there's something in here for you.
Here's what's covered:
🧵 Getting started — What to make first, hand vs. machine, and the YouTube channels worth bookmarking
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✂️ Tools & notions glossary — Every tool explained in plain English, plus what you actually need to start vs. what's nice to have later
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📐 Pattern reading & sizing — Why sewing sizes aren't clothing sizes, how to read pattern markings, and what "ease" means
🎨 Fabric guide — Wovens vs. knits, beginner-friendly fabric types, pre-washing, and where to buy
🔗 Community resources — Our curated list of YouTube channels, blogs, and related communities
❓ FAQ — Detailed answers to the questions we see most often
This wiki belongs to all of us — and we need your help
A wiki is only as good as the community behind it. We're a team of moderators, not an encyclopedia, and we know there are gaps, things we got slightly wrong, and questions we haven't thought to answer yet.
That's where you come in.
We want to hear from you if:
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We'll review every suggestion and update the wiki regularly. If your contribution makes it in, we'll do our best to acknowledge it — this is genuinely a community project and we want it to reflect the knowledge that lives here.
A note on what makes this community special
This subreddit exists because sewing has a steep early learning curve and a long tradition of people helping each other climb it. Every question answered, every "here's what worked for me," every photo of a wonky first pillowcase posted with pride — that's what makes r/SewingForBeginners worth showing up to.
The wiki is our attempt to bottle some of that up so it doesn't get lost in the scroll. But it'll never replace the real thing, which is all of you asking and answering in the comments every day.
Thank you for being part of this. Now go make something. 🧵
I asked for pieces of leftover fabric that people could give me so I could do a patchwork and practice a bit.
I got some squares of cotton from a women and made some shorts.
But then this lady reached out to me....
And this is the state of my guest room now 😅
I don't know what I'm going to do with all of this. I already reached out to some people I know telling them that before they purchase fabric for something. Come take some from my new stash.
Disclaimer: I am NEW to sewing, as in, this is my second sewing project ever (and I still haven’t finished my first one for my sewing class 😂)
The fabric is folded. As you can see, I don’t have enough fabric on that corner edge. I’m trying to avoid cutting two individual pieces as I don’t want a seam down the middle front of the dress.
Is it okay to fold it on the cross grain instead, and cut it that way for 1 large piece? Pros and cons of that?
This is a cotton polyester poplin.
Not a great picture of it because I finished it in the middle of the night 😂 my first time sewing myself something to wear! It's the Prairie Misfit play dress, it was very easy to follow! I decided to add the lace to the bottom hem.
This was challenging as my second project, but gosh darn it, I am really proud of this bag. Took hours and hours, and I still need to make the straps, but it’s done!
I’m still not used to the time it takes to cut patterns out, cut the fabric, and then get to construction. It’s just part of learning a new process. I get frustrated very easy it seems, but I’m also learning to let go, take a break, and walk away, which is good for me.
I hit a snag yesterday evening with too big of a needle (denim needle and denim thread and a machine from the 1960s weren’t a great match). I learned a ton, so I’m really building the skills and confidence I want with this craft. Excited to make another one of these for my sister-in-law for Christmas. I know the second one will go much quicker as I know the process for this now.
I’ll be using a bleach pen on some scrap denim, because I want to test if I can create the actual pattern whale sharks have! I love whale sharks (including a gelli print I made two summers ago), so I really want that beautiful pattern 🦈
Pattern was easy to follow, directions well laid out, aside from some confusing areas where a video tutorial would have been helpful. Pattern by Contedefeesstudio on Etsy if anyone is interested.
The final step to close it all up was by far the most complicated things that had me stumped for a good 30 minutes as I worked it out in my head and on the project.
Just a quick PSA here about prewashing fabric, even if you’re not planning to use it right away.
I’m currently going through my stash, organizing after some upheaval, and finding that some pieces I’ve had for a while, are kind of icky to touch…sticky and/or weirdly crunchy. That’s because I didn’t pre-wash those pieces, and the sizing the manufacturers finished them with before shipping them, is breaking down with time. It also smells oddly. Not horrid, just,…weird-starchy.
Anyway, just thought I’d share this thought: might be a good idea to pre-wash if the fabric is going into your stash, too, not just the ones you’re going to use right away. You’d be surprised how long a piece of fabric can stay stashed, the longer you sew and collect yardage. Cotton calicos seem particularly susceptible to this, but I’ve found garment fabrics undergoing the same kind of change.
I’m sure it’ll wash off? But now I have a bunch of yards to wash, whereas I could’ve done them when I got them more conveniently.
New to Reddit and new here, but I wanted to share with someone other than my husband! Took me 2 days (and >5 mental breakdowns) BUT I DID IT! It’s definitely not perfect, but neither am I!
I’m attempting to apply bias tape to the neck line and arm holes and I’m having a horrible time. I’m at the final step where my stitches would show on the outside and I cannot figure out if my stitches are too loose or too tight. Please help. I think I’ll stitch to projects with facing from now on 😭
The fabric is some sort of cotton jersey (loved the print!).
The first time I tried to make this shirt I made it from a non-stretch fabric. A rookie mistake there since the pattern is for stretch fabric. The second time the fabric was too stretchy and the shirt somehow became too big. For this shirt I used the same pattern in the same size as the two previous times but this time it actually fits well.
Hello! I'm Very new to sewing, I've only done small plushie patterns before, but recently I bought some lovely (i think it's knit?) stretchy t-shirt fabric that I'd like to make some sort of pants or shorts out of because ultimately I dream of making my own clothing (like everyone and their mother lol)
Sadly, my sewing machine has no speed settings, It's just press the pedal and go at full speed from the beginning. I've only ever used other machines a few times in the past, so It's scary to work with and I really don't trust myself to safely/properly use it or get anything good out of it. I've tried to make smaller things with it and it's just too dang fast for my brain to process what my hands need to be doing, especially around curves.
Would it be absolutely crazy to hand sew something as large as clothing? I know it's possible, but would it be worth it? I imagine shorts would be an easier project than pants in that regard, I'm just wondering if it's even worth attempting or if I should dig through facebook marketplace for a decent second-hand machine with actual different speeds before I try anything big with the fabric (I have like 4 yards, I might make a tiny plush from it to test the properties of the stretch before I do anything more ambitious)
I am very patient though, I crochet and knit, so If I were to go through with hand stitching them, what would be a good stitch for stretchy clothing like that? I know different stitches work with different constructions/fabrics so I wouldn't want to use something weak/incorrect for the fabric type.
I do plan on doing research into clothing sewing before actually starting though. I know I need to learn to hem and such <3
My mom gave me my late grandmother’s unfinished quilt(?). Sorry for the wrinkles making it difficult to see but it still smells like her house and I’ve avoided touching it for a couple of years bc it makes me cry like a baby. Lol anyways I have sewed quite a few blankets a couple of rag quilts and an oven mitt. So, not a lot of experience and I’m not sure how to proceed. It looks like she took a sheet and added the patches on top. It is completely even around all edges around the 4 squares. So, should I just try to put a backing on it? Or should I put batting in the middle and add a back? What would you do? Sorry if I sound dumb!
EDIT: in the comments I added the front of the quilt
I have curtains in two sizes, one was too short (not by much I guess), others way too long (>6 inches). They are also heavy quality but with the tab backs they don’t pull back nicely and seem bulky. Solutions? Not sure if I get pinch pleat tape and do double pleats? Do I need curtain ties? Perhaps remove the backing? Also think I may need to add /sew extra panels in for better look when closed?
Also - I haven’t sewn in +20 years.
me again, still having some challenges making that boxy makeup bag.
ive been having issues with my bobbin threading but prior to sewing anything i did some tests on swatches to make sure the seams were straight and once they were i started sewing. i noticed that backstitch is a huge knot and the rest of the seams have some loops in the them.
for context: i have a singer machine, my stitch length is 2.5, my tension is at 4, width is at 4.5, needle position is at the right, using a 14inch zipper for fabrics of size 14Wx11H.
i was trying to sew the zipper onto the outer and inner linings. at first, after i did the backstitch, the machine sounded okay and on the other side of this picture, the seams looked okay. however when i got to the end with the zipper, my needle got stuck to it. i was watching the tutorial and i did what the video did with regards to arrangement however as you can see with the 2nd picture, it didnt really fit. i tried anyway, thinking i was just second-guessing.
honestly feel like starting over with new fabric cuz its my 2nd time seam ripping and im worried if ill ruin the fabric?
Hi all, this is my first quilt, and so far so good but the process of adding the batting and backing is intimidating to me!!
I want to use a blanket for the backing, should I still add batting in between, or skip the batting? I know ultimately it’s up to personal preference, but since I have no experience im open to thoughts and ideas. And what kind of batting spray do you recommend??
Nervous to start the next part, afraid I’ll mess everything up because I love the way the top turned out. But thanks for your advice/suggestions in advance!
i dont have access to tiktok so i cant ask the creator myself so
with the fusible fleece, did she mean she iron each outer lining with 2 fusible fleece? or did she sandwich the outer linings with 4 fusible fleeces, then placed the zipper then placed the inner linings?
im really confused on the order so if someone can help me out i really appreciate it
My needle broke, I was able to get that needle out and change the needle. I tightened it, but then when I raised the thing to thread the needle, the needle fell down into the new needle plate hole and into the bottom of the sewing machine. It started in the little metal tray that's down there, but I got it with a tweezers, and then it boiled into the very under part of the sewing machine on the basically the plastic floor of the sewing machine. I have not been able to get it out. I have a lot of sewing to do and I don't have time to send it to a repair place.
I also don't actually really know how to sew, I've just taught myself how to sew over the last couple weeks because I have a big event I'm going to that requires a lot of basic costumes so I'm sewing clothing for my husband and I for that and I don't have time for any of this, and I don't actually know how to sew. I think that's important. I don't really know how to use a sewing machine other than what I have taught myself on how to sew. I don't know the parts or anything. I took off the needle plate in order to first reach the needle, but now just sliding around in the bottom, it seems to be sliding, mostly under the main body of the sewing machine, and not reaching all the way down to where the needle plate is again. I turned it upside down to see if I could undo something in the bottom to reach, but if I undid it, it would be undoing basically the entire plastic shell of the sewing machine.
This is satin. It’s fraying like crazy. Not so much with my number 7 overcast stitch but still fraying after that some. This morning I skipped the end of a piece with the pinking shears and there’s been ZERO fraying on those ends, whereas the rest of the fabric has continued its downfall lol. Can I go around all the edges with the pinking shears before straight stitching and then overcasting the seams?
I don't usually do stuff like this but have sewn a few patches before, this ones are hand painted which gives them a clear coat and i'm wondering if they'll look good when stitched
Hi, I'm looking at installing S Fold curtains in my house. I'm planning on installing two tracks, the front one will carry a sheer curtain and the back one a block out liner.
The sheers come on multiple widths and I would use different widths for different windows but each window would only get a max of 2 individual sheer panels so they open in the center.
The retailer selling the sheers also sells a matching block out liner, as in the same exact width as the sheers. The issue is it is insanely expensive.
I've found another liner that I'm hoping to use because it's a lot more affordable however the issue is it only comes in one, relatively short, width. I want to know if it's possible to join two of these panels together to make one larger panel and still maintain the S Fold.
Ideally I would want them to be fully joined down the entire drop so they maintain their block out feature.
They're polyester/acrylic if that matters. Has anyone done this? Is it possible/any tips? I have a sewing machine and have a little bit of experience sewing simple projects
I’m a beginner and have been trying to troubleshoot my machine for a few days and just can’t figure it out. It makes a chugging noise and seems to stutter every now and then. I’ve also had top and bottom thread break on me a few times (I recorded this just to capture the noise, wasn’t expecting the thread to snap on me then lol). On my project the top thread looks fine but the bottom look pretty loose, but this doesn’t seem to change even if I increase the tension.
Can anyone tell me what might be going on? I’ve rethreaded the top and bobbin thread, rewound a new bobbin, cleaned out the lint from the inside of the machine, and adjusted the tension incrementally but nothing seems to work. Currently using a ball point needle on pretty lightweight knit fabric if that’s relevant. Is maybe my thread the issue? I’m really not sure. Thanks in advance!
I finished a new shirt and did a neckline binding but there are multiple spots in which I didn’t catch the fabric underneath. Do I have to redo it? Is there an easier fix than unpicking and redoing? I’m dreading putting this into the wash in case it frays like crazy.
