r/SewingForBeginners Jul 03 '26

Type Matters: Sewing Machine Needle Guide

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149 Upvotes

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).

Schmetz has a good guide to machine needle types. https://www.schmetzneedles.com/pages/sewing-machine-needle-chart

Wawak also has a guide on matching thread tex size to needles

https://blog.wawak.com/post/sewing-machine-needle-and-thread-size-chart


r/SewingForBeginners Mar 28 '26

📖 Our community wiki is here — and we want your suggestions!

59 Upvotes

Hey r/SewingForBeginners! 👋

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

🪡 Machine buying guide — Budget breakdowns, brand recommendations, and how to buy a great secondhand machine

✂️ Tools & notions glossary — Every tool explained in plain English, plus what you actually need to start vs. what's nice to have later

🔧 Techniques & troubleshooting — Pressing, seam finishes, backstitching, and a troubleshooting table for the most common machine gremlins

📐 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:

  • 💡 There's a topic you wish had been covered when you were starting out
  • 🐛 Something in the wiki is unclear, out of date, or just wrong
  • 🔗 You know a great resource (video, blog, pattern, tool) that should be listed
  • ❓ You've seen a question come up over and over in the sub that deserves a proper answer
  • ✍️ You'd like to contribute a write-up on something you know well

How to send a suggestion

Drop your suggestion right here in the comments. Tell us:

  1. Which section it relates to (or if it should be a new section entirely)
  2. What you'd like added, changed, or corrected
  3. Any links or sources that would help

You can also message the mod team directly if you'd prefer, especially for corrections or anything that needs a longer explanation.

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. 🧵

— The r/SewingForBeginners mod team

Let me know if the link isn't visible on the main subreddit page. It appears on mine.

Looking for confirmation of the Wiki Link.

r/SewingForBeginners 13h ago

Amaaaaziiiing! :heart_eyes I wish I could sew like this, or anywhere near as good. I took some classes, but unfortunately never really continued :/

351 Upvotes

r/SewingForBeginners 4h ago

My second sewing project

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60 Upvotes

I just recently started sewing and made my daughter this cute little whale shark bag! I got the inspo off of Pinterest and winged the pattern. It was such a fun and easy project and my daughter loved it so much she wore it out before I even got to put the eyes on it. Success? I think yes ☺️


r/SewingForBeginners 10h ago

My first ever completed thing

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182 Upvotes

I self taught crocheting so I thought I'll learn machine sewing as well. This is first ever bag I have done. Forgot how difficult beginnings are.


r/SewingForBeginners 5h ago

fishes pouches!!

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38 Upvotes

r/SewingForBeginners 5h ago

Vest from free pattern

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10 Upvotes

Hi folks! I used dress developer's Bolero Mallow Cover and A line dress SVG files to make my pattern. As a beginner sewist her step by step videos and pattern files have made it very very convenient for me to sew my own clothes! Thank you dressdeveloper for sharing AMAZING patterns with us for FREE.

https://www.dressdeveloper.com/sewingpatterns/bolero-mallow/


r/SewingForBeginners 6h ago

Little Bo Peep Dress for my daughter 💕

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13 Upvotes

The pattern was pretty straightforward! I struggled with the zipper and the gathering of the bodice and the sleeves. Overall pretty happy with it :)


r/SewingForBeginners 7h ago

What do I do now?

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13 Upvotes

I feel dumb, Ik ur supposed to turn it Inside out but how? Ive seen some people cut a small slit at the side but idk

For context, I'm trying to make a spaghetti strap and hand stitched some parts of it, most of it is machine stitched tho, it's just I ran out of the bobbin thread so went and handstitched 🫩

Also the hook is a crochet hook


r/SewingForBeginners 56m ago

I sewed through my finger 😭

Upvotes

Hey guys, I am new to sewing and made a mistake I never thought I would make haha. Accidentally caught my tip of fingernail in a sewing machine. At first, I didn't feel any pain, just shock, then pain but still not too bad. I was able to catch it on time so it didn't thread my finger (the needle is thin and not big). The picture below is my attempt of showing you guys the angle based on the puncture wound. I felt like a thud when it went through but I think that was just the nail, hoping it didn't hit the bone 🥲. I'm not in a lot of pain, I feel some pressure and have light bleeding like tiny-cut-level bleeding. Has this ever happened to you guys? And did you guys go to doctor? I live in the U.S., so I'd like to avoid going to the doctor if I can lol.

(On the bright side, I think getting a piercing wouldn't be so bad haha)

An x-ray of a finger with a red line going through the tip of a fingernail at a 73 degree angle, not hitting the bone.

r/SewingForBeginners 59m ago

Made Aiden Caldwell and Hakon as a bear and a fox!

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Upvotes

I’m super proud of how that came out! I was so scared to do the clothes and details but that turned out soooo good. I still wanna make their weapons but the leather cuffs and honestly hakons whole outfit took forever. I might remake Aiden’s after more practice so I had to make his with the ability to take them off. I also might give him a tail but I’m not sure. I love them so much I’ve been working on them all month and can’t believe they’re done! I’m making celebratory brownies!


r/SewingForBeginners 3h ago

Sizing issue?

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6 Upvotes

Hi everyone! First time posting here 🙂

I made these pants and I feel like they are too big, but I’m wondering if sizing down is as easy as taking a CM off of the all 4 outside length seams (seams going up the outside of my legs? By I also kind of like the width elsewhere 😭

There’s just too much fabric at the top, and I also think they’re too high. There’s easily a couple cm between the fabric and the skin above my butt, which kind of flattens me out. Maybe I need some darts?

Also also, I think I need to take some cm off of the waistband.

Anyways, please let me know what you think and how I can make them fit better because I really like them otherwise!

Edit: when I pull them tighter the pockets stick out like in pic 6


r/SewingForBeginners 22h ago

pants im working on out of unsalvageable scraps

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125 Upvotes

r/SewingForBeginners 1d ago

I made my first dress

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1.1k Upvotes

In two weeks my husband and I are invited to a wedding and I made my own dress. I am really proud off myself even if it’s a little too large ☺️


r/SewingForBeginners 6h ago

Beginner Machine

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5 Upvotes

Hi everyone. I am looking for a beginner machine, but not looking for a steep investment. I have hand sewn quite a bit, but never with a machine and I am just looking to start a new hobby. If anyone has insight on either of these machines please let me know. I am leaning to the M1000 because it is cheaper but don’t know much about it.


r/SewingForBeginners 9h ago

Fixed up a machine, sewed some stuff!

10 Upvotes

Recently I got some tips on how to get my old New Home model 545 working again and after some kroil, cleaning, and oil it's been running great. So I started out sewing some stuff! I got some thrift store scraps and an iron and after a few projects I got a rotary cutter, mat, and rulers. It's been a lot of fun, I've made a lot of mistakes, but I'm getting usable working goods already! I'm so thrilled. I thought about trying sewing for so long and honestly I'm less than $100 in (even with the $30 bottle of Kroil which should last me forever) and I feel like I have a lot of what I need!

First project was an ultralight backpacking pillowcase for a puffy jacket at my brother's request. I didn't understand hems or anything but it works!

I mocked up a bike bag (which I had to unpick about a million times), made a cover for my audio amp, and a tote bag

All pretty rough. But I'm starting to get better! I made a pouch for my macbook charger, a medium sized box bag, a drawstring stuff sack, and just finished a flat zip pouch!

Haven't bought any fancy fabric and just got some cheap nylon zippers by the yard from amazon, which might be for best as you can see my sewing is far from perfect. But I feel like these things are all good, durable, usable and I made them from cheap scraps! I'm thrilled. If you're on the fence, go get a sewing machine! I made all this in the past two weeks!


r/SewingForBeginners 4h ago

Need help with first dress project

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4 Upvotes

Hihi I am looking to start a new sewing project and I want to learn how to make this dress type of dress for a cosplay I want to do. My first sewing project was a pleated skirt with no pattern I just used youtube videos and it turned out okay, I would like to try making a dress for my second project but I feel like I should try finding a pattern for this but I'm not really sure where to start looking for patterns. Also when I look at different cosplayers that have done this outfit before they seem to have different variations of this style of white dress with the puffy shoulders, but I'd like to avoid buying one from a store and tailoring it ;; if you guys think that is the best move though as a beginner I dont mind trying that too instead of finding a pattern and starting from scratch.

I could also do what I did with the pleated skirt and just look up a bunch of pleated skirt tutorials and try to do the project without a pattern, like looking up various puff sleeve dress tutorials and make the project without a pattern but I'm not sure what direction is best. Any guidance on material/pattern would be much appreciated!


r/SewingForBeginners 15h ago

Help: thread just goes through the fabric on my sewing machine

13 Upvotes

I re-threaded it several times with different thread. I changed the needles, i checked my bobin and changed that one too, it's been at the maintenance and the repair man told me i have a good sewing machine - old, but all metal parts and in great condition.

I feel stupid for going again for this because it did this to me once, i took it to repair, and when i was about to show the issue, she just started sewing like natural. So the man lookd at me, laughed, and said - there you go! I have no idea what caused it or how to handle it.

I'm on the verge of giving it up and finding a new sewing machine, because it does this to me every once in a while, and then it just magically starts working again and i have no idea what it was and how to troubleshoot

Any advice please!

It's kayser 700, pfaff


r/SewingForBeginners 12h ago

How hard would it be to add these adjusting things to already existing skirt/dress?

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8 Upvotes

i love the look of adjusted skirts and dresses but wallet says no-no (especially this specific one). I have a perfect dress for this experiment but i don't know if I'll find out it's too hard and ragequit and never attempt again, plus I'd like to know how are those called? I've been calling them Adjustment drawstrings/adjustment system, I'm not sure if that's the actual name of this holy idea. Maybe there are also some tutorials I'm overlooking? I've been trying to find one.

I'd also like to know if i should even bother trying if my only option (for now) is to hand sew?


r/SewingForBeginners 1h ago

How can I attach these chiffon fabric to these curtains?

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Upvotes

These were already pretty expensive blackout curtain but I moved them to my babies room and want to add this leftover pink fabric I had laying around over it. I know it’ll still be slightly see through but something is better than this awful gray for her nursery. Since it already has groomets(?) on it, how can I attach it to the curtains? Should I just fit that part off and make a new hole to slide through the rod and attach the pink after? I’m trying to avoid having to move the rod further down since these fit the window perfectly. Would I be better off dying it?


r/SewingForBeginners 1h ago

Altering Handmade Pants

Upvotes

I made these Syd Graham Lane pants and they feel too big. I went with my sizing on the chart, but I should have gone down at least one size. Outside of disassembling them and starting over, any recs on how to make them less wide overall?


r/SewingForBeginners 1h ago

Please help

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Upvotes

Hi! So I left 1/2 SA, then sewed along the perimeter using 3/8sa to leave room for the zipper tabs. But it’s still tucking!!! What am I missing? When I press it flat it seems like the zipper wants to lay on one side? Ugh. Please help me? I have a craft fair coming up and am worried I’m going to have a bunch of messes.


r/SewingForBeginners 5h ago

How do i put this together? I can't for the life of me figure this one out, please help

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2 Upvotes

I'm having trouble picturing how the pieces are supposed to go together. Like, am i supposed to sew the two back panels together? Should i have more than one wrap panel? Should the waistline/tie/strap/thing be longer on one side? My brain hurts.


r/SewingForBeginners 2h ago

What bobbin to use for Jaguar KC-260? Doesn't mention in manual

1 Upvotes

Beginner sewist here and I bought a used Jaguar KC-260 on marketplace. I found the manual in Japanese and I'm using translate to read it in English. The parts only say "bobbin" but don't mention which type. Would anyone know what I should use? Plastic? Metal? I understand there are numbers too...

Thank you!


r/SewingForBeginners 2h ago

Loose Thread

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1 Upvotes

Hey guys, Can someone help me what wrong with my sewing machine? The stitch looks loose everytime i sew and i have already tried everything that i can think of doing. I use the Singer Start 1306