place with labels? I have all these needles all over the place and I don't know which ones may be good, or what size they are ..... I need help with needle management! Needles are too expensive to just throw them away.....

Thank you for the question and the answers. I am so new at learning this craft. If something keeps messing up, I try 13 different things to adjust and it usually works...I can't wait until I can figure out which one of the 13 things was 'THE TRICK' for that problem. Maybe in time I will learn what needs fixing...needle, thread, stabilizer, material, hooping, etc.

A link for needles

The needle case like the one in my pic has a built in magnifier on the slide cover if it is closed.

I use them for ordinary sewing and they work fine.
But I do have a lot more now.
I usually paint nail polish to mark my ballpoint needles, so I use another colour polish to mark the used embroidery needles.
I also don't want to just throw them out.
I keep them in the original containers and in tiny zip-lock bags. To show up the size that they are I rub chalk over the number and it shows up clearer.
From Bev

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1 comment

by hightechgrammy 04 Mar 2011

Wow, Great ideas! I have some chalk - that will help!

Embroidery needles are designed so that the eye is longer and very smooth, to minimize the chance of thread breaks. Universal needles are made so that they can be used on a variety of fabrics, and the points are not as sharp as a microtex, quilting or sharp needle, but they are not as rounded as a needle for stretchy or knit fabrics. These stretch needles are also called ballpoint, and the points will separate rather than pierce fibers. Generally speaking, the heavier your fabric is, the larger the needle size should be.
An easy way to keep track of used needles is to get an inexpensive "tomato" pincushion. You can use a very fine sharpie and write on the pincushion - draw separating lines, and label each section (something like "Emb 75/11" or "Met 80/12" - you get the idea). I also keep an empty pill bottle with the label "sharps" on it, and discard worn, broken or bent needles and pins. If you are prone to breaking needles when you do regular sewing, try to make sure you are not pulling your fabric too much, which can cause the needle to bend and break as it pierces the fabric. Also, make sure that you do not sew over pins whenever possible.
Hope this info helps!

2 comments

by hightechgrammy 04 Mar 2011

Yes, it does help! Do you use used embroidery needles on regular, more open woven fabrics with regular sewing? Do you use universal needles then on embroidery? I have some of those and haven't tried them yet on embroidery. thanks

by gferris 04 Mar 2011

I usually use needles for the purpose that each is designed for - but in a pinch, I have substituted needles when I ran out of the one I needed. It really does depend on so many factors - sometimes you may have good luck with say, a universal needle for embroidery, and sometimes the thread you use just won't cooperate and keeps breaking. I like to use universals for embroidery on knits - much less chance of cutting the fabric fibers. I have even tried ballpoints, and those work, too. Just try doing a small sample if you need to substitute needles (lots of times I set up a small fabric sample with similar properties as my project, with the stabilizer I plan to use, and just stitch enough to see what happens). Embroidery and metallic needles are primarily designed for the type threads used in embroidery to minimize breaking, but that doesn't mean that you can't use other needles, too.

Hi hightecgrammy, For my old emb needles I put them in a empty pill jar from my DH meds. I label it emb old needles. I still think that they are still good to use in my reg. sewing machine.ANd when I think they have had it I put them in another pill jar and tape it close and then toss in the garbage.

Hugs Edie

I know they are expensive but I throw mine away if they are questionable. I would rather have the expense of the needle than take the chance of ruining a project. I buy universal 80/20 by the 100 and that is what I use in my embroidery and sewing machines.

Needles vary by size - the bigger the number the bigger the eye. They also vary by types - like embroidery, universal, jeans, ball point. A cutie did a post with some links a while back - I will see if I can find it later.

And, every needle should have the size on it on the top of the shaft somewhere - you will need a magnifying glass to find it tho!

1 comment

by hightechgrammy 04 Mar 2011

Wow! I didn't know it had the size on it. I'll get out my magnifying glass and at least sort them. Can you also look at the tip to see any damage? Maybe I need a microscope - LOL

I'm also wondering what the difference is between the types of needles!

I had the same problem. I had a bad habit of putting them back in the case and even though I tried to keep them separate, I was always confused about which were used or not. Now I have 2 pill bottles and they are marked used and discard. If I think they may be used again, I will put them in the used bottle. If they are to be tossed, they go in the discard bottle. When the discard bottle is full, I throw it away and get a new bottle. This help alot, except then I forget where I put the bottles!

My embroidery needles I change on a a regular basis, I do keep them and usae them on my other machine to do the sewing with. I seem to be ectremely prone to breaking needles! Maybe because they are too thin for the sewing projects as they are embroidery needles?

I look forward to reading the responses to this - I have the same problem! Thanks for asking it.