Fundamentals of Textile Design 3(2+1)

Lesson 31: Hand Embroidery

Hand sewing needles

Good, smooth and sharp needles are a must in hand embroidery. Needles are available in the market from size 1 to 10. Higher the size indicates the fineness of the needle. Selection of needle is based on the type of fabric on which it is to be done. Delicate fabrics require fine needles and vice versa. As a rule the needle should be slightly thicker than the thread to enable the thread smoothly to pass smoothly through the needle hole. There are different types of needles like crewel, chenille, tapestry etc., each with a different purpose.

• Crewel embroidery needles have a long eye for easier threading, a sharp point to the needle so that the stitches can be worked close together and there is more control for placing the stitches.
• Chenille needle has a large eye and a sharp point. They are used for ribbon embroidery and for gold work embroidery.
• Tapestry needles have a blunt end to the point of the needle so that the needle does not catch or pierce the threads of the counted fabric when working from one hole to the next. The tapestry needle has a long eye for easier threading.
• Milliners’needles have sharp points, long and slender shafts and round eyes that are the same diameter as the width of the entire length of the needle. Many people find them helpful when stitching bullion knots.
• Generally needles are protected in a needle case.