The Seven Essential Machine Needles 

Feeling lost in the needle aisle?

I get it! When you're first starting out, the sheer number of sewing machine needles on the market can be completely overwhelming. Universal? Topstitch? Denim? What's the difference, and which ones do you really need?

In this post, I'm breaking down the top 7 sewing machine needles I recommend to all my beginner students, plus 2 bonus ones for quilters. These are the needles that will help you stitch smoothly, avoid broken threads, and stop fighting with your machine.

1. Universal Needles (Sizes 70, 80, and 90)

These are your go-to, everyday needles. They work beautifully for most basic sewing tasks like stitching two layers of cotton together. I suggest you pick up three sizes:

Size 70 for lighter fabrics

Size 80 for standard quilting cotton

Size 90 for slightly heavier or layered fabrics

TIP: Brands like Schmetz, Klasse, and Hemline are all solid choices. And don’t worry, needles are universal (the name is a clue!), so they’ll fit your machine even if it’s a different brand

2. Topstitch Needles (Sizes 90 and 100)

Topstitch needles have a stronger shaft and a specially shaped tip that glides through thick fabrics like a hot knife through butter. They’re brilliant for projects like bags or anything with bulky seams.

Size 90 for slightly heavier layers

Size 100 for thick wadding, interfacing, or multiple seams

Once you try them, you’ll see what I mean: they just work when your universal needle starts struggling.

3. Jeans or Denim Needles (Sizes 100 and 110)

Don’t let the name fool you - you don’t have to be sewing jeans to need these! These stronger needles are ideal for sewing:

- Upholstery fabric

- Curtains with blackout lining

- Old denim turned into bags

Needle Know-How: The thicker the fabric, the bigger the needle you’ll want. Try a size 100 for medium-weight denim or canvas, and a 120 (or even 130) for layered upholstery or curtain fabrics

Bonus for Quilters: Add These Two

If you’re just beginning patchwork and quilting, you’ll want to add a couple more to your kit:

4. Quilting Needles (Sizes 80 and 90)

These are specially designed to stitch through the three layers of your quilt sandwich: the pieced top, the wadding, and the backing. If you’re quilting with a heavier thread or using heat-resistant waddings (like for oven gloves or placemats), size up to a 90.

TIP: Start with an 80 for most projects, but always adjust based on your thread and wadding thickness.

Sewing Machine Needle Shopping Tips

Mixed packs are great to begin with! They usually include a few sizes of universal needles.

As you grow in confidence, stock up on your most-used sizes in packs of 5 or 10; you’ll be surprised how quickly you go through them.

And yes, change your needle often! Either every 8 hours of sewing or at the start of a new project (whichever comes first). Find out how to change your sewing machine needle here.

Ready to Stock  Up Your Sewing Kit?

You'll find a full selection of Universal and Top Stitch sewing machine needles just here and you can find quilting needles here. Pop a few into your basket and your machine will thank you later!

If you’d like to watch the video on the needles, you can watch that here:

And you can read this blog post to find out what the sewing machine needle numbers mean.

Happy stitching,
Kim x