Tapestry needles have blunt points and large eyes. They are designed for stitching by hand on open weave fabrics like Aida, or tapestry canvas.
The blunt point on the needle allows a stitcher to pull threads through the holes in an open weave fabric without piercing or splitting the fibres in the weave.
The large eye allows the use of a wide variety of thread from stranded cotton to tapestry wool and protects the thread as it passes through the weave.
Tapestry needles come in different sizes denoted by numbers: the larger the number the smaller the needle.
The best needle size to select for a project is determined by the thread count of the fabric e g 6 count fabric has larger holes than 18 count fabric and so will work best with a larger needle. Read our article about thread counts.
A guide to best needle size for aida and linen.
- Needle Size 18 – 6 count aida fabric – 3 strands of floss
- Needle Size 20 – 8 count aida fabric – 3 strands of floss
- Needle Size 22 – 11 count aida fabric – 3 strands of floss
- Needle Size 24 – 14 count aida fabric or 28 count linen – 2 strands of floss
- Needle Size 26 – 16 count aida fabric or 32 count linen – 2 strands of floss
- Needle Size 28 – 18 count aida fabric or 36 count linen – 1 or 2 strands of floss
Order your tapestry needles here.
