Choosing the Right Needle by Fabric -Guidelines from BERNINA
General guidance only. Always test the needle beforehand on a scrap of material.
A jour knitted goods – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90
Artificial fur (funfur) – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE or UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 100
Artificial leather – LEATHER NEEDLE NM 90, NM 100 or JEANS NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 110
Bed-linen, jersey – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Bed-linen, woven – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 100
Belseta – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Bouclé – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Brocade – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90
Burn-out velvet – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or FINE FABRICS NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Cambric – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 60, NM 70
Canvas – JEANS NEEDLE NM 90 to NM 110
Chambray – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Chenille – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 90
Chiffon – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60, NM 70
Coarse knitted material – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Coated material – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 110 or JEANS NEEDLE NM 100, NM 110
Coats – UNIVERSAL PRO NEEDLE NM 90 to NM 110
Corduroy – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 100
Cotton knitwear – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90 or STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Coverstitch – COVER STITCH NEEDLE NM 90
Crêpe – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 80
Crêpe-de-Chine – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 80
Crinkle – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 80
Cupro – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 80
Curtains – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Denim – JEANS NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 110
Decorative seams – HEMSTITCH NEEDLE NM 100, NM 120 or DOUBLE EYE NEEDLE NM 80 or TWIN NEEDLE (special needles are available for the different applications) NM 70 to NM 100, NE 1.6 mm to 8.0 mm or TRIPLE NEEDLE NM 80, NE 3.0 mm
Double decorative seams – TWIN NEEDLE (special needles are available for the different applications), NM 70 to NM 100, NE 1.6 mm to 8.0 mm
Double face – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 110
Elastic material – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Embroidering – EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70, NM 90 or METAFIL NEEDLE NM 80
Fancy threads, decorative threads – EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or METAFIL NEEDLE NM 80
Felt – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 100
Felting – FELTING NEEDLE
Film (vinyl, artificial leather, waxed cloth) – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 110 or JEANS NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 110
Fine jersey – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75
Fleece – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90 or STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Fleece, multilayer – UNIVERSAL PRO NEEDLE NM 90 to NM 110
Foundation garments – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Fur – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 100 or JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Gabardine – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 100
Gauze – FINE FABRICS NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80
Georgette (as well as Crêpe Georgette) – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 80
Half linen – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80
Hemstitching – HEMSTITCH NEEDLE NM 100, NM 120 or HEMSTITCH TWIN NEEDLE NM 100
Highly elastic knitted material (Lycra, silk jersey) – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75
Jacquard fabric – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 100
Jeans – JEANS NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 110
Jeans, multilayer – JEANS PRO NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 100
Jersey – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80, for elastic materials STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75
Knitted fabric – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 100
Knitwear – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90, for elastic materials STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Lace – Select needle individually to suit material, NM 60 to NM 90
Lamé – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90
Lavable – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90
Leather – thick, hard artificial leather – LEATHER NEEDLE NM 100 or JEANS PRO NEEDLE NM 100
Leather – thin – LEATHER NEEDLE NM 90 or JEANS NEEDLE NM 90
Linen – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Loden (woolen felted fabric) – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 120
Lycra – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Metallic threads – METAFIL NEEDLE NM 80
Microfiber fabric – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90
Multi-colored decorative seams – DOUBLE EYE NEEDLE NM 80 or TWIN NEEDLE (special needles are available for the different applications) NM 70 to NM 100, NE 1.6 mm to 8.0 mm or TRIPLE NEEDLE NM 80, NE 3.0 mm
Nettle fabric – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 100
Nylon – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90
Organdy (glass cambric) – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60, NM 70
Organza – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60, NM 70
Panne velvet – FINE FABRICS NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80 or STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75 or UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80
Patchwork – QUILTING NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Pintucks – TWIN NEEDLE (special TWIN NEEDLES are available for the different applications) NM 70 to NM 100, NE 1.6 to 4.0 mm; for elastic materials: STRETCH TWIN NEEDLE NM 75, NE 2.5 mm or 4.0 mm
Polyester – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 100
Poplin – MICROTEX NEEDLE or UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 80
Quilting – QUILTING NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Seersucker – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Sequined material – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90 or STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Shirts – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80
Shirts with elastic threads – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75
Silk – MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90 Silk jersey – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75
Single jersey – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75 Suits – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Sweatshirt fabrics – JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90 or JERSEY / EMBROIDERY PRO NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Table-linen – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 100
Taffeta – MICROTEX NEEDLE or UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 60, NM 70
Terry cloth – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Thermovelour (fleece) – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90 or STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90
Topstitching – QUILTING NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or MICROTEX NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 90
Triple decorative seams – TRIPLE NEEDLE NM 80, NE 3.0 mm
T-Shirt – hems and edges – STRETCH TWIN NEEDLE NM 75, NE 2.5 mm or 4.0 mm
Tulle – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE or JERSEY / EMBROIDERY NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80
Twill – JEANS NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 110
Velour – FINE FABRICS NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Velour jersey – STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or FINE FABRICS NEEDLE NM 80, NM 90
Velvet – FINE FABRICS NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90 or STRETCH NEEDLE NM 75, NM 90 or UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 90
Viscose – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70, NM 80 Voile – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 60 to NM 80
Waxed cloth – MICROTEX NEEDLE or JEANS NEEDLE NM 80 to NM 100
WING-needle – HEMSTITCH NEEDLE NM 100, NM 120
Wool and wool blends – UNIVERSAL NEEDLE NM 70 to NM 100
Wool and wool blends, multilayer – UNIVERSAL PRO NEEDLE NM 90 to NM 110
Workwear – JEANS NEEDLE NM 100, NM 110