Can you use cross stitch needles for embroidery?
With any embroidery, you need embroidery needles as these have a sharp, pointed end. This will allow you to pierce through your fabric with ease. As the holes in the aida or
Embroidery needles work better with embroidery thread than sewing needles. If you have standard sewing needles around the house already, they won't generally work for this kind of crafting. Embroidery needles are usually less sharp than sewing needles, with a larger eye.
Cross stitch needles are called also called tapestry needles, which have a blunt tip and larger eye than a regular sewing needle, which makes them easier to thread up with cross stitch thread. Cross stitch needles easily pass through the fibers of Aida and evenweave cross stitch fabric.
To work an embroidery design using cross stitch, simply transfer the outline onto the fabric and then fill the sections with your chosen colours using the traditional cross stitch techniques. Alternatively, you could draw a square grid over the template and work the design onto the fabric using the counted method.
1. Crewel Needles. Crewel needles are also called “embroidery” needles. Crewel needles have a medium-long eye, a shaft slightly thinner than the eye (the eye bulges slightly at the top of the shaft), and a sharp tip.
Embroidery needles have a long eye which makes threading the needle so much easier when using multiple strands of thread. The most popular sizes used to embroider are size 7 and 9. Because of their large eye these needles are suitable for general sewing.
Scissors are nice, but you don't need them to embroider. (That said, I think it would be somewhat difficult – and inadvisable – to cut embroidery threads with your teeth…) But you can't really embroider without a needle. Something has to transport that thread in and out of the fabric, after all.
The difference is in the amount you need per project. As opposed to embroidery art, you only need two or three out of the six in total strands of thread per cross-stitch project, making it much easier and less complex.
Crewel or Embroidery needles are medium length with a sharp point and a narrow eye. They come in numbers 1-12 and 6-8 are the most commonly used. They can be used for surface embroidery, crewel work, whitework and goldwork.
When working counted cross stitch you will need blunt tapestry needles of various sizes depending on your fabric selection. A blunt needle is required because you should be parting the threads of the fabric rather than piercing the material. You want to avoid splitting the fibres as you stitch.
Can AIDA be used for embroidery?
Aida cloth (sometimes called Java canvas) is an open, even-weave fabric traditionally used for cross-stitch embroidery. This cotton fabric has a natural mesh that facilitates cross-stitching and enough natural stiffness that the crafter does not need to use an embroidery hoop.
Back stitch is commonly used for outlines and borders but it's also great for embroidering text or filling in small spaces. Begin by bringing the thread up through the fabric one stitch length away from the starting point. Now, go back and bring the needle down at the beginning. Think of it as stitching in reverse.
There are three types of needles usually used for embellishing fabric: embroidery (also referred to as crewel), chenille and tapestry.
For most embroidery projects on average-weight fabric, a 75/11 needle works great. For heavier cottons and linens, you might go up to an 80/12 size, and for heavy denims and fleeces you might use a 90/14 needle. Please note that the thinner your thread, the smaller the needle should be.
If you're considering starting to use correctly sized needles, I would highly recommend the Clover Gold Eye Sized 3-9 Embroidery Needles stocked in the shop. In this pack you'll have the 3 sizes I use in my projects, and also a few others to try out for yourself.
A 75/11 needle may bend or break, which could result in injury. Ball point needles (golden colored) 90/14 are not recommended for embroidery, as they may bend or break, causing injury.
A 75/11 needle is designed for use on high speed commercial embroidery machines. It is an ideal all-purpose needle size that can be used with standard threads like polyester and rayon, as well as heavier threads like metallic.
The fabrics least suited for embroidery are thin or flimsy fabrics like silk, rayon, or super fine t-shirts.
Depending on the skills of the person with the needle, hand embroidery can result in a lifelike piece of art that will make a unique display to be enjoyed by all. Machine embroidery, on the other hand, produces more professional looking work in a fraction of the time it takes to do something similar by hand.
Adding embroidery to your clothes is the perfect way to do this. The technique is very easy and works exactly the same way as any other hand embroidery. Depending on the design and the fabric type you can either use a hoop or simply stitch straight onto the fabric.
Should I learn cross stitch or embroidery first?
If you are new to embroidery, the structure of cross-stitch may be the most appealing. You will only need to master one simple stitch to complete a project. Once you finish your first project, you will be a little more prepared for needlepoint because the cross stitch shows up in some needlepoint projects.
With surging popularity, this revolution has made one thing clear: cross stitch is officially cool. So, as the market continues to evolve, let's take a look at the latest cross stitch trends for 2023.
The chain stitch is one of the most complicated stitches and is great for outlining as well as framing around a specific pattern or design. First, the needle is pulled through the fabric then brought down beside where it was first brought up.
The most commonly used embroidery needles have a universal point, which means a slightly rounded tip that sits between the sharp and ballpoint type points. The universal point suits most kinds of fabrics and stabilizers in general.
Strong Fabrics
Cotton, linen, silk and wool are all popular choices because they are tightly woven fabrics. This creates a stable surface – perfect for embroidery. These fabrics can support denser and more complex patterns than lightly woven fabrics.
