About Sewing Needles

Identification

Sewing needles are long, straight tools used for stitching on fabrics. One end is pointed and the other is a hole (eye) through which thread is pulled through fabric.
Hand sewing needles are sized by length and thickness, with numbers increasing as sizes decrease. For example, a size 10 needle is shorter and finer than a size 1 needle.

Beading needle
Sewing is an ancient activity dating as far back as 20,000 years ago to the last Ice Age when needles were first made of bones to sew skins and furs (See Additional Resources, below). Later, when needles from the third century B.C. were found in Manching, Germany, they were made of iron. Native Americans designed sewing needles from natural sources, such as the agave plants, using a leaf's tip end as a point. For the needle's eye, they looped the plant fiber ends, forming a hole. As for sewing needles, British inventor Thomas Saint invented the first workable sewing machine in 1790, designed to sew leather and canvas. However, an awl was substituted for a needle. Today sewing needles are made from high carbon steel wire, platinum, nickel or gold to resist corrosion.

Consider the size of a needle before using it. The larger the number a needle is, the tinier the eye, making it harder for the needle to go through a fine fabric or needlework canvas. As a result, there are less odds of distorting fabric.
Sewing-machine needles can break in the middle of sewing a fabric. Therefore, it's a good idea to buy replacement needles before staring a project.

Magnetic needle holder
Choose high-quality needles, especially in buying needlepoint needles. Although somewhat more expensive, they're worth the investment because they don't snag fabrics and threads done from previous stitching.
Change needles when beginning a new project, because over-worn or broken needles can damage fabrics.

It's easy for needles to drop, getting lost in carpets and furniture. Even worse than losing a needle is stepping on one. Pincushions don't work as well as magnetic needle holders because they can dissolve into the cushion.
Placing a small white index card (or any white background) behind a needle makes the eye more visible for threading. Also, using a needle threader is an excellent aide for shaking hands or aging eyes, saving time and aggravation. For easy accessibility, tack a needle threader to your fabric or canvas. You can make your own by folding a tiny piece of stiff paper in half and then inserting the thread end into the fold. Next, pass the paper through the eye of the needle.