Fine fabric wants a fine needle and a fine thread: 70/10 with ordinary polyester. Medium wovens want 80/12. Denim and canvas want a 100/16 or 110/18 jeans needle. Heavy topstitch thread wants a topstitch needle whatever the fabric, because the eye and groove are what stop it shredding. Knits want a jersey point regardless of weight. Each of these is a five-euro packet, and between them they solve most of what people try to solve by buying a different machine.
Questions people actually ask
How do I know the needle is too small?
The thread frays or breaks repeatedly, and you can see a fuzzy section on the thread above the needle. The eye is too small for the thread passing through it at speed.
Does thread weight matter that much?
For topstitching, yes. Heavy thread through a universal needle shreds. Use a topstitch needle with a larger eye and a deeper groove, and lengthen the stitch.
Last reviewed 2026-08-11