The easiest way to determine your needle size is to check the packaging. Most needle packages clearly indicate the needle size. This is true for sewing machine needles, knitting needles, and needle felting needles.
Sewing Machine Needles
For sewing machine needles, the package will show a number representing the needle size. This number helps determine the suitability of the needle for the fabric, thread size, and type of sewing. A larger number generally indicates a larger needle. Some brands also use color-coding to help identify needle sizes. See references for further detail on identifying numbers on sewing machine needles.
Knitting Needles
Determining the size of knitting needles requires a different approach. While there's no single number on the needle itself, you can use a ruler to measure the needle size (in millimeters or inches). You can find online charts correlating measurements to standard needle sizes. Here's one suggestion
Needle Felting Needles
For needle felting needles, the package usually shows two numbers: the needle size and the distance between the barbs. The needle size is directly related to the thickness of the needle and will dictate its usefulness for different felting projects.
- Example: A package might show "38/2.0," where 38 is the needle size and 2.0mm is the distance between barbs.
If you've lost the packaging, determining the needle size without it can be challenging, especially for knitting or felting needles. For sewing machine needles, close examination may reveal markings, but this is not always reliable.
