Selecting the Needle
Counted thread stitch should be done with a tapestry needle. Tapestry needles have blunt points and much larger eyes than sewing needles. The blunt points prevent the needles from piercing fabric threads. Tapestry needles come in a variety of sizes. A larger size number means a smaller needle. Cross stitching usually requires a #22, #24, #26 or #28 needle. One traditional rule says you should use a #22 needle if the fabric is 14 count (14 threads per inch) or less, a #24 or #26 needle if the fabric count is 16-18 count, and a #26 needle if the fabric...
Needles
Here are some comments from Wombat <wombat@clark.net>... Well, I showed up for a class/meeting with the #10 needle I thought I would need, only to discover I was supposed to have a #10 sharp and I had a #10 crewel. A #28 tapestry did suffice and I then went home and did research. Eyes. The choices run from round to oval to long or short oval. Round eyes are the smallest and long oval the largest. Short ovals are a lot like a round, but much bulgier. The larger the eye, the less it rubs on the fibber you are...