Needles, Pins and Adhesives
This category brings together our guides to the small equipment every sewing project needs: machine and hand needles, pins, fabric and leather glues, and a basic supply list for beginners. The guides explain how to choose by fabric type and task, and how to spot a problem caused by the wrong tool, such as skipped stitches, holes in the fabric or glue that peels off after washing. Every product detail in the guides is taken from the product page on our site.
If you are just starting to sew, begin with the basic equipment guide for beginners. After that there is a guide to choosing a sewing machine needle by fabric type and weight, a guide to identifying hand, embroidery and upholstery needles, a guide to the types of sewing pins, and a guide to choosing glue for fabric, leather and shoes.
The supplies are in the Needles, Pins, Glues and Needle Threaders categories, all under Sewing Supplies. The catalog includes products from PRYM, BOHIN, ORGAN, Gütermann and E6000. Studios and schools can get a volume-based price quote.
Sewing Machine Needles: How to Choose by Fabric Type and Weight
How to choose a sewing machine needle for your fabric: a map of woven and knit fabrics with the right size and point type for each, matching the thread, and spotting the wrong needle from stitch problems.
Types of Sewing Pins: Steel, Pearl Head, Safety Pins and What Suits a Dress Form
How to choose sewing pins by length, thickness, steel hardness and head type: what works for pinning into a dress form, for delicate fabrics, for threading elastic and for tagging, plus a recommended kit for every type of work.
Hand Sewing Needles: How to Identify a Needle by Its Point, Eye and Number
How to identify needles for hand sewing, embroidery and upholstery: what the point, eye and length tell you, how to read numbers like 3/9 and 5/0, and how to match a needle to the thread, the task and the needle threader.
Glue for Fabric, Leather and Shoes: Which Glue Suits Which Job
How to choose glue for fabric, leather and shoes by task: patches and hems, rhinestones and embellishments, soles and heels, and temporary fixing, with drying times, wash resistance, scrap testing and safety.
Sewing Supplies for Beginners: What You Really Need and What Can Wait
A beginner's sewing supplies list by stage of work: fabric scissors and thread snips, pins, machine and hand needles, measuring, marking and ironing, what can wait, and how not to overbuy.
Frequently asked questions
How do you know which needle size is right?
For sewing machine needles, a higher number means a thicker needle for heavier fabrics. For hand needles it's the opposite: a higher number means a finer needle. The guides in this category list the right match for each type of fabric.
Which pins are suitable for working on a dress form?
For working on a dress form, fine, sharp steel pins are best: they go easily into the form's cover and don't leave large holes in the fabric. The pin types guide explains how to read the sizes on the pack.
Is there a fabric glue that is washable?
Yes. The Gütermann HT2 textile glue in our catalog is suited to fabrics and leather and is washable up to 40 degrees according to the product page. The adhesives guide explains which glue suits each job.
When should I change my sewing machine needle?
Change the needle when you see skipped stitches, broken thread, a punching noise or pulled threads in the fabric, and also whenever you switch to a different type of fabric. The machine needle guide explains how to identify each problem.