My stitching went from looking like a drunk spider did it to actually straight in about six months, and the only thing that changed was my needle choice.

4 comments

4 Comments

Honestly, I used to side with Andrew on this. Thought it was just an excuse for buying more stuff when your hands really needed the work. But then I grabbed a petite milliners needle on a whim and my French knots went from lumpy messes to actual little roses. That changed my whole mind. It's not that the needle does the work for you, but some shapes just fit your personal grip and tension better than others.

andrew_baker93mo ago

Hold on, the needle can't be the only thing. That's giving the tool way too much credit. Your hands got six months more practice, your eye for spacing got better, you probably slowed down without even realizing it. A different needle might feel nicer, but it's just a piece of metal. The skill change came from you, not the hardware.

rosecarr3mo ago

So what kind of needle did you switch to, and what were you using before? I'm curious if it was a size thing or a totally different type, like switching from a tapestry to a sharp.

susan_allen3mo ago

My grandma's old #10 sharps finally clicked for me after years of using whatever came in the kit. Andrew_baker9 is right about skill, but the right needle can feel like an extension of your hand instead of a fight.