Do you ever change your cross stitch needle, or do you just keep using the same one unless it actually breaks?
This isn’t a trick question, and there’s no right or wrong answer but I wanted to share some things to think about if you’ve been wondering if and when it's time for a new cross stitch needle.
I’ve noticed a number of cross stitchers wondering how long it’s ok to keep using the same needle and I’ve given this some consideration in the past but not really come to any conclusion, so thought it was time to revisit it and figure out my needle plan once and for all.
If you are hoping for a simple answer to this then you are going to be disappointed but I can tell you what I’ve decided to do and how I came to that decision.
If you would prefer to watch rather than read then this video contains all the same information >>>
What happens to needles as you stitch?
It might be helpful to first consider how needles are manufactured and what happens to them over time as they are used to cross stitch.
Generally, needles are made from a steel wire core with a coating on top that is most commonly nickel. There may also be an additional coating or plating on top of that such as gold or platinum.
All of those coatings are relatively soft metals so needles will get damaged a teeny little bit with every single stitch, whether that’s getting slightly bent, becoming slightly roughened on the shaft of the needle, the point getting more blunt or the inside of the eye of the needle becoming worn and rougher.
And all of that could reduce the ease of stitching or the neatness of stitches, for example the needle may not glide through the holes as easily, it may catch more on the fabric or threads, or a worn eye could rub your threads and make them more prone to looking fluffy or even knotting and tangling more easily.
The other thing that can happen to the soft coating as you stitch is that it gets worn off and/or tarnished.
You might notice that over time as you use a needle that it appears duller in certain areas, or has black spots or patches on it, particularly where you hold it, and this is tarnishing.
I haven’t been able to pin down if this tarnishing is the coating being affected or actually being removed such that the steel core is exposed and tarnishes.
Either way, it’s bad news as a tarnished needle could discolour your thread or fabric and I wouldn’t recommend using a needle any longer once you see any tarnishing.
I am lucky that I haven’t had any major issues with tarnishing but it’s a big problem for a lot of cross stitchers. The reason needles tarnish is due to moisture and oils from your hands and that will be different for everyone. Some people have naturally higher levels of skin moisture and oils and find needles tarnish much more quickly for them. This will likely mean you need to change your needle more often.
Interestingly, gold is softer than nickel so this is why it can wear off much more quickly, so it isn’t necessarily a better option if you want a needle that lasts longer. An article by Lord Libidan suggested that some gold coatings can wear off after even just 6 hours of stitching whilst good ones may last 30-50 hours.
How often should you change your needle?
I think we can agree that a worn needle could very definitely affect the smoothness of your stitching experience and the appearance of your stitching, therefore it stands to reason that changing your needle regularly would be of benefit but how do you know when?
It would be wonderful if I could tell you that a needle should be replaced after a certain number of stitches or length of time used but the reality is that it likely depends on a lot of factors, probably some I’m not even aware of.
I’m sure needle manufacture has something to do with it and some brands may just last longer than others but I don’t have any evidence for this or for which ones might last longer.
I do wonder if factors like using rougher threads such as metallics, or using a needle threader could cause more damage to the eye of the needle, but that’s pure speculation.
When to change your cross stitch needle
The first and extremely obvious time to get a new needle is if the needle actually breaks in any way. Yeah, that's pretty much a no-brainer!
Similarly, and as I’ve already mentioned, is if you can actually see any rough patches on your needle, or it has become tarnished i.e. dull or blackened.
The next situation where you might decide to change your needle is if you notice your thread twists and knot more often, you have more stitches that just don't sit quite right, or you find it trickier to thread your needle. This could indicate wear and tear on your needle and that it’s time for a new one.
That’s still a wee bit vague, which is why I think cross stitchers just keep using the same needle for so long. It feels wasteful to throw away a needle that isn’t actually broken or visibly damaged or tarnished.
There’s also the cost to consider, but I realised this is actually a little bit daft because needles are not expensive in the grand scheme of things.
If you consider the cost of a cross stitch kit, pattern, thread, fabric etc. then the cost of a new needle even for each new project is a tiny fraction of the overall cost.
My plan for when to use a new needle
I have decided that I will take a brand new needle for every single medium to large size project that I start. If it’s a particularly large project such as a fancy lady then I will change my needle half way through. Unless I notice any dulling or tarnishing of the needle, or any reduction in neatness earlier than that and then I’ll swap to a new needle immediately.
For very small or small projects, I will use a needle for 2 projects and then throw it away. I have a magnetic needle case so I will put needles in there that have been used for a single small project. I can take one out to complete a second small project and then I’ll throw it away.
Needle disposal
It is of course important to dispose of old needles safely!
If you are going to put them in your general waste then make sure they are well wrapped up or even better, inside a solid container such as an old pill bottle.
In some places you may be able to put them in your household metal recycling collection but I think most places would say not to do this. Alternatively, you may be able to take them to your local recycling centre to go in the scrap metal bin. Again, you'd have to check this for your area.
I work in a hospital so could take my old needles to work and pop them in a Sharps bin!
I’ve found a small pot to put all my old needles in that I can then throw away in its entirety when it’s full or take to the hospital.
Now it’s over to you…please do let me know your thoughts on this topic and if you might change your practice...or not!
Until next time... happy stitching!