Singer Needles Universal Ball Point Size 14 04746
Ball point needles are also called universal needles. They are suitable for all woven and knit fabrics. The larger the size, the heavier the needle. Singer ball point needles are also called "Yellow Band".
- Made of: Metal
- Use: Machine Needles
- Size: 90/14
- Included: 5 Needles
TIP: For highest sewing quality, change your needle every 6 - 8 hours of sewing and/or type of fabric. SINGER needles are compatible with all brands of domestically sold sewing machines.
SINGER machine embroidery needles offer a smooth sewing experience, thanks to the special scarf and enlarged eyes. Design features decrease friction on thread, avoiding shredding and breakage. Needles are sized 90/14, and best used on medium-weight woven fabrics.
The set of 5 machine embroidery needles comes in a plastic case that includes sizing on the cover. These needles can be used with SINGER, Brother, Kenmore and other quality sewing machines.
Singer Sewing Machine Guides - Needles
Selecting the correct needle for your project is just as important as selecting the fabric, thread, and stabiliser. There are different sizes and types of needles for different types of fabric. The European metric sizing system for sewing machine needles is numbered from 60 to 110. The American sizing system is numbered from 8 to 18. For both sizing systems, the lower the number the finer the needle and the higher the number the larger the needle. Most needle companies show both sizes on the package.
A good rule of thumb to keep in mind: the lighter the fabric the smaller the needle size and the heavier the fabric the larger the needle size. Many times the thread you will be using for your sewing project will also determine the type of needle you choose. For example, when using a fine, delicate thread, be sure to use a smaller needle size. A selection of SINGER® needles is available online in our Accessories section.
Sewing Machine Needles
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Universal (Style 2020) needles are used for all woven fabrics. This needle will penetrate the fabric threads of woven fabrics.
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Ball Point (Style 2045) needles are used for sewing on knits; the rounded tip allows the needle to pass between the fabric threads by separating them. (Using a regular point needle on knit fabric will result in skipped stitches and fabric damage, causing it to curl.)
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Chromium Regular Point (Style 2000) needles are recommended for sewing woven fabrics on all SINGER® and QUANTUM® embroidery machines. This stronger needle is longer lasting and will tolerate the high stitching speed of embroidery machines.
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Chromium Ball Point (Style 2001) needles are recommended for sewing knit fabrics on all SINGER® and QUANTUM® embroidery machines. This stronger needle is longer lasting and will tolerate the high stitching speed of embroidery machines.
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Denim or Jeans (Style 2026) needles are recommended for sewing denim, jeans, and canvas.
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Twin Needle (Style 2025) is used for stitching two closely spaced parallel rows at a time - for decorative stitching.
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Hemstitch or Wing-Needle (Style 2040) creates a small hole in the fabric as is sews and is used in heirloom sewing. Use natural woven fibers like linen & cotton for best results.
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Leather (Style 2032) needles are used for leather and vinyl.
Overlock Machine Needles
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Universal (Style 2054-42) overlock needles are used for all woven fabrics. This needle will penetrate the fabric threads of woven fabrics.
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Ball Point (Style 2054-06) overlock needles are used for sewing on knits; the rounded tip allows the needle to pass between the fabric threads by dividing the hem. (Using a regular point needle on knit fabric will result in skipped stitches and fabric damage, causing it to curl.) For use SINGER® overlock machines.
Change the needle after sewing two to three garments or after hitting a pin. Fabric damage is often caused by a bent, blunt or burred needle. Uneven or skipped stitches are often the result of using the incorrect needle size or type.
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Fabric Fabrics below can be of any fiber, cotton, linen, silk, wool, synthetic, rayon, blends. They are listed as examples of weight. | Machine Needle Type | Machine Needle Size |
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| Sheer to lightweight: Batiste, Chiffon, Georgette, Organza, Voile and all microfiber or microdenier fabrics. | Regular Point | 70/9 or 80/12 |
| Lightweight: Challis, Chambray, Charmeuse, Crepe de Chine, Gauze, Handkerchief Linen, Silk, Taffeta, Tissue Faille. | Regular Point | 80/12 |
| Medium-weight: Broadcloth, Brocade, Chino, Chintz, Corduroy, Flannel, Linen, Poplin, Satin, Synthetic Suedes, Taffeta, Terry, Velvet | Regular Point | 90/14 |
| Medium to Heavy-weight: Coating, Damask, Drapery Fabric, Fake Fur, Gabardine, Ticking, Woolens | Regular Point | 100/16 or 110/18 |
| Denim and Canvas | Denim/Jeans | 100/16 |
| Sheer to Lightweight Knits: Jersey, Single Knit, Spandex, Tricot | Ball Point | 70/10 or 80/12 |
| Medium to Heavy-weight Knits: Double Knit, Sweatshirt, Sweater Knit | Ball Point | 90/14 |
| Specialty Fabrics: Leather, Suede, Buckskin | Wedge Point | 90/14 or 100/16 |
Top 10 Needle Troubleshooting Tips
1. For best sewing results, needles should be replaced every 8-10 hours of stitching time.
2. Snags or pulls in woven (non-stretch) fabrics:
This can occur if the needle is either bent or dull, or you are using the wrong style of needle. Use a regular point needle (Style 2020) for woven fabrics.
3. Skipped stitches on woven fabrics:
This can occur when the needle is old, bent or dull.
Remove and discard the old needle. Replace it with a new regular point needle (Style 2020).
4. Skipped stitches on stretch fabrics:
This can occur if you are using a regular point needle instead of a ball point needle.
Switch to a ball point needle (Style 2045) which is specifically designed for sewing stretch fabrics.
5. Popping sound while you are sewing:
This is a good indication that the needle is bent or damaged. Remove and discard the old needle. Replace it with a new one that is appropriate for the type and weight of fabric.
6. Thread is shredding:
This can mean the needle is too small for the thickness of thread, so change to either a larger size needle or a finer weight thread.
Shredding thread can also occur if the thread is old or poor quality (uneven filament).
7. Needles are breaking:
This can be an indication that the needle size is too small for the thickness of fabric being sewn, so change to a larger size needle. Additionally, when you sew, do not “push” or “pull” the fabric, but rather, let the feed dogs draw the fabric along. If you push or pull the fabric as you sew, the needle could deflect causing it to break.
8. Large holes in the seam line of lighter weight woven fabrics:
This can be an indication that your needle is too large for the weight of the fabric. Change to a smaller needle size.
9. When removing and inserting needles, it can be helpful to place a small piece of paper over the presser foot area, so that you don’t accidentally drop the needle down into the machine!
10. When inserting a new needle, be sure that is inserted correctly into the machine, or it may not sew properly. The flat side of the needle should be facing toward the back of the machine. Make sure it is all the way up in the needle clamp, then tighten the needle clamp screw securely.
Using the wrong size of sewing needle in your sewing machines can cause poor stitch quality, needle breakages and difficulty working with your chosen material. To get the most beautiful finish for your product, you need to ensure that the sewing needle you’re working with is the right size for your job.
Here is an extensive guide to sewing machine needle sizes, as well as recommendations of what fabrics work best with each needle. Even if you’re a confident stitcher, it’s worth skimming through our article to double-check your choice of needle is as efficient as possible!
Sewing Needle Types
The shape and size of the needle changes with what material it’s been designed to be used with. Leather needles and quilting needles are naturally a little thicker than their embroidery counterparts.
Universal Needles
Universal needle types are ideal for woven fabrics, synthetics and knit fabrics. When it comes to lightweight fabrics, finer variations are best, whereas larger needles are used on medium to heavyweight materials. Cotton and silk threads work best with a universal needle.
Ball Point Needles
Ball point needles work best with knit fabrics, as they have a more rounded tip than a universal needle, that pushes fabrics apart rather than cutting them. Cutting a knit fabric can result in laddering or running, which ruins the effect of your finished piece. Cotton blend threads are best for use with ball point needles, and finer threads should be used for finer needles.
Stretch Needles
Stretch needles have a ‘scarf’, which is essentially extra room for the hook to pass close by and prevents skipped stitches. This needle type works well with elastic, Lycra, and power net. Polyester or cotton wrapped threads are most ideal for this needle type.
Quilting Needles
Sharps or quilting needles have a strong shaft and sharp point, designed to work through multiple layers of fabric without bending or breaking. This needle type is particularly beneficial for quilting and can be used with any kind of thread.
Leather Needles
Leather needles have a chisel point designed to cut as it penetrates, built strategically for real leather and suede material. Thicker threads are best for use with a leather needle since leather is a stronger material that needs more reinforcement than fine thread can provide.
Embroidery Needles
Embroidery needles are designed with a pontoon scarf, oversized bump and wider eye to allow rayon, cotton and polyester threads to pass freely and easily when in use. The needle is designed to reduce movement in fabric, and so is perfect for detailed work.
Sewing Needle Sizes
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Size 9/70 |
Suitable for light fabrics, silk and taffeta |
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Size 11/80 |
Suitable for medium fabrics, cotton, linen and satin |
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Size 14/90 |
Suitable for medium to heavy fabrics, this is an ideal standard needle |
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Size 16/100 |
Suitable for heavy fabrics, denim, tweeds, curtain fabrics and soft furnishings |
Generally speaking, thinner needles are suitable for thinner fabrics and more detailed works such as embroidery because they use finer threads. A standard needle is mid-sized at around 14/90, with the capability to perform basic embroidery works and pierce through medium to heavy fabrics. Thicker needles around the 16/100 mark are perfect for denims and tweeds but would be far too aggressive for silk.
Choosing the correct sewing machine needles for your job is the first step to assuring an end product of great quality. Needles are designed with specific jobs in mind, so guarantee that you get the smoothest result when working with a tricky material by employing the correct needle size and type. If in any doubt, test your needle on a patch of spare scrap material before starting your project to avoid a costly mistake.
What Does The Colors On The Needle Mean?
You may have noticed the SINGER needles have different colours on the shanks. This is not just to decorate them. It is a code to help you know what type of needle it is.
Below we have the codes that, so you know which needle type correlates with what color. Choose the correct needle for your next project.
Needle Style Colour:
- Red is for woven fabrics (2020)
- Yellow is for Knitted fabrics (2045)
- Blue is for Denim (2026)
- Brown is for Leather (2032)
- Dark Grey is for embroidery (2000)
- Light Grey is for overlocking (2022/2054)
- Purple is for quilting (2019)
Needle Size Color:
- Green size 70 is for extra fine fabrics
- Orange size 80 is for light fabrics
- Blue size 90 is for medium fabrics
- Violet size 100 is for heavy fabrics
Types Of Needles
Woven Needles:
A round sharp point needle is thinner and sharper than a universal needlepoint. It makes a perfect straight stitch for woven fabrics. Choose the right size needle for perfect results every time.
Stretch:
A ballpoint needle is used to prevent skipped stitches and fibre damage in knitted fabrics. It has a slightly more rounded tip than a sharp needle. The rounded tip slips between yarns rather than cutting them.
Overlocker:
A regular point style needle is used for this overlocker. This needle will penetrate the fabric threads of woven fabrics.
Embroidery:
A chromium needle is recommended for embroidery machines. These needles are designed to sew at high speed without heating.
Leather:
A reverse twist point needle has a cutting point which makes a small incision in the leather for the thread to pass. This cutting point makes a very clean hole in the fabric/ leather.
Hemstitch/ Wing:
Sharp with wide blades. Designed for decorative stitching on woven fabrics. This stitch will resemble Entredeux. Use natural tightly woven fibers like linen and cotton for best results.
Microtex:
Is recommended for sewing microfibre, silk and very fine delicate fabrics.
Twin:
Is 3mm wide and is used for pintucks & twin needle stitching.
Quilting:
A slim point needle which makes it easy to penetrate through multiple quilt layers
If you have any further questions as to suitable needle shapes and sizes for your next sewing machine project, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Continental Sewing Center (859) 252-0309