I do A Lot of hand piecing. I use Sharps, Milners & Straws, and applique needles. ( Straw & Milners are same, just some manufacturers call them Straw- they are long, straight - often used in beading because they are the same width tip to tip ) John James and Roxanne's are the needles I use most often. I don't use betweens just because they are so short- I prefer longer needles. Just me. The size of the needle is dependent on the size thread being used. Visit Superior Threads website. They have free charts, help pages that explain needles, along with explaining the different Threads. The needle information covers all kinds of hand work along with domestic and longarm machines. A great resource.