I truly hate to admit this, but I've never really given a whole lot of thought to sewing machine needles! I kinda just used whatever I happen to have. But lately I've been thinking that perhaps I should pay more attention to this subject.

So, I now come to the best sources I know -- all of you on the board -- for my education. In addition to a wide variety of Universal needles in sizes ranging from 80/12 to 100/16, I have Quilting Needles 130/705 H-Q size 75/11 and 90/14. When they say "quilting needles" do they mean the 'piecing' part of quilting or the 'quilting' part of quilting? Or is it both? And how do you determine which size to use? And why?

I guess I really need to find a class called "Sewing Machine Needle Uses 101." But I'm hoping some of you can save me from the embarassment of admitting my ignorance to other people in person!

I've always thought that Quilting Needles were for the sandwich and Sewing needles for the piecing.

I imagine that anything lighter weight would be for piecing and heavier weight (16/18/19) would be for FMQ.

Here's a pretty good page with machine needle info.

http://www.schmetzneedles.com/needleprimer.html

If you put "sewing machine needle primer" into your search engine you'll find several other pages.

Learned something new! I've never heard of a triple needle on the same shaft. Great info to save for future reference. Thanks

Here is another site that has some good education info, including explaining needles.
http://www.superiorthreads.com/

I know that I have seen an even more detailed site and if I can remember it, I'll post it.

I personally like using a topstitching needle size 90. The needle accommodates different threads much nicer.

Universals are not for quilting OR piecing as they have a ball point tip rather than a sharp - I use a 75/11 quilting needle for piecing and quilting with any thread from a 50 wt and finer and an 80/12 for quilting with a thread up to about a 20 wt. Heavier and decorative threads can need a 90/14. There are also metallic needles for those threads and I use a 70/10 for piecing batiks as they make a smaller hole. I ONLY use Schmetz branded needles - the link Scissor Queen put up is fabbo for further info! I change my needle after every few hours sewing, from experience, I can here a 'tick' as it enters the fabric, then I change it. Needles are cheap compared to my sewing machine and using an old needle can strain the motor.

Universal needles are not the best choice for quilting as they don't have a really sharp point-they are better for sewing with knit fabrics with the more ball point tip that they have...they tend to want to sew between the fabric instead of through the fabric weave so you don't get a really straight line of stitching.
I use the Sharps for piecing, usually a size 10.

For quilting I use the Quilting needles...size will depend on fabrics/batting/amount of piecing...they are very sharp and tapered and designed to go through the layers of fabric.

Before there were all the different needles that we have to choose from these days, I used a finer sized Jeans needle for piecing and quilting, so that is always an option too.
Happy quilting!