I watched the video and she says the embroidery needle is a ballpoint. According to the Schmetz website, she is right. In fact, several of their needles are described as medium ballpoints. They call the ballpoint needles jersey needles

Superior Threads Needle Guide
http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/using-the-right-needle/

Schmetz Needles Needle Chart
http://www.schmetzneedles.com/learni...edle-chart.pdf

Sharon Schamber is one of the best so she knows what she is talking about. I would try the needles and see if they work for me. If I liked them and they are easier on the fabric then that's what I'd use.

As do these women:

Harriet Hargrave, from Heirloom Machine Quilting, on the Quilting needles she uses: "This needle is tapered and slender, and is made with a true sharp point especially for quilting. This design allows the needle to pass through the fabric quickly and smoothly, eliminating skipped and uneven stitched. It is excellent for piecing as well as machine quilting."

Diane Gaudynski, from Guide to Machine Quilting, on the Sharps needles she uses: "Recently, I have started using the smallest needle I can find for machine quilting...a sharp needle, which makes a tiny, precise hole. It prevents the bobbin thread from coming through to the top or shadowing through."

Clearly, there are master quilters who recommend several different types of needles for machine quilting. Try some of those that have been mentioned and see which you like best for yourself. As with almost everything else involved with quilting, it's a purely personal decision. :)

Ok, help! I am doing free motion quilting and the thread broke twice. once I was using poly on poly thread. by mistake actually. it shredded and got caught up inside my machine. was using a quilting needle, changed to a top stitch 90/12 or 90/14 one with cotton on cotton. I now have half of Santa's beard done but it shredded again. any suggestions on needle size. I thought a larger eye would help too but evidently not.