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Prym Embroidery Needles: Crewel and Smyrna
Quick guide: Prym embroidery needles designed for every hand embroidery technique: Crewel with elongated gold eye for cross stitch, gobelin and free embroidery; Smyrna blunt tip for Turkish embroidery and Bargello; needles for beads and sequins. Hardened steel with gold eye for easy threading of 6-strand embroidery floss.
Embroidery needles are specialist tools: the eye is larger than that of sewing needles to carry multiple embroidery threads (typically 2 to 6 strands), and the tip type varies by technique. Tessiland stocks the Prym line, with three types covering all the most common hand embroidery techniques.
Looking for needles for other types of work? Explore all Tessiland needles or discover special needles for beading, Punch Needle and felting.
Crewel: the classic choice for free embroidery
Crewel needles have a fine point and an elongated gold eye: they pass easily through fabric and carry multiple thread strands at once. Perfect for cross stitch, gobelin, embroidery on fabric and work with mouliné floss.
Smyrna: blunt tip for needlepoint embroidery
Smyrna needles have a rounded tip and are used for Turkish embroidery (Smyrna), Bargello and needlepoint on canvas. The rounded tip glides between canvas threads without piercing them, ensuring regular, even stitches.
Explore embroidery needles by technique
Crewel Needles — elongated gold eye Cross Stitch
Crewel Needles for Beading — gold eye Beading
Smyrna Needles — blunt tip size 1 Needlepoint
Explore the full Tessiland needle range
From embroidery to knitting, find the right needle for every technique
How to choose embroidery needles?
The choice of embroidery needle depends on the technique and the type of fabric or canvas you are using:
- Cross stitch and free embroidery: Crewel needle with point, size based on fabric fineness (N.3–5 for fine fabric, N.7–9 for coarse).
- Needlepoint, Bargello, canvas: Smyrna blunt needle — the rounded tip does not pierce canvas threads.
- Applying beads and sequins: small Crewel needle (N.10–13) or special needles — see special needles.
- Embroidery wool and thick threads: elongated eye to carry multiple strands at once.
How many thread strands are used for embroidery?
Standard mouliné has 6 separable strands: for cross stitch on 14-count Aida fabric, 2 strands are typically used; for coarser fabrics (11–18 count), 3–4 strands. The elongated gold eye of Prym Crewel needles is sized to easily carry 2 to 6 strands of thread without tangling. For embroidery wool or single thick crewel thread, choose a larger size needle (N.3–5).
SELECTION GUIDE: which embroidery needle for each technique
Three variables to find the right needle without guesswork.
1. Embroidery technique
- Cross stitch, free embroidery, gobelin: Crewel needle with point
- Needlepoint, Bargello, Turkish embroidery: Smyrna blunt needle
- Applying beads and sequins to fabric: small Crewel needle (N.10–13) or special needles
2. Thread type
- Mouliné (2–6 strands): gold elongated eye for tangle-free threading
- Single-strand embroidery wool: larger size, N.3–5
- Thin beading threads: size N.10–13
3. Fabric type
- Aida fabric, linen, woven cloth: needle with point
- Canvas, grid fabric, plastic mesh: blunt needle (Smyrna)
Frequently asked questions about embroidery needles
What is the difference between a Crewel needle and a Smyrna needle?
A Crewel needle has a fine, sharp point: it penetrates fabric for free embroidery, cross stitch and gobelin. A Smyrna needle has a rounded tip: it glides between canvas threads without piercing them, ideal for needlepoint, Bargello and canvas embroidery.
What size embroidery needle to use for Aida fabric?
For 14-count Aida fabric (the most common), use a Crewel needle size N.24–26 (international scale) or N.5–7 in the Prym scale. For finer fabrics (18–28 count), go towards smaller sizes (N.9–12); for coarse fabrics (11 count), use larger sizes (N.3–5).
Can embroidery needles be used for cross stitch?
Yes: for cross stitch on Aida fabric, Smyrna needles (blunt) or Crewel needles in the right size are both used. Many embroiderers prefer the rounded tip because it enters the holes of Aida fabric without risk of piercing the threads. The elongated gold eye makes threading 2–6 strands of mouliné easy.
How many needles do you need for embroidery?
In an embroidery project it is useful to have multiple needles in use at the same time — one per thread colour — to avoid constantly unthreading and re-threading. Prym packs of 16 and 25 needles are sized precisely for this: you always have the needle with the right colour already threaded for each part of your project.
