Best Needle for Sewing Fleece Fabric

Fleece is one of my favorite knit fabrics, a type of fabric know for its warmth, softness, and versatility. It can be challenging to sew with fleece because of its thickness and stretchiness so choosing the right sewing machine needles is important. Today I’m going to go over everything you need to know to choose the best needle for sewing fleece projects and share some tips to help you with your fleece sewing projects.

What makes Fleece Special?

Fleece is a synthetic fabric type, meaning it’s man-made from chemically-produced fibers. It is often a polyester fabric. There are a variety of types of fleece including polar fleece, sherpa fleece, anti-pill fleece, blizzard fleece, terry fleece, plush fleece, cotton fleece, lycra spandex fleece, and more. Each has its own characteristics and is used to make different projects but there are some overall characteristics that they share.

Fleece is popular for projects like blankets, hats, and jackets because of its softness and warmth.

Fleece does not fray, meaning you can cut it and the raw edges won’t unravel. This is why it’s super popular for making no-sew tie blankets.

One other important characteristic of fleece that is important to note is that most fleece has some stretch to it. This can be somewhat of a challenge when sewing with it and part of why the needle you choose matters so that you can avoid issues like skipped stitches or fabric bunching.

Why Choosing the Right Needle Matters

If you choose the wrong needle type then you could have the issues I just mentioned above and more. A needle that is too dull or sharp could snag the fabric. A needle that the wrong size could have some difficulty with getting through the thickness of the fleece.

The right needle will ensure that your stitches are smooth and you don’t damage your fabric. Let’s go over the options for the best needle for sewing fleece fabric.

The Best Needle for Sewing Fleece

In reality there is not one needle that is best for sewing with fleece. There are a few options to consider depending on which type of fleece you are working with. Here are the 3 needle types that I recommend you choose from and when to use them.

Universal Needle

Size Recommendation: 90/14 or 100/16
Why It Works: As the name implies these are good for a wide variety of fabrics.
Best Use Case: Universal needles are a good option if you’re sewing with medium-weight fleece or don’t have a specialty needle on hand.
Pros and Cons: Universal needles are widely available and good for medium-weight fleece but they may not do as well on very stretchy or thick fleece.

Stretch Needle

Why It Works: Stretch needles have a rounded tip that helps prevent snags and skipped stitches when sewing with fabrics with stretch like fleece.
Best Use Case: You want to use stretch needles when using a fleece that is more stretchy or when sewing a seam that will need to stretch along with the fabric.

Ballpoint Needle

Why It Works: Ballpoint needles also have a rounded tip. A rounded tip will slide between fibers rather than piercing through them. This makes ball point needles ideal for knitted fabrics, including some types of fleece. A jersey needle is basically the same as a ballpoint needle. Jersey needles are another good option for stretchy fabrics.
Best Use Case: If you are working with a fleece that has a knit backing or very delicate fibers you want to use a ballpoint needle.

Recommended Needle Features

When picking the type of needle to use with fleece you need to look for these features:

Size: Choose a bigger needle size (90/14 or 100/16) for thick fleece so that your needle can handle the bulkiness without bending or breaking. ,
Tip Shape: The rounded tips of stretch and ballpoint needles are gentler on fabric and help avoid snagging or damaging the fabric.
Durability: Pick a high-quality needle that can hold up to repeated stitching through thick fabric.

Recommended Brands

For best results I would use one of the more trusted brands. I personally use Schmetz but have heard good things about the other two I’m listing below.

Schmetz: Like I said, these are the ones I use and I think the quality is super high. They have a wide variety of needles and actually have needles specifically for fleece. Their fleece needles have a medium ball point, specially designed eye, and scarf to prevent skipped stitches.
Singer: Singer needles are another popular choice for sewers and are widely available.
Organ Needles: Organ needles are very affordable and perform well especially for stretch fabrics.

Simple Tips for Sewing with Fleece

Here are a few other things that will help you be successful with your fleece sewing products.

Thread Choice: You will want to use polyester thread or all-purpose thread for fleece because it is strong, durable, and has a bit of stretch. You want to avoid using cotton thread, which can break when the fabric stretches.
Sewing Machine Settings: For fleece you will adjust the tension and stitch length on your machine. A longer stitch length (3.0–4.0 mm) can help prevent puckering. You can also help the fabric feed more evenly by Lowering the presser foot pressure.
Presser Foot: I like to use a walking foot to prevent the fabric from sticking or shifting around while I sew.
Fresh Needles: You will want to replace your needle with a new needle after every project or when it starts to seem dull. Invest in a new pack of needles every couple of times you go to the fabric store so that you have what you need on hand.
Cutting and Pinning: When you cut your fabric you want to use sharp scissors or a rotary cutter for clean edges. I like to use a rotary cutter and mat so I make sure to change my rotary cutting blades often. You also don’t want to use too many pins when you pin your project together as the pins can leave marks on the fleece.

That’s all I’ve got! I hope you enjoyed this post about picking the right sewing machine needle and tips for sewing with fleece and that you found it helpful! Let me know in the comments below if you’ve got a favorite needle to use with fleece or if you have a tip to share!