About four years ago I was really into needlepoint, especially with counted cross stitch. But after my daughter was born I didn't have time to do needlepoint. Well, I'm 8 months pregnant with my son, making a turkey for his bedroom wall (14 ct) (woods/forest theme for his nursery). So I decided to get some Counted-cross stitch needles. Every where I went today (Michales, ACMoore, Joann's)had embroidery, tapestry, crewel, etc except for counted cross stitch. I know tapestry needle can be used but the numbers and thickness seems different from the counted cross stitch needles that I have left.

My question is can I still get counted cross stitch needles or is tapestry all that I can get? Where or how can I figure out the difference between the number of needle (thickness of), of tapestry needle, compared to a cross-stitch count?

Any response will be appreciated.

From the Kathy Dyer FAQ site about cross stitch:
http://home.comcast.net/~kathydyer/nf_xstitch_tut.html#sel_needle

"3. Selecting the Needle
Counted cross stitch should be done with a tapestry needle. Tapestry needles have blunt points and much larger eyes than sewing needles. The blunt points prevent the needles from piercing fabric threads.

Tapestry needles come in a variety of sizes. A larger size number means a smaller needle. Cross stitching usually requires a #22, #24, #26 or #28 needle.

One traditional "rule" says you should use a #22 needle if the fabric is 14 count (14 threads per inch) or less, a #24 or #26 needle if the fabric count is 16-18 count, and a #26 needle if the fabric is finer than 18.

The needle should be large enough to move the fabric threads out of the way just a tiny bit. This reduces the friction and wear on your stitching fiber.

The floss or fiber thickness and number of strands used can also affect the choice needle size.

The usual "rule" holds--find a size (or sizes) you like.

Some people lose the finish on their needles over time. Besides being ugly, this can make the needle more difficult to use. Special finishes, such as gold and platinum, are available. They cost more but some stitchers find they last longer. Try different finishes until you find the one that works best for you."
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Personally I would never use a filed off sharp needle, because of the risk of snagging your fabric or previously stitched work while using it. For the amount of hours going into some of these projects, it's worth the $1.25 for a packet of tapestry needles.

I most often use a #24 needle to work on 14ct, but that's my preference.

Hope this is helpful!
Carolyn in VA