A tapestry needle has a blunt tip and an elongated eye. These features make them ideal for needlepoint projects.
Tapestry needles come in many different sizes. You want to use the appropriate sized needle for your canvas. If a needle is too large, it's difficult to get the needle through the canvas. A needle not only carries the thread, it opens the holes a bit so the threads move through the canvas easily and without getting caught on the canvas itself. If the needle is too small, your threads are likely to fray when you are stitching.
The size of a needle is prominently displayed by a number on the packaging. Use a #20 needle for 13 mesh, and a size #22 needle for 18. The higher the number the smaller the needle, the smaller the hole. The lower the number, the larger the needle and hole.
We provide a new John James tapestry needle, either #20 or #22, with our canvases. New needles are easier to stitch, and old needles can get dirty and dull. It's a good practice to always start a new project with a new needle.