How To

...Know your needles

In the ‘olden days’ the sewing machine needle was regarded as a static part of the sewing machine, something you only changed if it broke.  We have come a long way since then.

In the fifties and sixties fabric choice was limited.  Generally the only fabrics available to the home sewer were cotton, wool, linen and silk in medium weights which were pretty tolerant of any needle. Not until the introduction of polyester fibres in the 60s was it apparent that not all needles were created equal.

The result of the introduction of synthetic fibres was a whole new range of needles which led to the problem of “which needle do I choose”? 

Choosing the correct type of needle for the fabric you are using is essential if your stitching is to be perfect. 

How often should you change your needle? 
The basic rule is to change the needle for each new project. However, this does depend on the size of the project, so common sense needs to apply.

HANDY  HINT: If using a variety of needles within a project (such as embroidery, metallic,  plus universal), mark the shanks of each with different coloured nail varnish to indicate the type of needle and/or needle size. You can then identify the needles at a glance, without resorting to a magnifying glass.

Problems arising from blunt needles

It’s surprising just how quickly needles can blunt, especially when using synthetic fabrics, and blunt needles will not only damage the fibres in your fabric, possibly snagging the fabric, but will also cause skipped stitches and occasionally puckering.

If a needle breaks during stitching (without apparent reason), it may be too small (fine) for the fabric being stitched. Try a larger needle size.

If seams pull up or stitches slip, the needle may be too big – try a smaller size.

Remember, a machine needle is one of the cheapest items in your sewing project.  Why use a needle that is not perfect when you are putting all that time and effort into something special.

Needles are often sized according to two systems: Imperial and Metric.  Usually both numbers are marked on the packaging with the Imperial number often given first. At least one numbering system is used to mark the needle shank. Use the chart as a reference when converting from one system to the other.

   

NEEDLE TYPES
The basic rules for selecting a sewing machine needle still hold true, ie Ballpoint for knits and Universal point for both woven and knits.  However, today’s options also include needles for specific types of fabrics, for specialised techniques and for use with metallic threads.


Ballpoint:  The rounded tip slips between yarns rather than piercing them to eliminate damage in knit fabrics.  Use this needle when working on course knits and other fabrics that tend to run if snagged.

Universal:  Most woven and knit fabrics can be sewn with a universal-point needle. The point is slightly rounded for use with knit fabrics, yet sharp enough to pierce woven fabrics. 

There are many types of specialist needles to suit different fabrics and tasks
Denim/Jeans:  For stitching denim, heavy imitation leather or other densely woven fabrics.  It’s also suitable for stitching through multiple fabric layers. The extra-sharp point and stiff shank can pierce through the weave with less likelihood of breaking.

HANDY HINT: When sewing over very thick layers, work each stitch individually by turning the balance wheel by hand if necessary. This helps needle penetration and prevents needles breaking so easily.

Leather:  Shaped like a wedge at the point this needle gives superior piercing power for unyielding fabric such as real leather, suede or heavy vinyl.  It makes a clean, large hole as it enters the fabric. When using leather needles it is important to stitch accurately as the needle leaves a large permanent hole. Where possible, tie thread ends instead of backstitching to prevent perforating the surface. Because this needle has a slight cutting point it is not advisable to use it on woven or knit fabrics.

HANDY HINT: Synthetic leather and suede can and should be sewn with standard needles as a leather needle leaves unnecessarily large holes and weakens seams on these fabrics. 

Machine Embroidery (Blue Tipped) Scarfed Needle (Janome Specific):  This needle’s specially designed scarf and large eye prevent shredding and breakage when sewing dense embroidery designs with rayon, acrylic and other machine embroidery threads. These are available in size 11/75 only. Other brands also have specialist machine embroidery needles with larger eyes.

Metallic (Red Tipped) Scarfed Needle (Janome Specific):  Constructed specifically for use with metallic threads, these needles feature a fine shaft and sharp point to eliminate thread breakage, an elongated eye to accommodate the thread and make threading easier.  They also have a large groove to prevent the delicate threads from shredding and a specially designed scarf to prevent skipped stitches. This needle is also suitable for use with monofilament thread.  These are available in size 14/90 only.

Quilting:  The point on this needle is tapered to successfully sew through thick layers and crossed seams when piecing a quilt and machine quilting the layers together.  They prevent damage to sensitive, expensive materials used in quilting.

Topstitch:  Topstitch needles have an extra-sharp point, an extra-large eye and a larger groove to accommodate thicker topstitching thread or two strands of all-purpose thread.

Wing/Hemstitch:  The sides of this needle’s shank are flared and look like wings. It’s used to create decorative openwork stitching on tightly woven fabrics such as linen and fine batiste and purposely leaves little holes in the fabric.

Twin Needle:  Twin needles are constructed with two shafts on a crossbar that extends from a single shank.  They are ideal to use for heirloom and decorative stitching, and anywhere else that may require multiple, uniform stitching rows.  Sizing for twin needles is slightly different than other speciality needles.  Two numbers are listed on the packaging; the first number represents the distance between the needles and the second number is the metric needle size.  Twin needles can only be used on sewing machines that thread from front to back. The gap between the needles can be 2, 4 or 6 mm. There are also twin needles specifically for stretch fabrics.

Finally
Once you have sorted out which needle to use, make sure you use a good quality thread.  Cheap thread is made from the left overs of good thread and will shred and break just passing through the needle eye. 

Article prepared by
Janome UK Limited
www.janome-uk.co.uk
email: training@janome-uk.co.uk
tel: 0161 666 6011