ALL ABOUT NEEDLES

L E A R N T H E D I F F E R E N T T Y P E S O F S E W I N G N E E D L E S A N D W H E N T O U S E T H E M

When selecting the perfect needle for your project, a few factors to consider are what type of fabric you’ll be sewing and the type of thread you will be using. There are 3 basic machine needles:

UNIVERSAL NEEDLE BALLPOINT NEEDLE SHARP OR MICROTEX

An all-purpose needle for Ballpoint needles are made This is the most common type sewing wovens and knits. The especially for sewing on knit of needle used with tightly point is slightly rounded and fabrics. A ballpoint needle has a woven fabrics. It has a very slim, the needle is tapered so that rounded point that is designed sharp point that creates it slips through the weave of to slide between the of beautiful top-stitching and knits easily while still retaining knit fabrics without snagging or perfectly straight stitches. enough sharpness to pierce breaking them. It also prevents Because of it's fine point it woven fabrics. skipped stitches should be replaced frequently.

When Should You Change Your Machine Needle? Skipped or uneven stitches Thudding sound when sewing Damaged fabrics Broken thread After 6 consecutive hours of sewing SEWING MACHINE NEEDLES ALSO HAVE A NUMBER ASSOCIATED WITH THEM WHICH CORRESPONDS TO THE THICKNESS OF THE NEEDLE.

SIZE 60/8, 65/9, 70/10 Light Weight Fabrics , , , or SIZE 75/11, 80/12 Medium Weight Fabrics Quilting , , or SIZE 90/14, 100/16 Heavy Weight Fabrics , Brocade, SIZE 110/18 Very Heavy Weight Fabrics , or Remember the smaller the number, the lighter the fabric.

A FEW SPECIALITY NEEDLES YOU MAY USE

JEANS/DENIM TWIN STRETCH METALLIC

Designed for Creates the look of Designed to be used Has an elongated piercing thicker professional with 2-way stretch eye which prevents fabrics with a topstitching with two fabrics. Prevents the fraying and reinforced blade to parallel rows of skipped stitches and breaking of delicate reduce breakage and stitching. can also sew elastic. metallic threads. skipped stitches. The Nwieth eSwedet Rleed P oGppyuide

Needle Types

BUTT Stretch Jeans Leather SHANK Microtex Quilting *The shank will be rounded on the front, and Metallic flat on the back Topstitch Specialty TAPER Overlock Needle Sizes

130/21 125/20 120/19 GROOVE 110/18 100/16 90/14 80/12 75/11 BLADE 70/10 65/9 60/8 *All the color coding and SCARF types/sizes are based off of the Schmetz brand needles.

*The needle sizing first in European sizes and then EYE the American size second. A thicker fabric will need a higher number needle. POINT