|
Choosing the Right Sewing Machine Needle
If you have ever had difficulty piecing a garment or quilt, you know how
important your choice of needle can be. This primer will give you an overview
of the type of sewing machine needle you should choose for your project.
Needles range in size from a very thin and flexible 60\8 to a heavy-duty
needle 120/19. (Needle sizes are not the same for regular home machines and
commercial machines.) Just like thread, most needles use a two number
identification system to define the needle shaft diameter. The higher number
measures the diameter in fractions of a millimeter. The lower number is the
numbering system used in the U.S.
You should always change your needle after 6 - 10 hours of sewing. Consult
your sewing machines user manual and use the needles they recommend. If you
are changing to a specialty needle for a specific task, store your regular
needle in a pincushion, not in a drawer or on the floor.
There are eleven basic types of needles:
- Universal Point
Needles are a great all-purpose needle. This needle has a very
slightly rounded tip that is still sharp and can used for general sewing
of most knit and woven fabrics. Use 60/8 for silks; 70/10 for lightweight
fabrics; 80/12 for medium weight fabrics; 90/14 for medium to heavyweight
fabrics; 100/16 for heavyweight fabrics and 110 for upholstery fabrics.
Singer codes this needle with a red top.
- A Ballpoint Needle
has a slightly more rounded tip than a Universal. If your Universal needle
is still snagging the knits, try a ballpoint needle.
- A Stretch Needle also has a rounded tip. It's specially shaped
shank creates good stitch formation on elastic or highly elasticized
fabrics such as spandex. Use a 70/ 10 needle. This is also a good needle
for faux fur and fleece. Use a 90/14 needle.
- A Quilting Needle
has a tapered point and slightly stronger shaft for stitching through
multiple fabric layers and across intersecting seams. Use a 70/10 or 80/12
for intricate designs. Use a 90/14 if your quilt sandwich is thick.
- A Sharp Point Needle
(also called a Microtex
needle) is thinner and sharper than the universal point. Use it on
very fine fabrics (including high thread count quilting cotton material)
and chintz. It is an excellent all purpose needle for piecing, appliqué
and quilting. An 80/12 is fine for general piecing and machine quilting.
If you are using tiny threads (like bobbin, lingerie, invisible) in
machine quilting, use a size 60/8. Singer codes this with a purple
top.
- A Skip-free Needle has a deeper groove above the eye (scarf) and
flatter shank than a Universal. Good for synthetic knits and faux suede.
Use an 80/12 needle.
- A Jeans or Denim Needle has a very sharp tip, slender eye and a
strong shaft. This is good for sewing on tough, heavyweight fabrics such
as denim, duck and canvas. Use a 90/14 or a 100/16 needle if sewing on
these fabrics; a lighter 70/10 or 80/12 if sewing on cotton. Singer codes
this with a blue top.
- A Leather Needle has a shape like a wedge at the point which
makes a clean, large hole as it enters the fabric. This gives it good
piercing power for unyielding fabric such as real leather, suede or heavy
vinyl. Use a 110/18 needle.
- Embroidery Needle This needle has a larger eye, a slightly
rounded point and a deep scarf (groove above the eye) to protect
decorative thread from shredding or breaking. Slightly rounded point; long
eye. Use a 70/10 needle for dense embroidery.
- A Metallica Thread Needle has a larger Teflon coated eye which
reduces friction but still accommodates heavier threads and reduces
spitting and shredding on delicate metallic threads. Use a metallic needle
when sewing with monofilament or invisible thread. Put a cover or cap on
the spool so it doesn't unwind.
- A Topstitching Needle has an extra-large eye and deeper groove
for use with heavier topstitching thread, when using a double thread
through the needle for more pronounced stitching, or using decorative
threads. Use size 80/12, 90/14 or 100/16 depending on the application.
There are also Special-purpose Needles such as
- A Spring needle which is used for machine quilting. It has a wire
spring above the point to prevent fabrics from riding up onto the needle
when the presser foot is removed and the feed dogs are dropped. Spring
needles can be purchased in most of the types and sizes listed
above.
- Twin and Triple Needles are generally used in garment sewing. Two
or three needles are put on a single crossbar to create perfectly
parallel, multiple rows of stitching in one pass using a single bobbin
thread. Spacing between the needles varies from 1.6mm to 8mm wide. They
are numbered first by the distance in millimeters between the needles and
second by the size of the needle.
- Wing or Hemstitch Needles are designed for decorative stitching
on tightly woven fabrics. Wide wing blades or fins on each side of the
shank create openings in tightly woven fabrics such as linen and batiste
fabric to resemble entredeux
trim. Wing needles are available as singles or as twins that
have a wing needle and a standard needle on a single crossbar.
- Serger Needles vary by machine. Some take specialty needles and
some will accept regular machine needles. Check the manual!
|
|
