Needle Guide: How To Pick The Correct Needle

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• Step 1

  Universal Needle: suitable for most fabrics, size dependent. Has a slightly rounded point and elongated scarf so that the needle and bobbin hook meet easily.

• Step 2

  Stretch Needle: has a rounded point that moves fabric fibres apart rather than splitting them so as not to damage elasticity of fabric.

• Step 3

  Ballpoint Needle: like the stretch needle, but with an even more rounded point

• Step 4

  Sharps Needle: has sharper point for use with delicate fabrics so as not to pull fibres

• Step 5

  Denim Needle: has a sharper point and modified shaft to pierce fabrics without pushing denim in to the sewing plate. Best for densely woven fabrics.

• Step 6

  Leather Needle: the point is more arrowhead shaped in order to pierce through leather. Not suitable for use on faux leather.

• Step 7

  Quilting Needle: has a tapered shaft so as not to damage fabric when stitching through all layers of quilt and to easily pierce all these layers.

• Step 8

  Embroidery Needle: has a softer point (between sharp and ballpoint) and enlarged eye to prevent decorative threads from breaking.

• Step 9

  Twin Needle: this is a set of two needles on one shaft that produces a double row of stitching usually for hemming stretch fabrics for a professional finish.

• Step 10

  Anatomy of a needle:
  Shank – the part that fits in to the machine, most often with a flat back to fit correctly.
Shaft – the body of the needle, narrower than the shank, the width determines the size of the needle
Front Groove – the small slit above the eye which should hold the thread in line for smooth stitches
Point – The tip of the needle which pierces through the fabric to pass the top thread through the bobbin hook to form the stitch. The shape of this varies on different needle types
Scarf – the slight indentation behind/above the eye of the needle which helps eliminate skipped stitches by allowing the bobbin hook to thread with more ease.
Eye – the hole in the needle which the thread passes through. The size and type of needle determines the size of the eye.

• Step 11

  Needle sizes:
  Basically the lower the number, the finer the needle! The size is calculated by the diameter so a size 80/12 is 0.8mm thick.
  One last note about needles…technically they should be changed every day or at least after every project to maintain a sharp, consistent stitch. Usually this is the first thing you should check if you are having issues or dropping stitches.

• Step 12

  Thread Guide
  Universal – our basic thread in polyester fibre – 1000m reels
  Sew All – polyester thread suitable for all fabrics and stitch types – 100m, 250m, 500m & 1000m reels
  Cotton – best used on quilting projects and it has a slight shrinkage factor which after many many washes can cause fibres to split. Also only recommended for use with cotton fabric.
  Invisible – clear nylon thread suitable for stitches that need to blend in to the fabric.
  Upholstery – strong polyester thread for interiors sewing that is thicker and more durable than sew all
  Topstitching – for projects requiring visible stitches such as on jeans and outerwear.

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