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As we get caught up in trying to get sewing projects completed
and move on to the next one in the limited time available it is
so very easy just to jump from project to project without giving
any thought to whether or not we have the right needle in the
sewing machine.
It can be a costly mistake to simply use the same needle for
everything you sew until it breaks. The size of the needle you
use depends upon the size of the fabric yarns in the fabric. The
finer the yarns, the finer the needle needs to be. In general, a
needle should be fine enough to penetrate the fabric without marring
it, yet have a large enough eye that the thread does not fray or
break during the sewing process.
Needle types related to fabric structure are sharp point (regular)
for woven fabrics, ball point for knits, and wedge point for leather
and vinyl.
The REGULAR SHARP POINT NEEDLE is ideal for all woven fabrics
because it helps to produce an even stitch and causes a minimum of
fabric puckering. This needle is not recommended for knits, as it
has a tendency to "cut" yarns and cause skipped stitches. This
needle comes in a wide range of sizes from the finest size 9 to a
heavy size 18.
The BALL POINT NEEDLE is specifically designed for knit and elastic
fabrics and has a "rounded" point rather than a sharp point. This
needle pushes between the fabric yarns rather than "cutting through"
the yarns. This needle comes in sizes 9 to 16 and the larger the
needle size, the more "rounded" the needle point is.
The WEDGE POINT NEEDLE, which is designed for leather and vinyl,
easily pierces these fabrics to make a hole that will close back upon
itself. This eliminates unattractive holes in the garment, and also
reduces the risk of the stitches tearing the fabric. The wedge point
needle comes in sizes 11 to 18. The size 11 needle is designed for
soft pliable leathers,while size 18 is designed for heavy or multiple
layers of leather or vinyl.
In addition to choosing the right TYPE of needle, it is also important
to know the proper needle SIZE for the type of fabric being used. As
a general rule you can utilize the following fabric category/needle
size information when choosing the needle for your next project.
DELICATE fabrics such as silk, chiffon, voile, fine lace and organdy
would need a fine "size 9" needle.
LIGHTWEIGHT fabrics such as synthetic sheers, batiste, taffeta, velvet,
stretch fabric, tricot and plastic film would need a "size 11" needle.
MEDIUM WEIGHT fabrics such as gingham, poplin, linen, muslin, chambray,
wool crepe, flannel, knits, jersey, wool, chintz, satin, raw silk, wool
suiting, stretch fabric and drapery fabrics would need a "size 14" needle.
MEDIUM-HEAVY fabrics such as sail cloth, gabardine, heavy suiting, tweed
and heavy drapery fabrics would need a "size 16" needle.
HEAVY fabrics such as denim, overcoatings, ticking, upholstery and canvas
fabrics would need a "size 18" needle.
One final needle pointer is always replace dull, bent or nicked needles.
If you hit a pin, you should immediately change the needle. A bent
needle, even if only "slightly" bent or nicked can cause skipped stitches
and can easily cause damage to your fabric by tearing the fabric
yarns.
About The Author: Excerpt from "Basic Clothing Construction"
Sarah J. Doyle is author of over 25 sewing, craft and how-to books, as well as author of online pattern making, sewing and craft classes. Visit http://LearnHowToSew.com and http://ClothingConstruction.com for more tips and how-to information on sewing and crafting.
(c) Copyright 2003, Sarah J. Doyle. All Rights Reserved.
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