I wrote an article last year on my 7 tips for choosing your machine needles well... given the questions and reflections of my students in courses, I thought a little article supplement was necessary 😊
Selected excerpts:
- ah, you have to change your needle?
- I have been using the same one since I bought my machine...
- ah but that's why sometimes it doesn't work and the stitches skip!
.... yes yes yes and three times yes, you have to change your needle and I'll explain why!
So let's get started with the discovery of this precious haberdashery item that is the machine needle!
Why should you choose a needle adapted to your fabric?
There are different types of needles whose use is linked to the type of fabric.
A well-adapted needle chosen according to the type of fabric allows
- the creation of beautiful regular stitches
- the guarantee of not damaging the fabric (no pulled threads in viscose, for example...)
- the guarantee of strong seams, without skipped stitches, which ensures durability over time
What should you pay attention to when buying a machine needle?
1. The shape of the heel
The heel of the needle (the part that inserts into the sewing machine) can be round or flat. Most household machines have flat heels while round heels are rather intended for industrial machines. Check your machine, but it is very likely that for your machine, a flat heel will be needed.2. The type of fabric you will sew
To choose the needle size and type of needles, you need to know which fabric you will sew with them. Indeed, needles are characterized by numbers that represent their dimensions. The higher the numbers, the thicker the needle; conversely, the smaller the numbers, the finer the needle and reserved for fine fabrics.The numbers correspond to the diameter of the needle expressed in hundredths of a millimeter. This means that a universal needle bearing the number 80 measures 80/100mm = 0.8mm in diameter. You will see on some needle boxes a second number like 80/12, which simply refers to the European (80) and American (12) units of measurement.
On some needle boxes, you can also see the mention of the type of fabric to sew with them, especially for: jersey, stretch/lycra, jean/denim, leather...
3. The brand / quality of the needle
Some machines accept all brands of needles (like Brother, Janome...); some are less tolerant and require very specific needles (this is often the case with Singer). Choose needles known for their quality such as: Schmetz, YKK, Organ, Prym, Bohin. It is a guarantee of durability but also of good manufacture.
In the shop, we have chosen to work with Organ whose needles are made in Japan. I thought it was the best way to offer you excellent value for money. These are also the ones we use in the workshop on all machines.
The different types of needles
1. The standard needle
It is the needle that is often used the most. It is more or less suitable for all woven fabrics.
It is most often numbered from 60 for the finest to 100 for the thickest.
The so-called "universal" needle (the one that comes by default on your machine when purchased) is number 80. It allows sewing poplin, canvas, cretonne...
Use according to standard needle numbers:
- Size 60 (very fine): muslin, lace, cotton voile, silk or synthetic, organza, tulle…
- Size 70 (fine): linen voile, viscose canvas, taffeta, batiste, fine crepe, organdy, …
- Size 80 (standard): poplin, canvas, crepe, fine velvet, fine woolen fabric, linen, piqué, …
- Size 90 (thick): thick woolen fabric, velvet, twill, canvas, jacquard, coated cotton…
- Size 100 (very thick): thick twill, thick jacquard, upholstery fabric…
2. Jersey and Stretch Needles
These needles are used for knit fabrics, stretch fabrics. It is the stretchiness of the fabric and the fact that they are knitted that justifies the use of a specific range of needles.
These needles have a rounded tip that allows the needle to "slide" against the stitches and thus not tear them with the stitch.
Use according to jersey or stretch needle numbers:
- Size 60 (very fine): very fine polyester jersey, viscose jersey, silk jersey, …
- Size 70 (fine): fine cotton and polyester jersey, medium thickness viscose jersey, ...
- Size 80 (medium): cotton jersey, interlock, light sweatshirt, french terry,
- Size 90: fleece, polar fleece, thick sweatshirt...
3. Jeans/denim needles
This is the perfect needle range for sewing all jean and denim fabrics which are characterized by a thick canvas and a tight weave. It is a needle I use a lot since I started sewing jeans for my husband and I am very happy with the results obtained with these needles including for making decorative stitches on the pockets...
Jeans needles are most often numbered from 90 to 110 in stores but there are needles numbered up to 130 for workwear canvas in particular and which are rather reserved for industrial use.
Uses according to the jean/denim needle numbers
- Size 90: fine jeans and denim, medium cotton twill
- Size 100 – 110: medium jean and denim, thick cotton twill
Note that the jean needle is also particularly suitable for sewing faux leather.
There are also other types of needles like super stretch, microtex, leather, double needles... that might be the subject of a next article 😊
When should you change the needle?
You got it, you change your needle often depending on your sewing project; that is to say the type of fabric used and its thickness.
When should you replace your needle?
A needle is not eternal, it wears out.
Also, here are the signs that tell us it's time to change it:
- the worst, and it is often because we reacted too late: the needle breaks
- the machine skips stitches
- the bobbin thread breaks even though it is a quality thread
- the stitch is not nice
- the needle is blunt (you can feel it when you touch the tip)
- it already has several hours of sewing on the clock
There is no rule like "after 3 projects you have to change ... it depends on the projects, the number of stitches made, the wear of the needle depending on the material... however, be careful to change your needles regularly... a broken needle is so dangerous, it's better to change more often than not enough; seamstress's word!
There you go, I hope this article has taught you a little more about this indispensable tool that we don't pay enough attention to, the sewing machine needle.
So this time even more than the others: Get your needles ready!
