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Learning:Machineneedleguide|SilverSewing

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Craft,HobbyandStitchInternational
@N.E.C.Birmingham15/02/201517/02/2015

HO ME

P RO DUCTS

L E A RNI NG

WHA T' S NE W

S TO CK I S TS

CO NTA CT

LEARNING:MACHINENEEDLEGUIDE
Whenyouplananewsewingproject,do

Aboutus

youthinkaboutwhichmachineneedleto

AZofSewing

use?Ifyoudont,youprobablyshould,for
bestresults,selectanewneedletheright
oneeachtimeyoubeginaproject.Using
thecorrectneedleforthefabric,thread
andstitchtypecanpreventallkindsof
frustrationssuchasbrokenneedlesor
thread,holesorsnagsinfabric,puckered
seams,unevenstitches,andmore.They
mayalllookthesameatfirstglance,but
therearesubtledifferencesthatcanbe
thekeystosuccessfulsewing.First,itis
helpfultounderstandtheanatomyofa
needleandwhyitworksthewayitdoes.
NEEDLEPARTS
SHANK:Thetoppartoftheneedlethatis
insertedintothesewingmachine.Itisflat
onthebackandroundedonthefront.
SHAFT:Theremainderoftheneedle
belowtheshank.Thediameteroftheshaft
determinestheneedlesize.Thefollowing
needlepartsareallpartoftheshaft.
GROOVE:Theslitonthefrontoftheneedleabovetheeye.Thegrooveprotectsthethreadas
theneedlestitchesthroughthefabric.
SCARF:Theindentationonthebackoftheneedle.Itallowsthebobbinthreadtopasscloseto
theeyeoftheneedle.Alongscarfenablesthebobbinhooktoloopthethreadeasilyandhelps
toavoidskippedstitches.
EYE:theholeinthelowerpartoftheshaft.Threadshouldbethreadedthroughtheeyefrom
fronttoback.Theshapeisdeterminedbytheneedlesizeandtype.Theeyesizeshouldbe
largeenoughtoallowthethreadtopassthrougheasily.
POINT:Thetipoftheneedlethatpenetratesthefabricandcarriesthethreadpastthebobbinto
formthestitch.Thelengthandsharpnessofthepointvariesamongdifferenttypesofneedles.
NEEDLETYPES
Needlestypesvarybytheshapeofthepoint,eyeshape,andneedlethickness.Selectthe
needlethatbestsuitsthekindoffabricyouwillbesewingandthenpicktheappropriateneedle
sizeforthefabricweightandthreadtype.

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NEEDLESIZES
Needlesizesappearastwonumbersonmostneedlepackaging.Thelargernumberisthe
Europeanmetricsizeandreferstotheshaftdiameteronfractionsofamillimetre.Thesmaller
numberistheAmericannumberingsystem.Fortwinortripleneedles,thefirstnumberrefersto
thedistanceinmillimetresbetweentheneedlesandthesecondnumberistheEuropeanmetric
size.Selecttheneedlesizeaccordingtotheweightofyourfabric.
European/American

FabricWeight

60/8

Verylight

65/9

Light

70/10

Light

75/11

Light

80/12

Medium

90/14

Medium

100/16

Heavy

110/18

VeryHeavy

120/20

VeryHeavy

NEEDLETYPE

SIZES/FEATURES

USES/FABRICS

GENERALPURPOSENEEDLES
UniversalPoint

60/8to120/19.Slightlyrounded

Generalstitchingonwovenandknit

pointforstitchingknits,yetpointed

fabricsinawiderangeofweights.

enoughforstitchingwoven
fabrics.
BallPoint

70/10to100/16.Pointis

Needleslidesbetweenyarns

moreroundedthanuniversalpoint.

ofknitsinsteadofpiercingthem,
eliminatingriskofsnagsorholes.Good
forspandexandinterlockknitsthatrun
easily.Alsogoodforcreatingeven
stitchesonheavyknits.

Sharp/Microtex

60/8to90/14,sharppoint

Idealforverystraight

andnarrowshaft.

stitching,topstitchingheirloomsewing
andpintucks.Useonsmooth,finely
wovenfabricslikemicrofibers,silk,chintz
andlightweightfauxsuede.

Overlock

75/11to90/14.Othersize

Designedforuseinserger

labellingvariesbymanufacturer.

onallfabrics.Checksergerowner

Sharpneedle.

manualforneedlerecommendations.

SPECIALITYNEEDLES
Denim/Jeans

70/10to110/18.Stiff,

Useforstitchingmultiple

thick,strongshankthatresists

layersoffabricandtightlywovenfabrics

breakingwithaverysharppoint.

likedenim,canvasandcotton
duck.

Hemstitch/Wing

100/16and120/19.Shaftfeatures

Useforhemstitching,

wingoneachsidethatproducesa

heirloomstitching,openwork,andother

decorativehole.

decorativestitchesontightlywoven
fabricssuchaslinenandbatiste.

Leather

80/12to110/18.

Usetocreatestrongseams

Wedgeshapedpoint.

onleather,suede,vinylandother
nonwovenfabrics.Donotuseonwoven
or
knitfabrics.

MachineEmbroidery

70/10to90/14.Largeeye

Machineembroiderywith

andspecialscarfdesignedtoprotect

rayonandspecialitythreads.Useonany

threadwhilestitchingdensedesigns

fabric.

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at
highspeedandpreventshredding
duringstitching.
Metallic

80/12.Largereyethan

Designedforusewith

machineembroideryenablesstitching

metallicthreadonanyfabric.

withheavierthreads.Largegroove
and
speciallydesignedscarfprotect
delicatethreadsandprevent
shredding
duringstitching.
Quilting

75/11and90/14.Sharp,

Designedforstitching

taperedpoint.

throughmultiplefabriclayersand
intersectingseams.Useforpiercing
quilts,andquiltinglayerstogether.

Selfthreading

80/12and90/14.General

Idealforanyonewhohas

purposeneedlewithslotononeside

troublethreadinganeedle.Useon

ofeyeforslidingthroughandinto

wovenfabricsforgeneralsewing.Slot

eye.

may
snagknitfabrics.

Stretch

Topstitch

75/11and90/14.Deepscarf

Useforswimwear,fabrics

allowsbobbinhooktogetcloserto

containingspandex,syntheticsuedes,

theneedleeyeandpreventsskipped

silkjerseyandotherelasticated

stitchesonfine,lightweightknit

lightweight

fabrics.

knits.

80/12,90/12and100/16.Extra

Useforstraight,accurate

sharp

stitchingwithheavierthreadsonavariety

point.Extralargeeyeandlarge

offabrics.

grooveaccommodateheavytop
stitching
threadordoublestrandsofall
purposethread.

SPECIAL
CONSTRUCTIONNEEDLES
Twin

1.6/70and4.0/100.

Useforstitchingtwoparallelrowsatonce

Constructedwithtwoneedleshafts

forpintucks,heirloomstitching,hems,

onacrossbarthatextendsfroma

anddecorativestitches.Useonfabric

single

appropriatetoneedletype.Select

shank.Availableinneedletypes

closelyspacedneedlesforlighterfabric

includinguniversalpoint,denim,

weightsandneedlesspacedfarther

hemstitch/wing,machineembroidery

apartforheavierfabrics.

andmetallic.Alsoavailablewithone
hemstitch/wingneedlepairedwith
oneuniversalneedle.
Triple

2.5/80and3.0/80.

Useforstitchingthree

Constructedwiththreeneedleshafts

parallelrowsatonceforpintucks,

onacrossbarthatextendsfroma

heirloomstitching,hemsanddecorative

single

stitches.Selectcloselyspacedneedles

shank.Availableasuniversalneedles

forlighterfabricweightsand

only

needlesspacedfartherapartforheavier
fabrics.

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SilverSewingMachines
UnitsD&E,RectoryRoadBusinessCentre
RectoryRoad
Rushden
Northamptonshire

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NN100AG

CopyrightSilver2012.Allrightsreserved.DesignedbyEntwurf.

Tel:01933311888
Fax:
enquiries@silverviscount.co.uk
www.silversewing.com

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