| 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:
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.
You have permission to publish this article
electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are
included. A courtesy copy of your publication sent to me at sarah@sewwithsarah.com
would be appreciated.
|
