Resource Library: Choosing the Right Needle.

Being confused by which needle you need to use is a very common problem among new and some old sewers.
So don't get discouraged!
With so many different numbers and fabrics to choose from it can make you quite uncertain of the correct needle for your specific project.
But don't worry! We're going to break it down for you and help you learn the basics about sewing machine needles.

Let's start with the anatomy of a sewing machine needle.

Needle Anatomy from Threads:
http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/3751/machine-needle-know-how

Shank: Top portion of the needle, usually having a flat back, that is inserted into the sewing machine with the flat slide facing the back. Needle is tightened into place with a screw on the machine.

Shaft: The body of the needle determining the needle size based on the width of the shaft.

Front Groove: Slit above the eye that allows the thread to be flat against the needle.

Point: Tip of the needle that penetrates the fabric and forms the stitch with the bobbin thread. Shape of point varies between needles. Important to pay attention to when choosing a needle for your fabric.

Scarf: Indentation on the back of the needle that helps eliminate skipped stitches. A longer scarf is preferred.

Eye: The hole at the tip of the needle that allows thread to pass through. Eye size changes with the needle.

Needles range from size 8-18. These numbers are corresponded with the European needle sizes 60-120 on the packages. So for a pack that says 70/10, the 70 is the European needle size and the 10 is the American size.

The smaller the number, the smaller the size.

That size is relavent to the weight of your fabric. For sheer materials such as chiffon, you would want to select the smallest needle size. For a heavy weight outdoor canvas, you would want to use the largest needle.

Below is a basic needle size chart I found on the blog Presser Foot.

Easy enough right?

But wait! Before you begin sewing we must discuss the point of the needle!

Here is a great picture of needle points from Sew-What's-New

Univeral: Slightly rounded point that you can use on knits or wovens, hence why they are called universal. So if you are completely baffled by which needle point to use, begin with this one.

Jersey/Ball Point: This medium tip is slightly rounded to pass between the threads rather than pierce them which can create runs in your light weight knit fabric. A ball point needle will not damage the spandex in knits. Using these needles on heavier knits helps creates even stitches.

Stretch: This needle features a deep scarf so the bobbin hook can get closer to the needle and prevent skipped stitches when sewing on fine lighweight knits such as silk jersey or highly elastic knits. Use this needle when you are experienced skipped stitches with the ball-point needle.

Jeans/Denim: This needle has a thick shaft and a very sharp point. Ideal for sewing denim, canvas, or tightly woven fabrics.

Microtex/Sharp: This needle has a narrow shaft and a sharp point to piece the threads of woven fabrics. Use for stitching finely woven fabrics such as silk, lightweight suede and microfiber fabrics. The sharp point also helps enable perfectly straight stitching which makes them great for topstitching!

Leather: This tip is wedge-shaped with allows it to penetrate leather, suede, and vinyl without tearing them.

Self-threading: The eye has a slot on the one side so you can easily slide the thread when you are having trouble threading a regular needle. This needle works best on wovens, but tends to snag knits.

All the above information can be found on this great chart I highly recommend you print out and refer to when you need some quick help!

Find it here: http://www.sewing.org/files/guidelines/22_115_sewing_machine_needle_charts.pdf

You are welcome to comment with questions!

Happy Sewing!

Made By A Fabricista: Revisiting a Pattern After Five Years

Have you ever used a sewing pattern and then immediately vowed never to sew it again? Well, I have. It all began in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic lockdown. I tackled sewing projects that were more challenging to help me grow as a seamstress. There was one pattern in particular that almost did me in, the Seamwork Penny shirt dress. The Penny dress pattern has a classic button-up dress shirt style bodice with a gathered skirt and pockets. It is a beautiful take on a shirt dress, and my sister and I loved it. The only downside is that it was recommended for intermediate-level sewists and I was only an adventurous beginner back then. I think I had only ever made one button-up shirt before attempting this Penny Dress and it didn’t even have a collar! Despite all of this, I thought “Why not try it, what’s the worst that can happen?” Thankfully the worst didn’t happen, and the dress turned out surprisingly wearable, but I had some intense frustration at the end. I...

Made By A Fabricista: A Simple Frock for Spring

Hello friends! I’m really into sewing and wearing tent dresses at the moment. A tent dress is basically a wide A-line style gown. For this month’s project, I’ve opted to try out The Assembly Line’s Square Neck Dress. This style is a little avant-garde in its enormity and shape, and boasts the squared neckline it’s named after, plus some cute hem side slits. All that volume is fun to move around in, plus there’s loads of air circulation which is cooling. This dress’s main feature–its wide and high squared neckline–really piqued my interest recently, and I added it to my Make Nine plans for 2025. I find it so satisfying to check off those boxes as I sew! This beautiful shirtweight linen is a color I simply adore; a muted medium blue. Stormy skies, worn-in denim, and ocean waves all come to mind, and that is exactly what I want to be all wrapped up in. While I think a wild or large print would be amazingly on display in this big canvas of a dress, I also thought that a subtle ...

Made By A Fabricista: Bold Aspen Dress for Spring

As I write this in mid-April, central New Jersey weather is showing small signs of spring. My neighbor’s daffodils are blooming and our magnolia tree is trying to unfold its vibrant magenta petals. I am in the midst of preparing my wardrobe for the warmer months, even if we are still huddling against windy 30 degree days. For me, warm weather means linen. I love breathable, floaty linen sundresses and drapey, loose linen wide-leg pants. My vision for a spring piece was something bold and bright, inspired by the natural colors of blooming flowers, but also something that could transition well between the warmer and cooler months. When I saw Fabric Godmother’s Apsen Dress, I knew that it had the sensible transitional opportunities I was looking for while also providing a blank canvas for fun prints, patterns and colors. With the pattern in mind, I then turned to the stunning linen collection that Fabric Mart always has on hand to see what colors or patterns would best suit my visio...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog