sewing machine needle

© Student Handouts, © Student Handouts, By, Sunil Talekar, Faculty, SOFT-Pune By, Sunil Talekar, Faculty, SOFT-Pune NEE NEE DLE DLE Functions of the needle Functions of the needle • To produce hole in the material To produce hole in the material • To carry the needle thread through the To carry the needle thread through the material and there form a loop material and there form a loop • To pass the needle thread through the loop To pass the needle thread through the loop SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE PARTS SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE PARTS • BUTT BUTT • SHANK SHANK • SHOULDER SHOULDER • LONG GROOVE LONG GROOVE • SHORT GROOVE SHORT GROOVE • EYE EYE • NEEDLE POINT NEEDLE POINT • SCARF SCARF • BLADE BLADE PARTS OF THE NEEDLE PARTS OF THE NEEDLE SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SHOULDER SHOULDER • Intermediate between shank and the blade Intermediate between shank and the blade • It is also called shaft It is also called shaft SHANK SHANK • upper part of the needle upper part of the needle • may be cylindrical or have a flat side. may be cylindrical or have a flat side. • larger in diameter than the rest of the needle for reason of larger in diameter than the rest of the needle for reason of strength strength BUTT BUTT • The end of the needle The end of the needle • The butt determine the length of the needle when it is fully The butt determine the length of the needle when it is fully inserted into the needle bar of the sewing machine. inserted into the needle bar of the sewing machine. SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE PARTS BLADE BLADE • Below the shoulder of the blade to the eye of the needle Below the shoulder of the blade to the eye of the needle • Longest part of the needle. Longest part of the needle. • Accommodates the groove, the eye and the scarf. Accommodates the groove, the eye and the scarf. • The blade reduces the fabric resistance as the needle point The blade reduces the fabric resistance as the needle point and its eye passes through the fabric and its eye passes through the fabric • Greatest amount of the friction . Greatest amount of the friction . SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE PARTS LONG GROVE LONG GROVE • Slit above needle eye, should be large enough to "cradle" thread Slit above needle eye, should be large enough to "cradle" thread for smooth stitches. for smooth stitches. • Provides a protective channel in which the thread is drawn Provides a protective channel in which the thread is drawn through. through. • A Correctly shaped long groove of a depth matched to the A Correctly shaped long groove of a depth matched to the thread diameter, offers considerable protection to the thread. thread diameter, offers considerable protection to the thread. SHORT GROOVE SHORT GROOVE • It extends a little above and below the eye It extends a little above and below the eye • Its function is to assist in the formation of the loop in the Its function is to assist in the formation of the loop in the needle thread. needle thread. SCARF SCARF • Concave section above the eye of the needle Concave section above the eye of the needle • Indentation at back of needle. Indentation at back of needle. • A long scarf helps eliminate skipped stitches A long scarf helps eliminate skipped stitches by allowing bobbin hook to loop thread more by allowing bobbin hook to loop thread more easily. easily. EYE EYE • Hole in end of needle through which Hole in end of needle through which thread passes. thread passes. • The hole through which the thread The hole through which the thread pass pass • Eye is located below the scarf Eye is located below the scarf • Needle size and type determine size Needle size and type determine size and shape of eye. and shape of eye. SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE AND THREAD SEWING NEEDLE AND THREAD IF THE NEEDLE IS TOO SMALL FOR THE THREAD IF THE NEEDLE IS TOO SMALL FOR THE THREAD • Thread will not pass freely through the eye Thread will not pass freely through the eye • Thread will not fit properly into the long groove. Thread will not fit properly into the long groove. • Thread will suffer from excessive abrasion. Thread will suffer from excessive abrasion. • Can lead to costly thread breakages in production Can lead to costly thread breakages in production. IF THE NEEDLE IS TOO LARGE FOR THE THREAD IF THE NEEDLE IS TOO LARGE FOR THE THREAD • There will be poor control of the loop formation which may There will be poor control of the loop formation which may cause slip stitches. cause slip stitches. • It will create holes in the fabric which are too big for the It will create holes in the fabric which are too big for the stitches and give an unattractive seam appearance. stitches and give an unattractive seam appearance. • Tends to give rise to damaged fabric along the stitch line, Tends to give rise to damaged fabric along the stitch line, and in closely woven fabrics, pucker along the seam line due and in closely woven fabrics, pucker along the seam line due to fabric distortion. to fabric distortion. Most machine needles will Most machine needles will look similar but they will look similar but they will differ in their tips: differ in their tips: Set/Spear point Set/Spear point - These - These are used for most woven are used for most woven fabrics. fabrics. NEEDLE POINTS NEEDLE POINTS Ball point Ball point - These have a - These have a rounded tip and are used for rounded tip and are used for knitted fabrics. The rounded knitted fabrics. The rounded end allows the needle to end allows the needle to separate the yarns without separate the yarns without cutting them, which reduces cutting them, which reduces the chance of the fabric the chance of the fabric laddering. laddering. Wedge point Wedge point - These are - These are designed to cut a hole as they designed to cut a hole as they penetrate the fabric. They are penetrate the fabric. They are used for machining leather used for machining leather and plastic materials. and plastic materials. [...]...Set point needle SPEAR NEEDLE POINT SLIM SET POINT SET POINT HEAVY SET POINT Ball point Set point NEEDLE POINT BALLneedle LIGHT BALL POINT MEDIUM BALL POINT HEAVY BALL POINT CLOTH POINT NEEDLE BALL POINT NEEDLE NEEDLE POINT EFFECT OF DIFFERENT NEEDLE POINTS UNIVERSAL NEEDLE Uses: Safest needle choice for most fabrics Configuration: Has slightly rounded... scarf to enable almost foolproof meeting of needle and bobbin hook Troubleshooting: When fabric is not mediumweight woven, consider needle specifically suited to fabric For example, size 18 universal needle works on heavy denim, but size 18 jeans needle works better BALLPOINT & STRETCH NEEDLES Uses: Ballpoint needle for heavier, looser sweater knits; stretch needle for highly elastic fabrics, like Spandex,... Stitch is more effective when needle returns to same needle hole more than once If needle pushes fabric into needle hole, put stabilizer under fabric TWIN (DOUBLE) NEEDLE Uses: Topstitching, pin tucking, and decorative stitching Configuration: Two needles on single shaft produce two rows of stitches Measurement between needles ranges from 1.6mm to 6mm, and needles come with universal, stretch, embroidery,... between needles TRIPLE NEEDLE Uses: Same uses as for double needle Configuration: Cross bar on single shaft connects three needles to sew three stitching rows Comes with universal point in 2.5mm and 3mm widths Troubleshooting: Same as for double needle SPRING NEEDLE Uses: Free-motion stitching with dropped feed dogs Configuration: Has wire spring above point to prevent fabrics from riding up onto needle, ... away from needle before cutting thread so needle doesn't unthread Needle works well on woven fabrics, but may occasionally snag knits, so test-sew to check for fabric and needle compatibility HEMSTITCH (WING) NEEDLE Uses: Hemstitching or heirloom embroidery on linen and batiste Configuration: Has fins on sides of shank to create holes as you sew Troubleshooting: Stitch is more effective when needle returns... than pierce them (Stretch -needle point is slightly less rounded than ballpoint.) Troubleshooting: Test-stitch knits with ballpoint, stretch, and universal needles to see which doesn't cut yarn and yields best results If ballpoint skips stitches, try stretch needle MICROTEX & SHARP NEEDLES Uses: Sewing microfiber, silk, synthetic leather; precisely stitching edges; and heirloom sewing Configuration: Has... fabric down into needle- plate hole Goes through fabric and meets bobbin hook better on dense woven fabrics Troubleshooting: If stitches skip when sewing very heavy fabrics, try larger needle and sew more slowly or walk needle through fabric (by turning hand crank) HANDICAP/SELF THREADING NEEDLE Uses: Enables easier threading for sewers with vision problems Configuration: Universal needle with slip-in... or even/dual-feed presser foot LEATHER NEEDLE Uses: Excellent for sewing natural leather Configuration: Has slight cutting point (almost like an arrowhead) Troubleshooting: On synthetic leather, unless it's very heavy synthetic, cuts rather than pierces stitch hole and can tear leather Most synthetic leathers require Microtex or sharp needle DENIM (J EANS) NEEDLE Uses: For heavyweight denim, duck,... onto needle, eliminating need for presser foot Troubleshooting: Before using, practice free-motion stitching with heavy regular needle, paper, and dropped feed dogs Don't pull paper/fabric; instead gently guide it through stitching Wear safety glasses for freemotion work, since needles often break Thanks . loop • To pass the needle thread through the loop To pass the needle thread through the loop SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE PARTS SEWING MACHINE NEEDLE PARTS • BUTT BUTT • SHANK SHANK • SHOULDER SHOULDER • LONG. the length of the needle when it is fully inserted into the needle bar of the sewing machine. inserted into the needle bar of the sewing machine. SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE PARTS BLADE BLADE • Below. scarf • Needle size and type determine size Needle size and type determine size and shape of eye. and shape of eye. SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE PARTS SEWING NEEDLE AND THREAD SEWING NEEDLE