Sewing needles are an important part of any sewing machine. For high-quality stitch formation, the needle must be sharp, free of curvature, rust spots and other defects. Unlike hand sewing needles, the sewing machine needle is without fail must correspond to the thickness of the threads, fabric, material chosen for sewing. The mismatch of the selected needle is the main reason for the appearance of defects during sewing (skips, thread breakage, thread looping in the stitch, etc.).
Sewing threads are perhaps the second most important factor affecting quality work sewing machines. In addition to needles, threads can also spoil your mood, and at the same time your work, if their number or type does not match the fabric chosen for sewing and the thickness of the needle.
For household sewing machines, various modifications of needles are produced, designed only for sewing knitwear, denim, leather, etc.
You can use a twin needle for decorative topstitching. The use of such needles increases the capabilities of the sewing machine, facilitates your work and increases the quality of the stitch.
Before starting work on the sewing machine, it is necessary to adjust the stitching, check the condition of the needle and, if necessary, replace it. Do not use bent needles, with a blunt point, traces of rust.
Tailor's pins, threads, needles - these are the "little things" that determine the convenience and quality of work. An experienced seamstress always has a good set of sewing pins in stock, several types of sewing needles of different numbers, including a good set of needles for handwork.
sewing needles for industrial machines cannot be used in domestic sewing machines. The needle flask of a household sewing machine has a special cut, while industrial needles have a round flask. Do not use such needles, even if they sometimes fit your household machine.
Sizes (numbers) of needles for sewing machines
The European system of sizes (numbers) of needles for sewing machines includes sizes from 60 to 120, American - from 8 to 21. The number means the thickness (diameter) of the sewing needle. The sizes of industrial sewing needles are marked in a different system. To avoid confusion, two numbers are usually indicated on the package, for example 60/8 or 100/16. The 60/8 needle has a diameter of 0.6 mm and the 100/16 needle has a diameter of 1 mm. The lower the number, the thinner the needle will be.
Standard sewing needles
1. Sharp sewing needles are suitable for almost all kinds of fabrics, especially heavy and thick woven fabrics. Such needles can perform any operation, including the finishing line. The sharp tip of the needle easily pierces any tissue, but you need to monitor its condition. A dull or bent point is the main cause of various stitching defects: gaps in the stitch, thread breakage, etc.
2. Most often, universal sewing machines are used for household sewing machines. sewing needles designed for sewing a variety of fabrics and materials. The slightly rounded tip easily penetrates dense fabrics. The most "running" number is 90. For finishing stitches, you can use larger needles - number 110, 120. They allow you to sew with thicker threads and make beautiful finishing seams.
3. Needles that are too sharp are not desirable for sewing knitted fabrics. For such fabrics, you need to use sewing needles with a rounded point that passes between the loops of the knitted fabric without piercing or tearing the fibers.
Special sewing needles for leather
Skin needles have a special flat shape a blade that easily penetrates even rough skin, cutting, but not tearing its structure. In addition, the sharp blade forms an easy passage and threads in the skin, which prevents gaps and thread breaks in the stitching. These needles are designed for sewing genuine leather, they are not recommended for sewing synthetic suede. The thickness of the needle is selected depending on the thread used for sewing and the thickness of the skin. Sizes: from 90/14 to 110/18.
Double needles for household sewing machines
It is very convenient to use twin needles for neat and even finishing stitches. They make your job easier when sewing finishing stitches, making pleats, etc. Pay attention to the distance between the needles and consider this parameter when buying them. It should not be wider than the needle plate entry hole or the maximum zigzag stitch width. Sizes: from 80/12 to 90/14, thickness: from 1.8 to 4.0 mm. Twin needle 75/11 (for stretch fabrics) has a width of 4.0 mm.
Knitted sewing needles
They are used when sewing elastic knitted fabrics of the stretch type and, like the needle (3), it has a rounded point. This prevents the knitted fabric from breaking and causing skipped stitches. Sometimes, it is enough to install a knitting needle to eliminate gaps in the stitch that have appeared. Sizes: from 75/11 to 90/14.
A special sewing needle is designed for sewing products made of dense denim, it is also called a denim needle. It is designed for sewing parts from very dense fabrics, for finishing stitches on thickened areas with thick threads. Made from special durable alloy metal and therefore does not bend, which prevents gaps in the stitching. The sewing needle for denim has a rounded point, a strong core and a small eye. Sizes: from 90/14 to 110/18.
Finishing needle
To sew finishing lines with thick threads, you need to use a special needle with a large eye. This design prevents the thread from breaking as it slips through the eye and prevents gaps when sewing with extra thick thread. Sizes: from 80/12 to 110/18.
Needle with wings
A sewing needle with wings is designed to make a decorative seam. The winged needle spreads the threads of the fabric, and therefore the thread passes without difficulty even in the most difficult fabrics and materials for sewing, without breaking off and without making gaps in the stitch. Used only for decorative finishing stitches. It has two wings (on each side of the ear). There is only one size - 100/16.
A self-threading needle is convenient for people with low vision who find it difficult to thread without glasses. On the needle, next to the eye, there is a special slot through which the thread enters the eye. Passing the thread along the shaft of the needle, the thread first enters the slot, and then enters the eye. It is intended for work with fabrics of average density.
For injections, needles of different lengths and diameters are used. Modern manufacturers have developed various modifications of medical devices for comfortable injections. Among medical devices you can find needles for pen injectors (microfine models), butterfly-shaped injectors and simple models of needles of various lengths.
Characteristics of injectors
The medical syringe is intended for the introduction of a medicinal solution into the body and the collection of fluids for analysis. The syringe device is a conventional pump for pumping fluid and sucking it out of the body cavity. The syringe consists of several parts:
- hollow cylinder;
- piston
- needles.
Depending on the amount of infused solution or fluid intake, syringes are produced with cylinders of different volumes. In modern medicine, disposable medical devices made of polyvinyl chloride, packed in individual sterile bags. They also produce syringes-tubes already filled with a medicinal solution. 
Characteristics of injection needles
The injection needle is a hollow metal tube with a cut and sharpened end. The non-sharp end of the needle has a sleeve with which it is attached to the cylinder. Injection rods have different lengths and sizes. The length depends on the nature of the injections:
- for intramuscular - 60 mm;
- for subcutaneous — 25 mm;
- for intradermal — 16 mm;
- for intravenous - 40 mm.
All rods have a sharp end without notches. The cutting angle depends on the nature of the injections:
- for intravenous - an angle of 45 °;
- for subcutaneous — an angle of 15 °.
To reduce pain during an injection, disposable needles are coated with a silicone compound, as a result of which the metal does not cut the tissue, but pushes it apart. The needle smoothly enters the thickness of the tissue, without creating discomfort during the puncture.
The diameter of the rod also varies depending on the rate of infusion or fluid withdrawal:
- for intramuscular punctures, sizes of 0.6-0.8 mm are chosen, the length is 3-40 mm;
- for a dropper choose a diameter from 0.8 to 1.1 mm, length - 40 mm;
- for subcutaneous injections, the diameter should not exceed 0.5 mm, and the needle should not be longer than 16 mm.
The thinnest needle is used for mesotherapy and other specific medical manipulations. Foreign products are marked with the letter G to indicate the circumference of the diameter and inches to indicate the length.
Important! Do not use a short needle for intramuscular injection: the solution will remain in the subcutaneous layer.
Needles for insulin
The administration of insulin is different from the administration of other medicines- it is injected subcutaneously. For painless drug administration, the contour of the microfine rod consists of three faces. The cylinder of syringe pens is made in an elongated shape - this creates convenience during use and storage.
For these pen syringes, 5 mm microfine needles made of high-quality surgical steel are used. Microfine refills are for single use only. Microfine products are suitable for syringe pens of various modifications and production.
Important! The use of pens is very convenient for diabetics and has solved many problems with a painless puncture.
Infusion needles
Infusions, or intravenous infusions, are carried out using a butterfly needle. The butterfly rod is intended for single use for intravenous infusions and punctures of peripheral veins. The butterfly device is more convenient than a conventional injection needle for intravenous administration.
Butterfly needle made of surgical steel High Quality and is designed for different diameters of veins and medical solutions of any viscosity. The butterfly has special "wings" that are designed to fix the device. The wings prevent the rod from moving in the vein, which prevents damage to the vessel tissue during many hours of infusion.
Needles for dentistry
In dentistry, 1.0 ml carpool syringes are used for local anesthesia. Carpool type injectors are made of metal and plastic. Syringes are disposable and single use. High-quality disposable rods are made for carpool-type injectors, which are particularly flexible and durable.
Needles for dental carpool anesthetic have a very sharp cut angle, which minimizes pain during puncture. Rods for dental injectors are produced in different lengths - from 10 mm to 41 mm. Distinctive feature The rod for the dental injector is a screw fastening method.
Disinfection of disposable syringes - processing rules
Sewing needles are the smallest but very important part of any sewing machine. Compared to other parts, sewing needles experience highest loads. Therefore, the quality of the stitch and the appearance of many defects in work depend on the condition of the needle, its type and settings. sewing machine.
1. The sewing needle can cause stitching defects
Needles for sewing machines should be carefully selected not only "under the fabric", but also the thread used. Any instructions for the sewing machine have recommendations for the use of threads and needles, be sure to follow these requirements. Skipped stitches, needle breakage, thread breakage, thread loops in the stitching are often caused by the wrong size or type of needle being used on the sewing machine, the needle is bent or dull.
2. Defective sewing needles cannot be corrected
Before installing the needle, it is necessary to check if it is bent, dull or rusty. There are other defects, for example, the absence of an eyelet or its incorrect location in relation to the groove for the thread, but this is quite rare.
defective sewing needles, including curved and blunt ones, it is better to throw them away immediately so that they do not come across under the arm. Never try to sharpen or straighten a sewing needle. Any defect of this type of needle cannot be corrected. Sewing needles, especially sewing machine needles, are made of extra strong steel, and a good needle is one that breaks on impact or straightening, rather than bending like a nail.
3. When installing the needle, pay attention to the shape of the bulb
Pay attention to the flask of the needle (the upper part that is inserted into the needle bar). Quite often, seamstresses use needles with a round flask (without saw cut) for their household sewing machines. Needles with such a flask are used only for industrial machines and are sometimes found in household overlockers.
A sewing needle for household sewing machines always has a cut on the flask (for error-free installation). The use of industrial sewing needles always leads to malfunctions, and sometimes to serious damage.
Before buying new needles, it is advisable to have a sample with you or write out from the instructions the exact markings of the needles recommended for this sewing machine or overlock. The instructions always indicate the brand of the needle, the number of needles (thickness) of the recommended sizes, depending on the thickness of the fabric and thread.
It is especially important to adhere to the manufacturer's recommendations when replacing the needle in an overlocker. The fact is that the needles can not only be of different lengths, but also have a number of differences in the flask. The diameter of the flask may be thinner or thicker, the length of the flask itself may also differ, etc. This may affect some settings of the sewing machine and especially the overlock. As a result, malfunctions will appear, such as skipped stitches in the line.
Although this is not very relevant, but sometimes you should pay attention to this when looking for the causes of gaps that appeared after changing the needle.
Numbers of needles for household sewing machines: 65; 70; 75; 80; 90; 100; 110; 120; 130. The most common numbers are 80; 90; 100. This is the size of the needle you should always have in the kit.
It is difficult to visually determine whether the needle is straight or bent. Use this method (see figure) to check the curvature of the needle. A similar check may come in handy if you cannot find the cause of skipped stitches on a sewing machine or overlocker. Sometimes it happens that the nose of the shuttle or the looper of the overlock gets into the needle itself. The needle is slightly bent, but in appearance it is absolutely even. As a result, stitch skips appear in the line. The search for the cause of the gaps that have appeared always begin with checking the needle.
The curvature of the sewing needle is checked against a dark background by rapidly scrolling. If the tip of the needle remains at one point, then it is even.
A blunt needle can be identified by running the thumbnail of the right hand along the point of the needle. The nail will definitely find a bent place on the tip.
Never use rusty sewing needles. They will ruin the fabric, especially thin and delicate fabric, and trap the thread as it moves along the needle.
6. European sewing needle size system
The European sewing machine needle size system includes sizes from 60 to 120, according to the diameter of the needle. The American system is from 8 to 21. To avoid confusion, both numbers are put on the package, for example 60/8 or 100/16. Needles 60/8 with a diameter of 0.6 mm, and 100/16 - 1 mm. The lower the number, the thinner the needle.
7. Types of sewing needles for household sewing machines
Sharp sewing needles are good for all woven fabrics, especially heavy and dense ones. They are used for finishing stitching, as their sharp end easily pierces the fabric. Sizes: from 60/8 to 120/20.
Universal needles are used for sewing all kinds of fabrics. Large sizes are convenient to use for finishing stitching. The slightly rounded point of the needle easily penetrates the fabric. Sizes: from 60/8 to 120/20.
Sewing needles with a rounded point are used for sewing knitwear. The rounded point of the needle passes between the loops without piercing them. Sizes: from 60/8 to 100/16.
Leather needles easily pierce the skin without tearing it or skipping stitches. It is not recommended to use them for sewing products made of synthetic suede. They are in the shape of a sharp wedge. Sizes: from 90/14 to 110/18.
The twin sewing machine needle is used for decorative stitching, finishing stitching and pinning. Two needles are attached to one leg. Sizes: from 80/12 to 90/14, thickness: from 1.8 to 4.0 mm. The 75/11 twin needle for stretch fabrics has a width of 4.0 mm.
A denim sewing needle, or denim needle, is used for sewing very thick fabrics. Its tip does not bend, as it has a rounded shape. She has a strong trunk and a small ear. Sizes: from 90/14 to 110/18.
A finishing stitch needle with a large eye is designed for sewing thick, decorative threads. Doesn't skip stitches or fray thread. Sizes: from 80/12 to 110/18.
A winged needle is designed for sewing decorative stitches on a sewing machine. Spreads the threads, making a hole in crispy fabrics such as linen. It has two wings (on each side of the ear). Sizes: from 100/16 to 120/20.
The self-threading needle is convenient for those who find it difficult to thread the needle. On the needle, next to the eye, there is a slot through which the thread is threaded into the eye. The needle is used for work with fabrics of average density. Sizes: from 80/11 to 100/16.
Good sewing needles should not bend on impact. They must break. This is a property of high-quality hardened steel. If you bought sewing needles, and they do not break in an extreme situation, but bend, then these are needles of very low quality. Buy sewing needles only good quality.
The twin needle is used for zigzag sewing machines. The width between the needles should not exceed the width of the hole in the needle plate. Both needles should pass freely into the hole without touching the walls. Double needles can have varieties. There are sewing needles that have three needles at the same time.
The sewing hook for any sewing machine is its main device. The quality of the sewing machine, the absence of gaps, thread breakage depends on the state and setting of the interaction of the sewing needle and the shuttle. The sewing needle forms a loop for the hook nose to catch.
sewing needles- the first reason for the appearance of gaps in the line of the sewing machine. Use only good quality needles, match them to the thickness of the thread and fabric. Periodically replace old needles with new ones. Then, the sewing machine will not knock during operation and the line will be of high quality when sewing any fabrics.
The bobbin, like sewing needles, affects the formation of a stitch. A bobbin with notches on the edges of the walls, with broken walls, with a rough surface prevents the free extraction of the lower thread, which leads to the appearance of various kinds of stitching defects.
Quite often, novice seamstresses (and not only) are wondering how to choose a needle for a sewing machine? Sometimes it occurs when the factory kit that came with the machine has become unusable. And sometimes when it becomes clear that the installed needle does not “take” the desired fabric, that is, it does not sew.
In the wide variety offered by sewing stores, it is easy to get lost and confused. To prevent this from happening, below we will figure out what are the actual differences between the needles and how to choose the right one. Initially, sewing needles are divided into two broad categories - overlock and for household sewing machines. They are not interchangeable. The main visible difference between them is the size of the eye - overlock needles have a larger eye. Sewing machine needles have a number of differences, namely: These are just some of the differences that are visible to the eye, which directly affect the quality of the line. So that sewing products from various materials does not become a problem for you, it is not enough just to read the instructions for the sewing machine. You need to have an idea about the marking of needles and their systematization. When buying, you need to know the type of sewing machine, and it is also advisable to have a needle flask with you. The flask is a part of the needle that is inserted into a special hole when installed on the machine. Manufacturers put a mark on it. If there is no flask left, you can find the desired marking in the instructions or on the device itself. When choosing, the main guide will be the numbers and letters on the flask or packaging from the needles. Household sewing machines work with needles with a flat bulb. Needles with a round flask are designed for industrial sewing machines. The marking on the flask usually looks like this: "130/705H" or "HAx1". The numbers indicate the size of the needle and the diameter of the rod. The unit of measure is inches or mm multiplied by 100. For household sewing machines, needles with numbers from 60/8 to 120/19 are suitable. Two standards are used for designation - European (mm) and American (inches). The thickest needle is marked 200/25 and the thinnest is 50/5, where the first number is a fraction of a millimeter and the second is a fraction of an inch. Now let's figure out what the letters indicated in the marking next to the number mean. Here are the main types of sewing machine needles: Depending on your intentions, you need to choose a needle with the desired marking. In order not to remember all of the above designations, you can simply choose a needle according to the type of material with which you plan to work. Light fabrics For materials such as crepe de chine, voile, cambric, thin muslin, crepe georgette and tricot, needles 60/8, 70/10 and 80/12 are suitable. Medium fabrics For linen, cotton, pique, knitwear, twill and percale - 80/12, 90/14, 100/16. heavy fabrics Teak, tweed, gabardine, rep, drapery and coat fabrics will be neatly stitched with needles 100/16, 110/18, 120/19. German manufacturers are considered the most common and best. Among them are Singer, Organ Needles, Grotz-Beckert, Schmetz and so on. Now, knowing all the designations, you will no longer wonder how to choose needles for sewing machines, but simply purchase the right ones. Smooth lines and neat stitches to you!The meaning of the numbers in the marking
The meaning of the letters
Needle selection by type of fabric
Verified brands
Thanks to books and documentaries, we know that primitive man's only clothing was a loincloth. In those distant times, there simply were no norms of decency and special requirements for appearance. However, such aggressive weather how wind, rain and frost forced the first people to come up with a tool to protect their bodies from external factors.
As you know, the first man created clothes from improvised means - animal skins, and fastened the edges of matter with the help of veins and narrow leather strips, punching holes in the fabric for their passage and connection. Due to the difference in height and body structure, each of the people needed an individual creation of such an outfit. Since it was mostly women who acted as “seamstresses”, men made their work easier and pierced the skins with a sharp bone or a pointed stone in advance. This difficult production of clothes lasted for a long time, until someone noticed that an awl with a notch at the sharp end allows you to create clothes much faster. Thus, the first hook was invented.
Initially, the hook was created from bronze, and after a while they began to make it from steel. With its help, women were able not only to conveniently pierce the skin, but also to cling to the notch of the connecting material and drag it through. Connected in this way, the edges of the clothes were better fastened to each other and, thereby, made the outfit better.
After some time, people began to use not skins and leather as a material for clothing, but textile fabrics made of linen, servants, wool and silk. And, of course, such a connecting material as strands was no longer suitable for making clothes: people began to fasten the edges of products with thin threads, from which they created the first fabric. The hook also turned out to be unsuitable, it was too thick and rough, and new way making clothes assumed a more subtle and perfect tool. A person needed a device that would not spoil the delicate fabric and, at the same time, securely fasten all the seams of the future outfit. And a breakthrough happened - the first sewing needle was invented, which was much thinner than a hook and perfectly laid stitches through the fabric. It was made from fish bone, and only then from steel, but the design of the needle was not changed. It was a thin rod with a thread hole (eyelet) at one end and a sharp point at the other.
A needle was used to pierce several layers of fabric, passing the thread from one side of the fabric to the other. In order to form a stitch, the needle was unfolded and the fabric was pierced at an adjacent point, connecting it. Thus, a thread line of stitches was formed, which connected the edges of the fabric. Such a sewing scheme assumed complex movements that a person could perform manually, but, alas, was not able to mechanize.
Subsequently, a needle and thread was used not only for sewing, but also for decorating clothes. With their help, they created embroidery and a beautiful finish on the fabric. It was then that the hook received a second birth, returning to human use as a sewing tool. It was used to perform two new types of stitches.
In the first case, two threads were used at once - front and back. The principle of operation was quite simple: the fabric was pierced with a hook from the front side, the wrong thread was grabbed and pulled out with a loop up. The front thread was manually inserted into the loop and pulled out with the wrong thread down. The technique made it possible to create an even, identical seam on both sides, and, subsequently, such a stitch was called a “shuttle” stitch.
Of course, the word "shuttle" does not quite accurately explain the features of this stitch, since the type of stitch is most often mistakenly associated with the mechanism for obtaining it. This is not entirely correct. AT English language use a more appropriate name - a “closed” stitch, which fixes the second thread with a needle thread and forms a reliable weave. The seam is so strong that it will not unravel, even if the thread is pulled from different ends, or if, for example, it accidentally breaks in the middle of the line. However, the lockstitch was far from the only way fabric fasteners.
In the 17th century, Europeans discovered the single-thread chain stitch that the Indians used for embroidery. The chain stitch was a technique in which the thread of the stitch was inserted into the loop of the previous one. Thus, on one side of the fabric, a line of eyelets was formed, and on the other, a straight line of stitches. The sequence of loops resembled a chain, hence the name of the stitch. However, it was worth pulling the thread from one end of the line or inadvertently damaging the middle of the seam, the thread was torn and unraveled.
But the Europeans were not going to stop there: they began to develop foreign experience and came up with new sewing techniques. The French were able to achieve tangible results, which is why many modern sewing and embroidery terms come from French. So, one of the embroidery stitches is called "tambour" from the French word "tambourine" - a drum. To create it, the fabric was tightly stretched and clamped between two wooden or metal rings (hoops), where one ring entered the other. Due to the strong tension, the fabric reminded people of the surface of the drum and became the reason for the name of the sewing technique. Later, the hook that was used to create the chain stitch was called the chain needle.
It is worth noting that for creating a chain stitch, the hook turned out to be a more convenient device than a needle. He moved the entire length of the stitch, pierced the fabric, grabbed and brought the thread to the front side and did not require constant rotation. It is thanks to the simplicity of this technique that mankind has come one step closer to creating a sewing machine and a mechanism that performs machine stitching.
People sought not only to automate the sewing process, but also to simplify the movement of the needle itself. The first improved needle, the creation of which was crowned with success, was the creation of the German inventor Charles Frederick Wiesenthal. While living in London, he managed to obtain the British Patent NQ701 for a sewing needle with two pointed ends. Interestingly, Wiesenthal placed the eye of the needle right at one of the pointed ends of the needle. The invention made it possible to embroider fabric tucked into the hoop, and at the same time not turn the needle over every time! Sewing happened like this: a needle pierced the fabric, shifted it to the length of the stitch, and made a hole from the inside with the second end of the needle. Note that the movement of the invented needle was somewhat reminiscent of the trajectory of the chain needle ¬¬¬¬- ¬-:.:::.:;.
Wiesenthal's contribution proved to be an invaluable investment in the future of the sewing machine, as Charles was the first to think of placing the eye of the needle so close to its end. However, the inventor was never able to finish what he started. He did not notice, perhaps, the most important advantage of his creation - the ability to mechanize the sewing process. By the way, it is quite possible that Wiesenthal's invention had no commercial value during his lifetime. At least, there is not a single piece of evidence that would confirm the opposite. However, his needle was repeatedly used in the 19th century, during the invention of a machine that imitates hand stitching. Also, there were rumors that in the 18th century a huge machine for stitching sails was created in Holland, the principle of which was strictly classified. However, the veracity of the rumors was never confirmed: neither documents nor drawings of the invention were found. In general, it is difficult to believe in the real existence of a machine, not to mention the dubious working properties of such a huge mechanism.
By the way, even the brilliant Leonardo Da Vinci tried to delve into the technology of the machine of the future, which is capable of manufacturing and processing textile materials, made sketches and notes, and prepared mock-ups of a possible invention. However, the scientist did not manage to leave behind significant developments that could push a person to create a sewing machine.
However, the question why the sewing machine was not invented earlier is still open. After all, machines for the manufacture and processing of textiles were invented and successfully operated much earlier than sewing machines. For example, historians date hand looms as far back as the fifth millennium BC, and mechanical machines were invented in the 16-18 centuries. The actual operation of the sewing machine in everyday life began only in the second half of the 19th century. Moreover, for a long time people considered its creation generally impossible!
The delays were due to the complex mechanism of sewing machines. After all, the movements of the working bodies of mechanical machines for the manufacture of threads, textiles and knitwear do not fundamentally differ from handheld devices. All human attempts to mechanize hand stitches have not been successful due to the complexity of the working bodies and the unreliability of the process. Progress came only after the invention of a device for machine stitches and lines. It was then that it was possible to create a machine that began to successfully carry out the work conceived by man.