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Sewing machine needles and threads - top tips for successful stitching!

Posted by Jo Morris on 29th Jun 2021

CHANGE YOUR NEEDLE OFTEN

Who changes the needle on their machine even though it’s not broken? We all should - and we should do it after every 6 to 8 hours of sewing! Really? Why? Because needles get blunt and don’t pierce the fabric sufficiently to pick up the bobbin thread neatly, which leads to thread nests and uneven stitching on the underside of your sewing. Sound familiar? And you thought it was a tension problem!

USE QUALITY BRANDS

And you must use good quality needles. For Janomes and Elna machines, use Janome needles. For other machine brands, we recommend Schmetz needles.There are other brands of needle that are not as well made, and that don’t fit some machines perfectly - which leads to more snarly thread problems.

USE THE RIGHT NEEDLE

And did you know there are different types of needle for different fabrics and different purposes? Whether woven or knit, thin, medium or thick fabric, whether for embroidery or quilting, there are specific needles for each thing. So don’t use a size 16 needle to sew silk or a ballpoint needle for denim.

Acting on these simple tips will save you hassle, disappointment and even injury. I  know this only too well. About 10 years ago, before I  bought this business and learned the truth about needles, I was sewing silk chiffon with whatever needle was in the  machine (bad!) when it snagged the fabric that I was guiding, which pulled my thumb under the needle and the needle broke off inside my thumb. It took a visit to A and E, an xray and a painful procedure by a doctor armed with scalpel and tweezers to get the centimeter of needle tip out.

USE GOOD THREAD

And who’s using their mother’s or grandmother’s stash of threads on their sewing machine? Don’t do it. Throw them away! Why? Because older threads deteriorate and can snap or, through weakness, not perform as sewing machines need them to. A sewing machine needs good thread to operate properly, and for regular sewing you need to use the same thread on the top and in the bobbin.

Finally, don’t use overlocker thread on your sewing machine! It’s inferior quality and fluffier than good sewing machine thread, so it won’t perform as well and will leave lint inside your machine.

Often, when people bring in a machine that isn’t sewing well, we remove their old thread (shaking our heads and going tut-tut) and replace it with one of our Gutermann or Mettler polyester threads, put in a fresh needle, and the machine immediately creates perfect stitches.

IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!

It makes sense that the right needles and threads are vitally important for the performance of your sewing machine and therefore the success of your projects. We guarantee that you and your machine will enjoy a much happier relationship if you act on these tips!