Needles - SEW SEW SEW Important! FREE Shipping to any USA destination for all orders
placed through midnight, Tuesday, January 26, 2010
From my retail storefront days - and my role as machine salesperson, machine operation teacher, and basic sewing teacher...I acquired a REAL appreciation for the extremely important role that the proper sewing machine needle plays in sewing success. I'll NEVER forget this experience...I was on the plane coming back from a market where I'd taken a class from an expert - Gale Grigg Hazen - and devouring a book by her (forget the name of it now - sorry). Anway...I was reading that the thread doesn't just go lickety split through the sewing machine and into the fabric, BUT - get this: that thread goes in and out of the eye of the needle like 15-20 times AND, it even gets stitched INTO the FABRIC and BACK OUT AGAIN several times before it actually gets stitched! I couldn't wait to get home to test this out - and durned, if it isn't TRUE!
After that - I started out the 'required class' we provided for every new machine owner, "Care & Feeding of Your Sewing Machine" with this demo - which I recommend you do for yourself!
1. Thread your machine with WHITE thread. Make a mark with a black magic marker - a big mark - on the thread - somewhere between the spool of thread and the first thread guide.
2. Set your machine on a long stitch length (so you can see this faster), and SLOW speed if you have that capability.
3. Stitch onto white fabric and WATCH THAT SPOT ON THE THREAD!!! KEEP YOUR EYE GLUED TO THAT SPOT - and you'll see for yourself what I described above.
I'd quickly film this myself as a new teaching video if I weren't so anxious to get sewing today - but it's better if you prove it to yourself anyway. Yep - SEW what does that mean???
It means that a GOOD 'marriage' of the diameter of your needle and thread is vitally important! That's what it means!!! If your thread is too large in diameter for the size of needle (and thus the size of the eye of the needle), there will be too much abrasion, and the thread will shred and break. Conversely, if the eye of the needle is TOO large, that thread will wallow around in that eye and it won't work as it is supposed to either!
In addition to all that - the configuration of the needle itself - the point (rounded or sharp), the shaft (coated, skinny, fat, etc.) and the CONDITION of the point of the needle (has it hit a pin? Is it dull from stitching on man-made fibers?) ALL combine to make the
NEEDLE the MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR SEWING MACHINE - REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU PAID FOR IT!!!
I also learned LOTS from many sewing educators about needle points - and what is best for what fabric. I interviewed several of them I could get in touch with again for this newsletter, and there is definitely some variety of opinion - so I'll just give you mine! What I learned, taught, and still believe is that though a Universal Needle will generally work on most anything, it is not necessarily the BEST for sewing anything. Say - I put alot of $ into my sewing machine, and I love GOOD fabric, so why wouldn't I want to use the BEST? Sew...for Wovens - I prefer the SHARP point of a Microtex (for lightweight sillky type fabrics) or the SHARP point of a Denim needle for medium to heavy weight fabrics. It all comes down to wanting that needle to EASILY and QUICKLY penetrate the fibers of the fabric so it can make the loop of thread that the hook on the machine down below comes around and engages with to complete the stitch. Any labor to do that puts a strain on my machine - and I don't want to stress my machine!
For Knits - I want to separate, not pierce the fibers - so I opt for a Stretch Needle. A Stretch Needle has a slightly rounded tip for just that reason. (I was taught a Ball Point needle was only for stitching on power net - like Girdling type fabric - not my cup of tea!). There is a new 'Jersey' Needle - but I didn't really get any straight, definitive answer about how that might differ from a Stretch Needle - so I'm gonna ignore that one, as the Stretch Needles always seem to work for me.
SIZE of needle - I learned I want to use the smallest needle that works with the appropriate thread (which is selected to be as close to the fibers that the fabric is made of as possible - so cotton for cottons, polyester for any stretch fabric, etc.). After all, why would you want to put any larger hole in the fabric than necessary??? For machine needles - the larger the number, the larger the needle. FYI - it is OPPOSITE that for hand sewing needles - I always joked that some MAN decided that one!
If you're interested, here is a link to a 9 minute video by Schmetz about how they produce their needles! BEWARE - though it starts in German, it quickly changes to English after the introductions by several people...
http://www.euronotions.com/video2/schmetzfamvideo.swf
All that being said, I have put together some collections of needles that I think you might find helpful.
The price on these collections is even LOWER than my every day 25% off needle pricing!
Londa's BASIC NEEDLE Collection
For Starter Sewers...I suggest the following as a needle collection to provide a good selection for stitching on ALL fabrics. Offered at a bit MORE than 25% regular discount!
Embroidery Needle Collection
Embroidery Needles Assortment - 75/11 and 90/14 - 5 to a card
Embroidery Twin Needle (either 2.0/75 or 3.0/80 as availability changes)
"Gold" Titanium Needles 75/11 - 5 to a card
"Gold" Titanium Needles 90/14 - 5 to a card
REMEMBER - FREE USA Shipping through tomorrow
- Tues., Jan. 26, 2010 for needles!
ALL ORDERS PLACED this week will get a FREE Schmetz Booklet about ALL of their Needles - this is a VERY handy little booklet you'll love for reference!
If you order anything in addition, there is a shipping charge, but the cost of the needles does not ADD to the shipping matrix.
Speaking of Collections
Susan from Sew What's New to put together some collections of Notions that I would recommend for sewers of different interests and levels. You might be interested...so here are those lists and links to them at the FREE INFO tab at my site.
'Must Have" Starter Sewing Notions - to avoid distress when even starting to sew!
'Londa's Favorite Sewing Notions' - for those who have determined they are serious about sewing!
Sewing Notions for 'Artsy' Creative Sewing - specialized and handy for creative sewers!
"Talking Pattern" Update:
I ABOUT have 4 of my most popular patterns AND my printed book in the new 'Talking' Format - hopefully later this week all will be ready, set and proofed, and I will send out an additional email when that Banner Day arrives! Listen to what an excited customer has to say...
"Your talking patterns are revolutionary! I spent the afternoon yesterday listening to the Transformed "Queen Anne" jacket and it was as if you were in the room with me explaining what to do!! " Jean from TX
NOW - I'm GONNA go SEW! On the 'table' is the 2nd view for my 'Swirl' Jacket - destined to become a 'real' new pattern in the next 2 months or so...midst a busy season of travels to expos and guilds around the country.
Happy Sewing!
P.S. If you're a Preferred Member at my site - be sure to log in to get your additional 10% discount on your order over $50!!!!
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