BERNINA
®
Embroidery
Module/Machine
M
ASTERING
Y
OUR
BERNINA
®
E
MBROIDERY
M
ODULE
/M
ACHINE
12
Mastering
Your
BERNINA
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Dealers
Sewing Machine Needles
Along with thread, needles are very important to stitch formation. Many
“mechanical” problems and damage to fabrics can be traced to a bent,
damaged, or incorrect size or type needle. Approximately 60% of all
needles made are discarded at some stage of production. When select-
ing the correct needle for any sewing project, consider the following:
Needle system
– 130/705H
Needle point
– to assure proper stitch formation and avoid fabric damage
Needle size
– smaller for lightweight fabrics; larger for heavier fabrics
If the needle is:
Too Small
– the thread can’t stay in the groove to form a loop to be picked
up by the hook point
Bent
– thread loop forms too far away from hook point; hook can’t enter
loop to form stitch
Blunt
– needle will not pierce fabric;no thread loop forms to make a stitch
90 = 14
100 = 16
110 = 18
120 = 19
Regardless of the system,
the greater the number,
the larger the diameter
of the needle.
Need To Know
• Needle should be changed every 4-6 hours of regular sewing, or
after every 1-2 hours of embroidery stitching
. The needle is the most
inexpensive part in your embroidery machine but is one of the most
crucial for getting good results and keeping your machine running
well. Don’t let false economy keep you from doing what is best for
your embroidery projects and your machine.
• European needles are chrome-plated through fabric easily.
• The selected thread should fit in the groove on the front of the
needle. If it isn’t protected by the groove, a needle with a larger groove
should be used.
• Always make sure needles are fully inserted as high as possible,
with the flat side to the back.
Needle Size Conversion Chart
European vs. Domestic
60 = 8
70 = 10
75 = 11
80 = 12
Which Needle?
Not all needles are appropri-
ate for use in embroidery
machines. As with all sew-
ing projects, needle choice
is detemined by the fabric,
thread, and application. For
most embroidery, an Organ
needle or Embroidery needle
is the best choice.
Occasionally, other needles
may be recommended for
specially digitized tech-
niques, such as a Wing
needle heirloom embroidery.
