35
THE NEEDLE AND HOOK
THE NEEDLE
Scarf
Needle Eye
Needle Groove
The needle is a slender piece of steel with an
opening for thread called the eye and a point for
piercing fabric so the thread can pass thought the
fabric on the way to the bobbin housing. The needle
and thread not only need to pierce the substrate, but
also form the loop that helps create the stitch in the
correct place which is in the hook assembly.
The proper needle will get the thread where it needs
to be when that loop is formed. If the eye of your
needle is too big, your embroidery may look untidy.
If the loop is too small, the thread may break or fray
or, worse, make it look scuffed and worn.
Heavier fabrics need heavier needles to avoid deflection which causes breaks which can knock the timing
off. A delicate fabric needs a thinner blade to avoid destroying the fabric.
Needle size should conform to the thread weight. 40 weight thread, the most commonly used, calls for
approximately a 75/11 size needle. For normal embroidery use a DB
×
K5 needle. DB
×
K5 is a needle with
a reinforced blade and a larger eye that is used for most fabrics. It also has a longer groove to cradle the
thread on the way down which guards against fraying. The longer scarf allows for a more forgiving
registration process.
Sharp points tend to damage fibers at high speeds. Less lint is produced when there is less fabric damage.
On heavy fabric and cap seams, a sharp needle works best. Sharps are best with small lettering. They create
a crisper letter. A longer needle with a larger eye is available for metallics, reducing thread breaks and frays
due to drag on the thread through the small oval eyes.
TIP
Take a two foot section of thread. Thread your needle on it and raise and lower
the ends. The thread should move easily through the eye.
TIP
Mark your needle and case with a marker so you can tell at a glance which they
are.
