Essentials Guide to Machine Embroidery Designs - Needles

The second important essential in machine embroidery designs is the Needle. Embroidery needles are designed to be used with embroidery or decorative thread. Their tips are rounded. They are made to tolerate the higher temperature produced by embroidery machine and decorative thread thereby producing accuracy in machine embroidery designs. Titanium coated needles are stronger and have long life; they are best suited for multi-layered embroidery work. Some times a needle needs lubricant while using the metallic threads. In order to make perfect embroidery designs we need to use the appropriate type of needle.

Rule number one. Always use a new needle for every new project. Buy branded and good quality needles. If the thread breaks frequently or the needle is not going smoothly in the fabric change the needle. Select the size of the needle according to the weight of your fabric and the size of the thread you are using. A thicker fabric needs a higher sized needle. Higher the number means thicker the needle. A finer thread needs a smaller needle. Specialty needles have larger coated eyes and deeper scarfs to handle the thread more easily.

Rule number two. Pick the needle type to accommodate both the thread and the fabric. It is not always the best choice to use a larger universal needle to avoid thread fraying and breakage. The larger needle may produce unsightly holes in the fabric or cut the fabric causing gaps between the embroidery areas in a specific design. Topstitching needles can also be used with most embroidery thread needles, designed for metallic embroidery thread, have an elongated eye and a special shaft to reduce friction.

Before selecting the needle you should know the parts of the needle which will help you in choosing the appropriate needle for your machine embroidery designs.

Parts of the needle

Shank - Shank is the upper end of the needle, which is held by the needle bar. It can be round or flat on one side.

Blade - Blade is that part of the needle which is extended from the base of the shank to the point.

Scarf - Scarf is the intentation on the back of the needle just above the eye. This scarf allows the hook of the bobbin case to get close to the ey of the needle to catch the thread and form a stitch.

Long groove - Long groove of the needle provides the protected channel for the thread as it drawn through the fabric.

Eye - Eye is the hole at the end. It carries the top thread in to the bobbin case for the formation of the stitch. The size of the eye of needle varies with the size of the thread.

Point - Point is the end of the needle that pierces the fabric. For different types of fabric different type of point are designed.

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