 may not seem to help. When all else fails, try a new package.N
In this case “Universal” has a double meaning. This is the type of needle that most sewists use, and is what most companies pack in the box with their sewing machines. The tip of these needles is modified to be somewhat rounded. That makes it suitable for sewing both woven and knit fabrics, which is why they are called universal. A rounded tip tends to push between the fibers of the fabric, rather than through them. That causes less damage to the fabric, and is critical for knits, which can unravel if the needle cuts the fibers.
- Ball Point
Needles made specifically for knits have an almost blunt, rounded tip. While you can generally use a universal needle for knits like cotton interlock, those don’t work well at all on stretchy knits like Lycra. In that situation a ball point is critical. Ball points can also be helpful in sewing unusual items, such as Velcro fastener tape.
The tip of these needles is very sharp, with no rounding. This is good for sewing on microfibers, silk and heirloom fabrics.
- Denim (Jeans)
These needles have a very sharp point, and the scarf is a little deeper to give the hook a little more room between a larger needle and a heavier thread. They are good for sewing on jeans, home decorating projects and other densely woven fabrics.
Leather needles have a sharp 3-sided tip, designed specifically to pierce through the leather. They should not be used on synthetic leather, however. The Microtex is a better choice for those fabrics.
Embroidery needles have a modified point that is neither sharp nor a ball. The eye is extra large, to allow decorative threads to pass very easily through it. If thread shredding or breaking occurs in dense embroidery, it may help to switch to a larger size so there will be a bigger hole for the thread to pass through. However if the stitches are very short, such as a narrow satin stitch outline, and you are using a size 14, you may do better by switching down to an 11 or 12. That’s because a size 14 is 1.4mm in diameter. If embroidery stitches are shorter than 1.4mm then you will have skipping, nesting, breaks, and similar problems. In very dense embroidery it is sometimes necessary to go to a much smaller needle, such as 8 or 10, and 60wt or smaller thread.
Made for free motion quilting techniques, such as stippling, these needles have a tapered shaft that helps minimize fabric damage when going through multiple layers of fabric and batting. Since it is impossible for a human to time the movement of the fabric perfectly, it’s a good idea to use larger sizes that will not easily be pulled and broken.
These needles have a sharp point, with an extra large eye and groove to accommodate heavier threads. When embroidery or metallic needles are not available, these make a good substitute.
The tip is a modified ball, much like a universal. Both the eye and groove are greatly enlarged to allow delicate metallic threads to pass through easily. When a metallic needle does not seem to be working on a Janome machine, it’s often not the fault of the needle. Placing metallic thread on the horizontal spool pin causes the thread to twist as it comes off the spool. Frequently the twist will manifest itself as a kink when the thread gets to the eye, causing breakage. The solution is to stand the thread up vertically so that it rolls off straight, without twisting, or using a thread stand to extend the distance the thread travels to get to the machine.
Wing needles are so called because of the large metal “wings” that come out on each side. They are designed to make a hole in the fabric, and are usually used in heirloom sewing. For best results, choose stitches that cause the needle to go through the same hole more than once. These are typically decorative stitches with a reverse cycle in them.
When two needles are mounted on the same shank, it’s called a twin needle. Most often twin needles are used for topstitching or decorative techniques, such as pin tucks. The needles are sold by type and by the distance between the indiv