Needles are important for all projects that use a machine embroidery machine. But it can be hard to choose the right needle for the right project, especially if you are new and don’t know much about how embroidery machines work. When you read all of the articles and guides on embroidery machine needles that you can find online, things get too complicated.
Still, you are in the right place if you, too, are looking for short but useful information about embroidery machine needles. We’ve put together a short, easy-to-understand guide below to help you get rid of myths and choose the right embroidery machine needles for your projects.
Before we get into the details, before you choose an embroidery needle, it’s important to think about the machine’s specifications, the type of fabric you’ll be using, the stabiliser, and the thread you’ll be working with. These are some of the most important things that will affect the type and point of the embroidery machine needle you should use for any given project. Once you know how to choose the right type of needle, you will automatically cut down on thread breaks and end up with an embroidery design that is smoother, crisper, and cleaner.
How embroidery machine needles are made
When you look at embroidery machine needles more closely, you can see that they have two different sides, one that is round and one that is flat. Because these shapes are different, needles can fit easily into embroidery machines.
Moving on, the point, shank, grove, and eye are all important parts of a needle. Each of these parts affects how the needle works during an embroidery job, so it’s important to think about all of them when picking an embroidery machine needle for a certain job.
Is there a difference between needles for a sewing machine and needles for an embroidery machine?
Sewing machine needles and embroidery machine needles may look the same to someone who isn’t familiar with them, but there are some small differences between the two. First of all, the needles for embroidery machines are made just for embroidery machines and can’t be used for sewing. On the other hand, machine embroidery can be done with sewing needles (not recommended, though).
The biggest difference between the two types of needles is how the eye and scarf are shaped. Since embroidery machine needles are made to fit embroidery machines, they tend to have a longer eye and a different-shaped scarf. This small change in the shape of the needle helps embroidery machines handle fine embroidery threads and keep the threads from breaking as they work.
What You Need to Know About Embroidery Machine Needles
– Point
Almost all needles for embroidery machines have a universal point, which has a slightly rounded tip. The embroidery machine needle has a point that is somewhere between a sharp point and a ballpoint point. This is the best shape for the point because it can be used on almost all major types of fabrics and stabilisers. When using a very fine stabiliser, like one that dissolves in water, you should use a needle with a sharp point. This makes it easy for the needle to go through the stabiliser without ripping it apart.
– Size
The length of needles for embroidery machines can range from 70 to 110 mm. In general, the needle is finer when the size is smaller. But in the end, the type of fabric, stabiliser, and thread used in the embroidery project will determine how to choose the right size. When choosing the size of the embroidery machine needle, you should also think about how close the stitches are to each other.
– Type
For your embroidery project, the type of needle you should use will depend on the fabric and the design you want to make. Titanium needles are the strongest needles and are used when working with thick materials like denim or when embroidering big, complicated designs. Titanium needles are strong enough to go through any fabric without much trouble. Also, titanium needles tend to keep their point and surface shape and size. Most of the time, these needles last 3 to 5 times longer than traditional needles with chromium plating.
How to Choose Needles for Different Types of Embroidery Machines!
When shopping for embroidery machine needles, it’s also important to make sure that different needle types will work with your embroidery machine. A good idea is to read the machine’s user manual to find out what type of needle is recommended. Some embroidery machines need needles with a certain type of shank, so not all needles may work with your machine.
How to Choose the Right Needle for Your Embroidery Machine!
When looking for the best needle for your embroidery project, you should first think about the whole thing. This includes the weave and weight of the fabric, the complexity of the design, the number of stitches, the type of stabiliser, and more. After you’ve thought about all of these things, you can choose the best embroidery machine needle for any project. Here’re some examples for your better understanding:
- When you want to embroider on heavy fabrics like denim or canvas, use bigger needles.
- For lighter fabrics like batiste or silk, use lighter fabric
- For small letter embroidery, use a small needle with a sharp point.
- When you want to embroider on denim or leather, use a titanium needle with a sharp point.
Best Advice
Well, by now you should know a lot about the different kinds of embroidery needles and how to tell them apart. Choosing an embroidery machine needle is hard because each project has its own specific needs and requirements. This means we can’t recommend a single type of needle for all embroidery projects. Instead, you would have to think about all the important factors, such as the complexity of the design, the type of fabric, the type of stabiliser, and so on, before choosing a specific needle type. If you’re new to embroidery, you should always have all kinds of needles on hand and try out different needles to see which ones work best for your needs.
