Selecting A Hand Sewing Needle
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Every seamstress knows that even the best sewing machine has its limits. No amount of advanced technology has yet to eliminate the need for sewing by hand. Whether you are repairing clothing or slipcovers, hemming a skirt or pants, or adding some embellishments with beads or embroidery, the job must be done as it has been done for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.
Because of the various types of hand sewing that is needed, the selection of the correct type of needle can be confusing. The available choices of sewing needle are extensive. The key is to match the needs of the thread to the needs of the fabric.
Tip, Eye And Size
The tip of the needs has to small enough and sharp enough to pierce the fabric without stretching it or leaving any other kind of damage. The eye has to be large enough to accommodate the necessary type of thread but not so large as to damage the fabric. Buying a sewing needle with an extra large eye just to make it easier to thread is not a good idea. Get a needle threader or a self-threading needle instead. The needle threader usually has a pliable metal eye that folds on itself to fit into the eye of the sewing needle then expands so you can insert the thread and pull it through the eye. A self-threading sewing needle has a slit in the eye so the thread can be inserted easily. The size of the needle is indicated on the package by a number. The length and thickness increases as the number decreases.
Different types of needles are designed for different types of hand sewing. The sewing needle usually needed for general sewing like hemming and repairs is the "sharp." If you need to sew leather or heavy materials such as canvas, look for a "glover" sewing needle. Their tips are triangular to penetrate the material without tearing. Be sure to use the correct kind of thread, too. Needlepoint projects on loosely woven fabric like canvas mesh call for a tapestry sewing needle with a blunt point and large eye. This allows the needle to slip between the fabric threads rather than piercing them. Needlepoint on a tightly woven fabric calls for a crewel or embroidery sewing needle. The have a sharp point with an eye large enough for embroidery thread or yarn. Quilting needles are short and darning needles are larger and longer than sharps to help bridge the gaps that need to be repaired.
Choosing the correct sewing needle will make your sewing chores easier, better and as satisfying as they were meant to be.
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