Needles 
General Information:
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The lower the number, the smaller the needle regardless of the type.
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Fine fabrics, satin, silk, linen, require the #60/8 Sharp or #65/9 Sharp. Either would be good choices. Those fabrics are snagged by a dull or overly large needle.
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To pierce heavy fabric like denim, use #80/12 Sharp or #90/14 Sharp.
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Knits and loosely woven fabrics need a ball point needle. The finer the jersey and pique knit use a smaller needle.
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Cotton fabrics work well with sharp or universal needles.
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Tapestry is also loosely woven so you will want to use a ball point needle. These will more easily go between the threads of the fabric instead of penetrating them.
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Wedge point needles are made for plastics, vinyl and leather goods. Wedge point needles make a ‘slice’ rather than a hole. If your needle is causing the design to be "cut" out of your fabric, try a wedge point. Here’s a deal! Originally $4,999.00 and on sale for $39.99… 
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Cardstock demands a very fine, sharp needle and the smaller the better. It will also require a fine thread, at least a #50 or #60 thread.
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Metallic needles are sharp and have a larger hole. This allows the metallic thread to feed easier and therefore, less thread breaks. Nothing that I know about will stop metallic thread breakage.
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If you think your needle (not yet attached to the machine) might have an eye that is too small, you can take a 12” piece of the thread and put it through the hole. Hold the thread vertically and spin the needle, this demonstrates how easily the thread moves through the hole.
Embroidery needles have a slight amount of flexibility to them, allowing better movement. Sewing needles are generally more rigid.
If you have a dual machine that sews as well as embroiders, you may have been given two different bobbin cases. Other than thread and needle, the reality is that sewing and embroidery have very little in common in their process. Here is why:
A sewing machine uses the top and bottom threads equally to combine two fabrics together. You will use an equal amount of thread with the top and bottom. This diagram shows the process.
However, an embroidery machines uses the top thread to cover your fabric while the bottom thread holds the top thread snugly to the fabric. This method uses approximately 40% more top than bottom thread. This diagram is courtesy of Designs in Machine Embroidery), you already know that you will see top thread on the bottom of your design, as it should be.
dumpING the needle Let’s all put a dollar into a bank account for every time we wondered when to change the needle. The account will be in my name and I promise to tell you about all the fun I have spending it. Options: Listen to the ‘experts’ (not including yours truly).
- When you start a new project
- When you are doing delicate or detailed designs
- When your machine starts to sound different
- When you think of it
- When you have done 70,000 or 150,000 stitches
- When the needle is bent
- Give up and take up a new hobby.
Drum Roll (as Cathy would say)! I don’t have a simple answer. I do, however, follow a few rules.
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When I begin a new project, I think about the prior age/usage of the needle, I might change here.
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When I am doing small words and want those “o’s” and “e’s” to have good definition, I probably will change here.
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I do listen carefully to my machine. But noise in general does not mean the needle is in need of change. Any unusual sound requires an immediate stop of the machine. I might consider changing the needle here.
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When I change the bobbin, I see lint in the bobbin case area; and I may think about changing the needle while I am cleaning up that area.
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I do keep an eye on the number of stitches I have been creating. It reminds me it is time for a check up at my dealers. But I may change my needle just because of usage by count.
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I always change a bent needle immediately.
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I believe in strong stabilization, which dulls a needle. I change that needle.
A worn needle can be one cause of tension issues. Here are “Test Your Tension” files for the most common embroidery formats. I have placed the test file in my machine’s memory. If you don’t have a memory on your machine, keep this file handy and use it periodically. Here’s how:
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Use contrasting threads for top thread, bobbin thread and fabric so that you can readily see where your thread is landing at the current tension setting.
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If possible, use different brands of threads.
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Observe your test. The appearance of the majority of your test indicates your general tension.
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If adjustments are needed, make them in small increments, and repeat the test.
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Naturally, the factory setting is the most accurate, but over time, wear and movement will make a reset inaccurate without a fully trained technician.
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Keep the stitched out pattern for future reference.
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Check often.
TensionTestDST.zip TensionTestEXP.zip TensionTestHUS.zip
TensionTestJEF.zip TensionTestPCS.zip TensionTestPES.zip
TensionTestXXX.zip
To print this blog, see upper right corner of this blog.
Did you see the New Photos Section? It is called “Challenges and Advice” and it will be great for all those discussions and suggestions that ATG users are renowned for sharing!
What would you like the next Blog to be about? I have several subjects in mind:
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HEIRLOOM/WING NEEDLE
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PLACEMENT GUIDES
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ENDLESS HOOPING
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YOUR IDEA