Sewing Machine Needles

MACHINE NEEDLES

Whether you have a top-of-the-line sewing machine or an economy model, the most important tool used is the sewing machine needle.

The sewing life of a needle is 8 hours. In that time, the point will become worn and stitch quality may become compromised. Keep a variety of needles on-hand to change regularly. A good rule of thumb is to use a new needle at the start of every project.

It’s long been recommended to change the needle every 8 hours of sewing, or at the beginning of a new project, but it also depends on what you’re sewing. Multiple layers of denim or a dense embroidery design with many layers of stabilizers will dull the needle faster than sewing two layers of cotton, for example. No one wants to be wasteful and replace a needle unnecessarily, but a good rule of thumb is, when it doubt, throw it out. The cost of the needle is likely the least amount in the overall cost of your project, so better safe than sorry.

Choosing the right needle for the right fabric makes all the difference in your sewing. There is a terrific Janome Needle Guide available on the Janome.CA website. It’s a good idea to use Janome needles for Janome machines since they were made specifically for them. If your machine has a needle threader, it was calibrated using a Janome needle. You can use another brand of needle in your machine, but it may not have the eye in the same spot as Janome needles, so the needle threader may not work with them. You can still use them in your machines, but you may not have success using the needle threader, so you’ll need to thread by hand.

Other brands of needles may also be too long where the tip of the needle can hit the top of the bobbin when cycling. When trying a different brand of needle, it’s a good idea to remove the bobbin cover and cycle the needle by hand, turning the balance wheel toward you to make sure the needle is not hitting the top of the bobbin. If it’s not, go ahead and use that needle. We’re not saying you can’t use other brands of needles in your machine, we’re just pointing out a few factors to be aware of. Stick to a good quality brand of needle like Schmetz, or Organ (which makes Janome needles).

Thanks to our friends at Janome Canada for providing such great content for the Sewcase!