Needles, Backing, & Thread, OH MY! (Part 1)

When trying to first understand embroidery, it seems so simple - the machine just does it all for you... Right? Wrong. If it were that easy, there would be many many more embroiderers in business than there are now.

There are many aspects to embroidery and in this section, I am just going to mention 3 of them - needles, backing & thread. These are all consumable items that are used on the machine itself. Let's talk about the first one - needles.

What does a needle actually do to your garment? Well - it passes through your material to meet the hook to create a knot (the stitch) - whether is is separating the fibers or piercing through. When this happens, displacement happens and the fabric moves ever so slightly with each needle penetration. Each fabric will react differently and, most importantly, it will depend on needle size and type.

Needles come in varying sizes as well as point types (some even come coated in titanium or teflon). When referring to a needle size, many use 2 numbers - the most common size being 75/11. What do these sizes mean? Well, the 2 numbers mean the exact same thing. The first number (IE: 75) is the Number Metric - it is the diameter of the needle shaft in millimeters multiplied by 100. So, the diameter is in fact .75 mm. The second number (IE: 11) is it's US counterpart. This is a standard that was set by Singer. Needle sizes can vary from 60/8 up to 120/19. The smaller the number, the smaller the size. This also means that the hole of the needle (where the thread passes) becomes smaller. So, then, the larger the number, the larger the size and the larger the hole of the needle (where the thread passes).

We have to find a balance between the needle and thread (as well as design aspect & other factors - we'll talk about that later) when choosing size. With an embroidery machine moving at a fast pace, the thread needs to pass through the needle smoothly and without any friction. If the thread does not pass through freely, you will experience fraying of thread and thread breaks - and in turn, will frustrate anyone trying to run a design that keeps "messing" up. So, with 40 weight standard poly thread, most people use the size of 75/11. When it comes to finer detail work in your design - many will use a smaller needle such as a 70/10 or even 65/9 with a thinner thread - such as a 60 weight poly thread. With a thinner thread, you can use a smaller needle - the hole doesn't need to be as big. In addition, this will help with detail work because it is making a smaller hole in your fabric (less displacement). On the other side of things, you may want to use a larger needle for metallic thread or specialty thread - metallics feel rougher and some may feel "wire-y." They can be coated & fibrous and it is probably better to use a larger needle - such as a 80/12 to help the thread pass through easier.

Then, you have the needle point type - ball point, sharp point, and wedge point are the most common. A ball point needle is more rounded at the tip and has less cutting action. Because of this rounded tip, the needle will try to separate the fibers rather than cut through them, which decreases the risk of damage. A sharp point needle has a sharp pointed tip and has more cutting action than a ballpoint - they are designed to pierce the fabric rather than separate the fibers. The sharp point is used primarily for tightly woven materials such as canvas, denim & sturdy fabrics - and most ball caps. Finally the wedge point has a wedged shape to help reduce friction while piercing the fabric - they have a cutting edge to penetrate non-woven materials such as leather and suede.

Now - changing the needle. Needles will wear down - and that will affect your embroidery machine performance. If a needle is worn down, has a burr in the eye or has become more blunt, it can drastically effect the way the thread lays on the garment. Changing the needle often is a good idea - many people base it on how often they use a needle (such as the needles assigned for black and white - most used). You will want to change those more often than a color such as chartreuse.

There are guidelines on what needle to use when, but there is not one fast/hard rule about what needle to use on each garment type - mostly because there are so many other aspects that have to be considered. My advice is to understand and experiment - know what needle types & sizes mean and then choose a needle that you think would best accomodate your thread, garment, backing, design & hooping style. Experiment with different needle types and use what you see fit for your embroidery. Make sure to take notes!

Prior to embroidery, I never ever thought that much about needles...

-Andrea