Schmetz Needles – Reliable Sewing Machine Needles
The Schmetz company was founded in 1851 and has since become
known as a leader in the sewing machine needle industry. They
were the first manufacturer to introduce a standardization of
needle systems. Schmetz currently manufactures needles for
industrial sewing, tailoring, tufting and for home/hobby
sewing. More information and a history of the company can be
found here.
Types of Schmetz Needles
A general-purpose needle that can be used on knit or woven
fabrics. Most of the time, a universal needle will do the
job. However, if you are having difficulty, you may want to
choose a needle more specific for your type of fabric and/or
thread.
Have slightly rounded tips that allow them to go between the
threads of knitted fabrics, rather than pierce them. This
prevents runs, snags and skipped stitches.
Have very sharp points that actually cut through the leather
while making the stitch. While they work great on leather and
non-woven materials, they should not be used on textiles.
For use with metallic threads. Metallic threads can be
difficult to sew with as they often shred in the needle.
Metallic needles have a Teflon coating and are designed to reduce
the friction on the thread thereby keeping them from fraying.
Machine embroidery is often done with rayon thread, which like
metallics, tends to fray in the needle. Schmetz embroidery
needles are designed to handle these threads in order to make
smooth stitches.
Designed for denim and other tightly woven fabrics. They
will also go through multiple layers of fabric, such as for
quilting.
Have very thin, sharp points and are perfect for stitching
through high thread count fabrics such as silks and
microfibers. Because they are so thin, care should be taken
not to break them and they should be replaced more frequently than
other needles.
Consist of two needles mounted on a crossbar on one shaft.
They are great for twin needle topstitching on hems. Two
spools of thread are needed and they should be placed so each
unwinds in a different direction (this keeps the threads from
twisting around each other.) Only one bobbin thread is
needed. The bobbin will form a zigzag on the underside of the
stitching, which provides some built in stretch. Twin needles
have two numbers on the packaging. The first is expressed in
millimeters and is how far apart the needles are from each
other. The second is the size of the needle. Take care
when using a twin needle that a zigzag throat plate is in place to
accommodate the extra width of the needles. Also be careful
when using a zigzag stitch that the outer needles will clear the
throat plate on each swing.
A boon to us whose eyes are getting a bit older.
There is a tiny slot in the side of the needle that one can pop the
thread through, rather than having to poke it through that tiny
eye. (Is it just me, or are those needle eyes getting smaller
every year?)
Different from twin needles in that they are one
needle with two eyes. These are often used for decorative
topstitching with two different colors of thread. Like the
twin needle, two spools of thread are needed and each should unwind
in a different direction.
Specially designed for trouble-free stitching through the
multiple layers of a quilt.
Other Types of Schmetz Needles
How to Choose the Right Schmetz Needle
When choosing Schmetz needles consider that the smaller the
number, the lighter weight fabric and thread you should be using.
As a general rule:
- 60/8 - 70/10 needles- light weight fabrics
- 80/12 -90/14 needles - medium weight fabrics
- 100/16 and up - heavy weight fabrics
It's a good idea to have an assortment of needle sizes and types
on hand in order to be able to experiment and find the one that
works best for your combination of needle and thread.
Tips for Using Sewing Machine Needles
The needle in your machine is one of the hardest working
parts. Consider how many times it goes up and down through the
fabric in the course of a single project. This is why it's
important to change your needles frequently. When the needle
gets too old, stitch quality will suffer. Change your needle
whenever you start a new project.
Sewing Machine Tips and Tricks
Throughout my years of sewing I have found two things that will
solve most stitching problems (provided you are already using the
correct size and type of needle.)
- Rethread the machine. I
can't tell you how many times I've looked at the thread path,
thought it looked perfect, but pulled it all out, rethreaded and
had everything work smoothly from there on out.
- Change the needle.
Sometimes stitching problems are simply the result of an old dull
needle. For only about $1 apiece, it's one of the least
expensive and easiest fixes you can make.
More About Schmetz Needles
Visit the Schmetz Needles Website for more
information about products, and special features.
About the author, Sandy Huntress
With over 30 years of sewing experience and more than 20 years
of crafting I've rarely met a craft I didn't like, and have all the
gadgetry to prove it. You'll often find me in my
sewing and crafting room where I design and make garments, quilts,
scrapbooks, cards, paper crafts, dolls, home decor and
jewelry; just to name a few. I'm always interested in trying
the next new thing and love to share my knowledge with
others. For great sewing and crafting inspiration, ideas and
tutorials, check out Keepsake Crafts.
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