Needles

Our store stocks two different brands of needles - Bernina and Schmetz. 

BERNINA needles provide the highest standard of quality for all brands of domestic sewing machine. The quality and choice of needle have a significant influence on the quality of the sewing and embroidery results. In order to help identify the needle size and needle type, some BERNINA needles are colour coded.  A comprehensive explanation of the needles can be found in our needle brochure.

BERNINA NEEDLES

SCHMETZ NEEDLES


​Comparison of Household Sewing Machine Needle Features
​A = Shank Diameter
O1 = Needle Length (butt to eye)

NEEDLE POINTS
Slightly rounded point
The slightly rounded point is the standard point shape for household sewing machines. This point shape is qualified for trouble-free sewing of most materials and many applications.

The following sewing needles have a slightly rounded point:
  • Universal Needle
  • Super Universal Needle
  • Topstitch Needle
  • Embroidery Needle
  • Metallic Needle
  • Double Eye Needle
  • (Hemstitch Needle)
  • (Quick Threading Needle)
Acute round point
This is a slim, acute point shape, useful for accurate piercing of densely woven and coated materials. It creates an exact seam appearance with straight stitches and helps to reduce seam puckering.

The following sewing needle has an acute round point:
  • Microtex Needle
Slightly rounded point with special taper
The slim point with special taper to the slightly rounded point easily penetrates thick layers of fabric and batting and avoids material damages. It is the best point shape for quilting and patchwork.

The following needle has a slightly rounded point with special taper:
  • Quilting Needle
Light ball point
This point shape displaces woven and knitted threads, directly piercing the spaces between the threads. Therefore, it avoids material damages. This is the best point shape for embroidery.

The following sewing needles have a light ball point:
  • Embroidery Needle
  • Gold Embroidery Needle
Medium ball point (SUK)
The medium ball point is more rounded than a light ball point. Therefore, it can be used for coarser knitwear, for material containing Lycra/Spandex and it is also very suitable for medium to heavy denim.

The following sewing needles have a medium ball point:
  • Stretch Needle
  • Jersey Needle
  • Jeans Needle
​Twist point (LL)
​This cutting point has a lens-shaped cross-section and the incision is made at an angle to the direction of the seam. It provides easier penetration of leather and leather-like materials. This point shape creates a decorative stitch slightly inclined towards the left (in household machines which are threaded from the front).

The following sewing needle has a twist point:
  • Leather Needle
NEEDLE TERMINOLOGY

Double needle — Special needle used in household zig-zag sewing machines, consisting of two needle blades which are connected to one shank by means of a plastic bridge. Used for pattern controlled decorative seams with two needle threads as well as for the sewing of tucks by means of an inserted cord.\
Flatlock sewing machine — Machine for sewing covered seams, used for neat sewing of raw edges or single lapping of pieces of material, simultaneously covering top and bottom of raw edges.
Gauge — Mesh density per unit of length in hosiery and kitted fabrics. For linking machines it indicates the number of points per unit of length (usually per inch). This must match the mesh density of the knitted goods if the material is to be linked with the meshes matching exactly. A small gauge indicates the use of thicker needles, and a larger gauge, the use of thinner needles.
Hook needle — Needle similar to a crochet needle, used in Cornely, saddle stitch, and linking machines.
Land — Hump-like section of the needle between the eye and scarf. On chain stitch needles in conjunction with another land between scarf and second long groove, necessary for the formation of a loop of the needle thread. This ensures that in machine without needle bar rise, the loop of the needle thread can still be securely caught by the looper.
Long groove — Its purpose is to guide the needle thread to the eye. The cross section is 40% of that of the needle blade. The diameter of the sewing thread to be used (not the label number) should therefore be a maximum of 40% of the needle size (NM). chain stitching needles have a second long groove on the opposite side of the needle. This serves to guide the part of the sewing thread emerging from the material vertically to the eye during needle penetration, to guarantee correct stitch formation. On chain stitch needles used in machines with loopers working parallel to the sewing direction, both long grooves are spirally wound.
Needle bar rise — The distance which the needle in a sewing machine has to pass from the lower dead-point during the upwards lift. necessary to form a loop which can be securely caught by the point of the hook.
Needle bight — Lateral deviation between two successive stitches perpendicular to the seam direction.
Needle distance (NE) — Distance between the center axis lines (or points) of the needles when working simultaneously with several needles (also applies to double and triple needles). In needles for twin-needle machines, the needle distance is often indicated by code letters behind the system designations, i.e., 134 FLG-A. The code letters used are A, B, C, and D.
    A: needle distance 0.85mm, only possible with NM 60-80
    B: needle distance 1.05 mm, only possible with NM 70-90
    C: needle distance 1.25 mm, only possible with NM 80-100
    D: needle distance 1.45 mm, only possible with NM 100-110
Safety stitch machine — Machine for sewing together parts of material and simultaneously trimming and locking of material edges. In most cases two stitch types work independently from each other, i.e., stitch types 401 plus 503, but one stitch type only is also possible, i.e., stitch type 507 or type 512 (so-called imitation safety stitch).
Scarf — Recess of the needle blade above the eye, on the opposite side of the sewing machine needle to the long groove. It differs in shape and length and enables the hook to be placed closer to the center line (axis) of the needle.
Schiffli needle — Needle used in automatic Schiffli embroidery machines (large automatic embroidery machines). These work with two needle frames each equipped with up to 1800 needles.
Seam direction — Direction in which the stitch types are successively arranged.
Sewing direction — Direction of the seam progression from stitch to stitch.
Stitch density — Number of stitches performed in relation to the unit of length (i.e., 5 stitches/cm.
Stitch distance — Shortest distance between two consecutive needle penetrations in sewing direction.
Stitch formation — The part of the sewing operation which, in general terms, concerns the piercing of the material by the needle, the simultaneous passing of the thread through the material, and the interlocking of the thread either by the material, with itself, or with another thread. According to the stitch type, the stitch can also be formed by several needles and several sewing threads.
Stitch length — Distance between two successive stitches in the seam direction.
Triple Needle — Special needle used in household zig-zag sewing machines, consisting of three needle blades connected to one shank by means of a plastic bridge. Used for pattern-controlled decorative seams with three needle threads.
Twist — twisting of certain needle parts during manufacture. Needles with twisted blade = needles with spiral long groove. Needles with twisted point groove = needles with twisted groove below the eye, i.e., CL (left twisted point groove).
Wing needle — Special needle for household sewing machine with wings to obtain the hemstitch effect. Also known as Hemstitch needle.