Difference Between Stretch And Ballpoint Needles
Stretch needles are made with a slightly rounded point that is designed to glide between the fibers of knit fabrics without damaging them.
Stretch needles are typically used for sewing with stretchy, knit fabrics such as jersey or spandex.
Ballpoint needles, on the other hand, have a slightly flatter point that is designed to slide between the fibers of woven fabrics without piercing or damaging the fabric.
These needles are typically used for sewing with fabrics such as cotton, denim, or other woven fabrics.
Choose the correct type of needle for the fabric you are working with in order to achieve the best results and avoid damaging your sewing machine or the fabric.
Most sewing machine needles are universal
The three most common types of needles are sharp, ballpoint, and universal. Sharp needles work with all woven fabric.
A sharp point is especially helpful when sewing straight lines and tasks such as top stitching. The majority of needles are universal needles.
What the colors on sewing machine needles mean
Most new household sewing needles have two bands of color. The top color band indicates needle type and the lower color band indicates needle size.
Special use needles, like those used for hemstitching, double eye, and quick threading, only have one color band to identify needle size.
About universal sewing machine needles
Style 2020 needles are universal and used for all woven fabrics. 2020 needles will penetrate the fabric threads of woven fabrics.
Style 2045 ball point needles are used for sewing on knits, the rounded tip allows the needle to pass between the fabric threads by separating them.
Best sewing needle type for piecing
General piecing and machine quilting are best done with an 80 12 needle, and for tiny threads use a size 60/8 sewing needle.
While you could use a universal needle, you might see better results using a skip-free needle with a deeper groove above the eye and a flatter shank.
Double needle sewing machine compatibility
A double needle will work with your sewing machine if your machine can perform both straight stitches and zigzag stitches.
If your machine can only do one of those two types of stitches a double needle will not work, it’s incompatible.
Embroidery needles vs sewing needles
Embroidery needles have larger eyes than regular sewing needles to accommodate embroidery thread.
The sharp tips on embroidery needles penetrate tightly woven fabric and felt better. Embroidery needles, sometimes called crewel needles, are used for crewel embroidery
The best machine quilting stitch length
The best stitch length for machine quilting is 2.5 to 3.0 which will give you 8 to 12 stitches per inch.
Adjust your stitch length based on fabric thickness and weight, Stronger fabrics often require fewer stitches per inch, but pieces with heavy padding require more.
How to know what sewing machine needle to use
As a general rule: smaller needles are best used on lighter weight fabric, and larger needles work best on heavier weight fabric.
The thread used for your sewing project will determine the size and type of needle you choose. In general, product labels will tell you which fabric type they were designed for.
Singer sewing machines use the same needles
Singer quality-crafted machine needles are strong and durable enough for denim fabric hems or industrial zippers.
Intended for all-purpose use, with regular point needles for use on woven fabrics, Singer needles are universal, super-strong and fit all home sewing machines.
