Double Needle Sewing Machine Compatibility
by Kelsi Watts: A double needle sewing machine is a type of sewing machine that is equipped with two needles, which allows it to create two parallel rows of stitches at the same time. This can be useful for creating a variety of decorative effects, such as adding piping or topstitching to a garment.
In order to use a double needle on a sewing machine, the machine must be compatible with the specific type and size of double needle being used. Some sewing machines may come with the ability to use a double needle out of the box, while others may require an accessory or attachment in order to do so.
It's important to consult the manufacturer's instructions for your sewing machine to determine whether it is compatible with double needles and, if so, what types and sizes are supported.
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.
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 80 12 sewing needles are used for
80/12 sewing needles are for use ball point applications with all-purpose thread. Ball point needles are made especially for sewing T-shirt and jersey fabric. Ball point tips don't damage or break fibers when they pierce these types of fabric.
Why you should stitch in the ditch
Stitching in the ditch, also known as sewing between quilting borders, helps stabilize fabric and maintain straight lines while quilting. Stitching in the ditch is optional but can prevent pattern distortion and should be done before adding any quilting design above the border.
Needle size for sewing vinyl
Vinyl is a heavier weight fabric requiring a larger size needle to handle thickness without breaking. Before starting your next vinyl project, prep your sewing machine with a leather or denim needle size 90/14. For perfectly symmetrical stitches in vinyl use a denim twin needle.
Properly setting sewing machine tension
A 4.5 sewing machine tension setting is the default position for normal straight-stitch sewing. 4.5 is suitable for most fabrics, however, if you perform any stitch that requires width, like a zig zag stitch, you may find the tension is too tight. Conversely, fine threads may require less tension in order to prevent thread breaking.
How to tell your sewing needle is dull
A dull sewing needle will make a popping sound each time the needle penetrates the fabric. A dull needle will not feel sharp to the touch. Using a magnifying glass you can confirm a needle is dull by comparing it to a sharp needle. You can sharpen a dull needle with the same sharpeners used on knives.
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.
Choosing the best needle for free motion quilting
For free motion sewing machine quilting choose the needle size that best suits the weight of your thread. As a general rule 40 wt thread requires a size 75 needle. Unless you are piecing together extra thick padding a small to medium sized needle that is sharp to slightly rounded will work fine.
