Topstitch 70, Ann.

Don't do what a friend of mine did, she bought a packet of needles from a stall at a car boot sale for £1.00 and then wondered why she was having trouble with her stitches.
Good needles and good thread.
It's a false economy to by cheap stuff.
Anne

Of course, Margo, I should have said that but since I primarily use Superior Threads King Tut or Rainbows and use the needle they recommend I forgot. Thanks for picking up on my inadvertant (or dumb error) LOL, Glad to see you so active again on TQS. Love you, Ann

And....always select the size of the needle to correspond with the weight of the thread you will be sewing with.

Here is some great info from Dr. Bob: http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/needles/needles-using-the-right-needle

like Ritzy, I use topstitch needles almost excusively and I usually use Superior Threads titanium needles. The times I need to change needles are when I forget to change the foot from quarter inch to the applique foot and try to applique ( operator error!!!!!!) or when I am trying to quilt a piece and there is too much weight on either the front or the back side of the machine (again operator error because I haven't set myself up correctly for the quilt I am working on.) Do I know better than make these mistakes? YES but do I always do the things I need to do? NO !!!!!!. So whose problem is this?

---

mine!!!!! I love Superior Threads topstitch needles. Are they a little pricey? Yes!!! but I still think I do not shred thread as often, I do not break thread as often, I can use a needle longer (except when I make my mistakes!!!!) so the price is worth it to me. Just IMHO. Love my Superior needles, Ann, the traveling quilter, now in Illinois.

I use Organ needles in my Janome Jem - that's what the spare needle that came with it was after all! But I can also buy them in a box of 100 cheaply on ebay so I don't mind changing frequently. I keep all the used ones in an old vitamin bottle for safe disposal later.

Reetzbobeetz wrote:
Oh! i had no idea!! Thanks for clearing that up, Rita! You guys are the best help a girl could ask for -- you ladies never make me feel dumb for being so clueless I have so much to learn, but thankfully I know just the place to learn it --- right here in this forum!

Learning-As-I-Go wrote:
Heather, I just wanted to say that what I meant was machine embroidery thread - not embroidery floss. Machine embroidery thread is not heavy, it is actually quite lightweight. Usually made out of Viscous or Rayon.

Well done Nancy, that explains things very clearly, including the small details

Nancy, that makes a LOT of sense! I feel like I have an understanding now of what the needles do/mean so I won't be so clueless when I go shopping! Well, I will -squeal of delight- have my dear friend and mentor with me to help shop (She-Quilts; we're basically best friends, though as of yet have only talked on-line....) so she can load my cart for me, LOL! but nice to have a grasp before I get there.

Ritzy, thank you! As I broke I think 3 needles on my Dad's wife's machine when trying to learn to quilt (she took over, at my request) I do understand that concept! Although I'm seriously hoping that at least with the lesson I'll get with the new machine that I'll know what to do, what not to do, etc. Very excited about that!! I do think I can get needles locally, and have them shipped easily,, so that is good. I am able to sew when the boys are up, so that is no problem, but getting to the shop that has the needles...that can be tricky.

Thanks, all!

That was great Nancy.
Heather-- I use Topstitch needle almost exclusively; and, I buy them in the different sizes. You can never have enough needles. Just when you think you have enough, you can have a breaking spree--never fun--of find that your thread is breaking and have to change needles. If you sewing time is when the kids are asleep--the chances of finding new needles can be hard. So, buy as many needles as you budget allows.

I could have little details wrong, but Universal/Topstitch/Ballpoint describe the characteristics of the needle. The ballpoint needle has a rounded point so that when it goes through knits, it will slide past the fibers and not pierce them, which can cause running of knit fabrics. Universal needles are a cross between a ballpoint and a sharp needle. The tip is sharper than the ballpoint, but not as sharp as the sharp, so that it does well on almost all types of fabric but isn't the perfect needle for any one fabric. Topstitch needles are sharp needles with larger holes for the thread and deeper scarves (the groove along the needle where the thread sits so it can slide through the fabric without so much friction). They were, I believe, originally designed for topstitching fabrics like jeans. All needles can come in different sizes, so there will be topstitch 70s, 80s, ... and ballpoint 70s, 80s, etc. Thread hole sizes and the diameter of the shaft and things like that will change with different needles sizes. But that change is relative to the other needles in the same class. So, for example, topstitch needles are designed for heavier threads so a topstitch 90 needle will have a larger thread hole than a universal 90 needle or a topstitch 80 needle.

Nancy

(Sorry if I got any of the small details wrong.)

Okay, I have 5 Schmetz (sp?) 80/12 needles and 5 Schmetz 75/11 needles, and I have various threads to use but nothing heavy like embroidery thread. The Janome dealer has a very good price on his needles, so I'll grab an extra pack or two just in case. Changing feet depending on stitch......I had no idea. Okay, will learn that. Good to know.

I'll look at the stuff on Superior Threads; that Bob the Thread Guy has some good tips usually. I don't think/imagine doing stuff with knits, but who knows.

What is the difference between Universal and Top Stitch? Or do the names correspond to the sizes?? For ex, is there such a thing as Universal needle in different sizes, Top Stitch in different sizes, etc. or is Universal the name for one size, Top Stitch the name for another size, and so on?? This is all *very* new to me....

I love the Organ 75/11 for quilting. And I use an 80/12 for piecing. If I am using embroidery thread then I will use a Topstitch 90/14. But in truth, I will stitck with the 75/11 unless the thread starts to break or shred and then I know it's time to change to a bigger needle. The Organ ones are very reasonable for a pack of 10. Expect to break needles often to begin with as you will do things that shouldn't be done with a particular stitch, or foot - e.g. trying to do a zigzag with a 1/4" foot. You learn quite quickly to change your feet according to the stitch you want to make.