The Importance of Needles - part one, needle systems.
If you have attended any of my hands on workshops you would have heard my speech about needles. Overlockers /sergers are often treated as that machine that just edges fabric, a little work horse in the sewing room and we are just not aware of the importance of using the correct needle for our project. Welcome to part one of a two part blog on needles, this is the importance of using the correct needle system.
This is something I am extremely passionate about, time and time again I see machines in class with the incorrect system, size, blunt and or bent needles. These issues are never intentional, I live by rule ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’, and students come to class to seek help when their machines are causing issues. Needles are often the reason that an overlocker has become ‘the monster in the cupboard’.
Overlockers / sergers are fascinating machines, the loopers and needles work together in perfect timing to create the stitch, therefore if you are using the incorrect system, this will impact the stitch.
Let’s identify which needle you should be using in your overlocker / serger or coverstitch machine. This will be listed in your instruction manual and often on a sticker on your machine, see the images below. I always giggle when I point these out to students and they say “I’ve had this machine…. (sometimes it’s 20) years and I never noticed that sticker”.
Most of the overlockers I see in class use HA x 1 SP, 130/705H, EL 705, Singer 2022 systems, these have a flat back. Some older models use DB X 1 or DC x 1 or other round shank systems. Most needle packets have the system printed on them.
130/705 H or HA x 1 are standard universal needles, just like you use in your sewing machine
HA x 1 SP Universal Special Point Needles have a reinforced blade. This needle features a medium ball point and is primarily used for stretch and other elastic materials. The special flat shank allows the needle to be closer to the hook. The special design of the scarf area produces a larger thread loop, which the hook can easily pick up. It has a shorter and wider eye than the normal Universal needle.
EL 705 needle features a reinforced blade and is used in sergers and overlock machines. The ELx705 has two grooves needed to create specialty serger stitches. The point is slightly rounded. Do not use this needle in home sewing machines.
Singer 2022 is the singer branded EL 705 system, if you are having trouble locating the Singer brand the EL 705 in another brand is the same.
The image below is a needle packet with the needle system highlighted in red, in this case there are two, the standard universal system is know as 130/705H or HA x 1.
The line highlighted in green line is the size of the needles in the packet 90/14. 90 represents the European sizing system indicating the exact diameter of the needle’s blade in hundredths of a millimetre, 14 is the American system for sizing.
With needle size the higher the number the larger/ thicker the needle. Recommended sizes to use in your domestic overlocker / serger and coverstitch machines are 75/11 80/12 and 90/14. Part two of this blog will cover more about needle size.
My favourite brands to use are Schmetz or Organ, they are easily available from your local sewing store and always have the system clearly labeled on the packets. In fact Schmetz have coloured bands on the needles themselves to help you identify the system and size of the needle once it is removed from the packet, there is a chart on their website you can refer to. These are the brands that produce for most of the machine companies, buying branded needles will cause less heart ache in the long run.
I hope this has helped you to be aware of the importance and identify the correct system needle you need for your machine. Please avoid purchasing any products labelled ‘overlocker needle’ unless it clearly has the system on it. Often students have these in class, they have picked them up, they have overlocker printed on the front, the back will have their brand listed so they assume they are correct without realising there are different models made by those brands. I had this situation last week in class, a student had purchased two packets, was using them in her machine, they were round shank when she needed flat back HA x 1 SP system.
Next blog I will still be on my needle soap box and we will go in depth about using the correct size and changing regularly.
Happy Overlocking, Kate
