Take half a metre of the thread
being used on the machine and thread it through the eye of a loose needle Hold
the thread vertically with the needle at the top
- If the needle is too big, it will drop to the bottom of the thread
- If the needle is too small, it will stick at the top of the thread
- If the needle is the right size, it will slowly spiral to the bottom of the thread
However, a larger-than-normal
needle may have to be used to penetrate thicker fabric, or stitch over the top
of pronounced or bulky seams.
Common
problem & solution:
Sewing
machine needles can break during sewing and some of the common reasons for
breakage are mentioned below, along with the possible solutions:
Needle
check list:
Inserting
a New Needle
· Always
ensure the needle is the correct needle system for the sewing machine
· Make
sure the needle size / eye fits the thread size being used
· Make
sure the needle is pushed all the way into the needle holder
· Ensure
that the angle of the needle is correct
· After
inserting a needle in the machine turn the machine hand wheel manually to make
sure the needle isn't contacting any parts
Checking
a needle that is already in a machine:
· Is
the needle inserted correctly?
· Is
the needle contacting any machine parts?
· Is
the needle bent?
· Is
the eye rough or blocked with melted fibre?
· Is
the point damaged?
· When
in doubt change the needle!
