What is it?– Every Tool School is packed with valuable, useful information.  But if you use a sewing machine at any point in your creative process, this one may be one of the most important.  So pay attention because there may be a test at the end of class.  If I were to ask you what you thought was the most important physical element of your sewing machine what would your answer be?  The sewing machine itself? How about a quality thread?  Perhaps even the needle?  Well, they all work together but one is absolutely essential.  Imagine sitting down to a top of the line “dream machine” to work on a project.  It’s threaded with a high quality thread product.  But your needle is old.  The point is no doubt dull or damaged and it might not even be straight anymore.  And because of that you’re going to struggle all day to make your stitches straight and even.  On the other hand, you can fire up that off-brand garage sale special threaded up with an economy brand thread.  But if you’re using a sharp new needle that is the correct size and style, chances are your stitches are going to be smooth and even.  Now imagine putting the dream machine, the perfect thread and a great needle all together.  Nirvana.  Clover is now doing its part to improve each and every stitch you make by providing you with quality Organ needles.

What does it do?-  Sewing machine needles are technological marvels.  Each and every part is engineered specifically to contribute to the overall performance of that needle.  Because of that it’s important to know what those component parts are and what they contribute to your beautiful stitches.

Butt – The butt is the beveled upper end of the needle shank and is usually rounded or ground on an angle for easy insertion into the needle bar.

Shank – The shank is the part of the needle that is inserted into the sewing machine needle bar. The shank is the heaviest part of the needle and is designed so to minimize needle movement by attaching it firmly to the needle bar.

Shoulder – The shoulder is the area of the needle where it tapers from the width of the shank to the width of the blade.  The length of the shoulder determines the relative “stiffness” of the blade.

Blade – The blade is the narrow portion of the needle that supports the other functional parts. Needle sizes refer to the diameter of the blade.  The blade, or shaft, extends from the shoulder to the eye.

Groove – In addition to serving as the last thread guide in the sewing process, the groove protects the thread by shielding it as it passes through the fabric on its way to join with the bobbin thread. Some needles styles have an exaggerated grove to protect the thread when sewing on particularly dense fabric.

Eye – The eye of the needle is the specially designed perforation at the tip through which the thread passes.  The most frequently used shape of eye is a rectangle of which the narrow sides are shaped in a semi-circle.  The size of the eye is made in proportion to the width of the needle shaft.  The larger the needle shaft, the larger the eye.

Scarf – The scarf is the half moon shaped cut away portion on the back of the needle just above the eye. This area accommodates the hook point mechanism as it rotates past the needle to engage the thread loop formed by the lifting needle. The shape and position of the scarf increases the consistency of stitching with various threads and fabrics.

Point – The point of the needle is the functional part of the needle that pierces or penetrates the fabric and is a primary distinguishing feature in all needles.  Each style is designed for a specific purpose and gives the operator unique capabilities for specific applications and fabrics.

Size – We always see two numbers to indicate the size needle we’re using.  Think 75/11. The first number is the number metric or NM and indicates the diameter of the needle blade (shaft) in millimeters multiplied by 100.  A sewing machine needle with a diameter of 0.80 mm corresponds to a NM 80.  For ease of use and to combine two common systems, the number metric is joined with the corresponding Singer needle size.  Thus we always see the NM 75 in conjunction with the Singer size number 11 as in 75/11 or 80/12, etc.   The size of the eye is adjusted to accommodate different widths of thread.  The wrong size needle for the thread being used may result in damage to the thread, interfere with stitch formation or cause puckering of your fabric.  It’s important to get it right.

How do I share it? – This concept is 100% educational.  Many sewists will not stumble upon this on their own.  Sewing machine needles are a consumable product.  They wear out, get dull, get bent or otherwise lose their functionality and you just can’t tell by looking at it or feeling the point. Yep, sharp.  Not! It’s essential that you stress this at every opportunity.  In classes, when selling any sewing related products or even when providing maintenance for sewing machines.  This is the message.  By keeping a quality sewing machine needle in your machine you can increase the quality of every stitch you make.  Now who wouldn’t want that?