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double needle question

Hi all,

A few weeks ago, in a reply to another post, I mentionned that I envied one feature of my brother's machine: " the fact that he could use double needles or even just two needles". This started me wondering , what use are double needles ?

I get that they are used for making parallele stitches but having done a little research I can't figure out why this would be usefull except for decorating.

So my question is :" is there a ..."structural" use for double needles or are they just for decorative effect ?

Jean , newbie

Reply to
Jean
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------------------------ "Old quilters never die, they just go to pieces."

Reply to
IMS

Because the bobbin thread forms a zig-zag between the two top threads, straight stitching with a double needle has a bit more stretch to it than straight stitching with a single needle. Many people (myself included) use double needles to hem knit garments, because the hem will give with the garment and not pop like single needle stitching.

gabrielle

Reply to
gabrielle

Reply to
liz hall

Come to think of it, all topstitching and edgestitching is a decorative technique that strengthens structure.

If you're going to do rows of topstitching, on cuffs, say, having a double needle halves the amount of work. It's useful too if you want to stitch in different colours and have the lines exactly parallel - you just load different colours in the two bobbins.

:) Trish

Reply to
Trishty

You can use them for a form of quilting (the name escapes me at the moment - maybe trapunto?) where you stitch a pattern on two layers of fabric and then, by cutting small holes in the wrong side, feed either stuffing/wadding through or piping cord. This then gives a raised quilted effect on the "right" side

Fiona

Reply to
Redhead

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