quilting trivia question

You DO know that it's stamped on the side of the needle, right?

Cindy

My theory is - if the thread fits through the hole, it will work!

Cindy

Me too!

Cindy

Even with specs and a magnifying glass I can't read what it says tho!

Sally at the Seaside ~~~~~~~~~~ (uk)

teleflora wrote:

Now, Cindy, I am going to have to teach you the meaning of real fear. You can damage your SM, you can damage your fabric and the gators are always eager to have company for dinner. The choice is yours. Polly

NO!!!!! Really??? Both the size and type of needle??? I'm gonna go look and be terribly embarrassed if it is!

(hurrying off to check my needle supply)

(waddling back to the puter)

Okay. I used my thumb fingernail and found a rough place on the top and side of the needle- got out my sooper-dooper magnifying glass and diddled around with my trifocals and FINALLY found a combination of all the lenses that let me just barely read it- Schmetz 100/16- on both sides. But it doesn't say that it's a Top Stitching needle.... and that's as important as the size- for me any way. And, no, these needles are not color coded like someone else said their needles are, so still no clue to the type of needle. And I have them all- ballpoint, top stitching, quilting, metallica, embroidery, sharps, microtex, all-purpose, double needles, triple needles, etc. and each one in all sizes from 9 to 18.

Is my face red...... But thanks for the info!

Leslie- who has been sewing just short of FIFTY years!, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

What a sweet memory, Sally. We had a kitty that could do that. Big fun was when I was painting; I never ever, not even for a second, could leave wet paint within reach - and trust me, that kitty had quite a reach. Polly

Ah, Polly!

Cindy >digging toe in dirt.

If it's a top stitch needle the hole is real big.

Cindy > and I refuse to believe you didn't know the size was stamped on there.

So are the holes in jeans and embroidery needles. Any other tips? LOL

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

Now, Leslie. I waddled over to my needle bag just to be sure there was nothing unusual about my needles. The ones that are Schmetz quilting needles have a green band. The ones that are jeans/denim have a blue band. I carried one over to my floor lamp that's a lighted circle magnifying glass and there's no way I can read the writing on the side of the needle - but it's easy enough to determine which are blue-banded and which are green. I don't understand why I happen to have color-coded needles. Polly

What about making your own colored mark on your needle? You could take a marker, or maybe some finger nail polish, paint, etc and mark the end of your needles with a small dot and then a matching mark on the case when you get new packages of needles. Each type could have it's own color and the packages will remind you what color is what type of needle. Don't know how well it would work, just a thought.

It may have been a derivative of your tip, Val -- I saw it somewhere on the net. :)

I don't really come from a clothing construction background, but I'm a super frequent needle changer, if I have any suspicion at all it might be time to change it, I do! Anne

Well, heck, I was looking at my top stitching needles. Now I'll go pull ALLLLLLLL my needles and report back....

(waddling over to the sewing room next door)

(waddling back to the computer, again, packing needles- panting)

Singer 18 'heavy duty'- no mark; Schmetz 16 top stitch- no mark; Schmetz & Janome top st. 14- no mark; Schmetz top st. 12- no mark; Schmetz metallica

14- no mark; Schmetz metallica 12- no mark; Schmetz microtex 12- no mark; Schmetz quilting 11- green; Schmetz quilting 14- green; Schmetz universal- 10, 12, 14- no marks; Schmetz embroidery 11 and 14- all marked red except for two needles; Schmetz embroidery double needle- no mark; Janome 11 and Janome misc. doubles- no mark; Singer 'regular point' 11 and 16- red marks.

So, the majority of the ones I grabbed have no marks. Schmetz embroidery and Singer "regular point" both have red. I guess I used up all my jeans needles and my microtex 14- thanks for making me check those. ;-)

Conclusion: I'll continue to toss them when I change needles. It's the easiest for me--- until The Great Oz finds spare brains for me and the scarecrow.

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

Well, I guess I'd use 'em for topstitching!

Cindy

Sally, I can't either!

Donna in Idaho

What's a mircotex? Gaush....don't I feel dumb! I know there's a difference between a "regular" needle, stretch needle and a jeans needle, but didn't know that there are different sizes or whatnot. And I usually don't change needles, unless it breaks or I have a problem with skipped stitches or such. And I always thought the bobbin thread was the same as what's on the spool, except for specialty threads....I didn't even know they had different thread weights until a few months ago and still don't get why'd you'd use the different weights???? I'm confused! There's a special needle for quilting???? Wow, didn't know that either! Guess I need a manual or guide about this stuff! lol I suffer from CRS! lol

Launie, in Oregon