Metallic Fabric, needles for

I'm not sure of the name of the fabric but I know what you are referring to. One year (when I was sewing costumes for the dance school my daughter attended) I had to sew on a lot of this fabric. I found after several inches of sewing that my stitches were skipping. I also noticed my needle gumming up---which caused skipped stitches. I headed to the sewing groups for help and found out about sewers aid. I found I needed to use a stronger needle (14 or 16). The Teflon needles out now may be good to use also (I didn't have them). You need to wipe the needle with alcohol as the buildup starts and then put a dab of sewers aid (it's a silicone) on the needle.

Mind you this was about 6 years ago so there may be better advice now. I was so happy to see my last costume with that fabric.

Linda

They sound like tiny sequins. Use a fine ball point/jersey/knit needle (they are all subtly different and you may need to experiment). Be prepared for frequent thread breakages, whether serging or sewing with the ordinary machine. If using the sewing machine rather than a serger, set it to do a narrow zigzag on a short stitch (length about 2.5mm, width about 1mm). Sew slowly. This is how I did the costumes on the Cosmic Night's Dream page on my web site.

Oh, that reminds me! Fairy wings! For responsible teens and adults, look at me fairy wing recipe! (These are NOT kid's dressing up wings - go take a look! They're in Kate's Sewing Room - URL below))

Hi

Use Singer Ballpoint needles..

Best wishes

Lynne

But *only* if you have a Singer sewing machine.

Singer needles do not fit most other machines.

jenn

-- Jenn Ridley snipped-for-privacy@chartermi.net

"Elizabeth Hall" wrote in news:bn6do9$gvf$ snipped-for-privacy@newsg4.svr.pol.co.uk:

If you have trouble finding Janome needles they are Organ needles. If you want to see the Organ name on the Janome needles, just Take sme rubbing alcohol and remove the red paint. The Organ name is then visable. I use the Organ/Janome needles for embroidery all the time.

"Elizabeth Hall" wrote in news:bnrcuc$uf4$ snipped-for-privacy@newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk:

Try fingernail polish remover or rubbing alcohol. You could also use hair spray.

For rubbing alcohol you can use isopropyl alcohol. You used to be able to buy it at chemists'. I think that those little disposable swabs they use to wipe your arm before giving an injection would work well. Other possible alternatives to rubbing alcohol, more easily available in the UK, are nail polish remover (acetone is a very good organic solvent) or methylated spirits.

Sally H

Is that the same idea as denatured alcohol? Our (USA) denatured alcohol has methyl alcohol in it to make it toxic so it can be sold without paying liquor tax.

I haven't seen anything but isopropyl and the like sold as rubbing alcohol lately, and isopropyl isn't nearly as good as ethyl at cleaning mirrors. But it has been at least three years since I bought a bottle. (On the rare occasion that I clean the mirrors, I use freshly-distilled water.)

Joy Beeson

If your denatured alcohol is 95% ethyl and 5% methyl alcohols, yes, it's the same. The commonly available blends over here also have something to give a characteristic purple colour.

Methylated spirits mixed with water is excellent for cleaning windows. Meths is a very good degreaser.

Sally H .