SINGER W310 - Manual (Page 8)

SECTION II
__
CHOOSING THE RIGHT NEEDLE
TYPES OF NEEDLES
The correct selection of needle to suit the thread and fabric being sewn gives the best
stitching results. Fine fabric should be sewn with fine needles, heavier fabrics with heavier
needles. For best results, sewing machine needles should be replaced when they become
even slightly dull or bent or at the completion of every other garment.
A regular needle is suggested for use with woven fabrics. Needles style 15 x 1, lEuropean
equivalent System 705) are used on the majority of household sewing machine. They
range in sizes from 8 to 20 with the lower number indicating the finer needle. The most
commonly used sizes are 11 and 14.
An all purpose needle is designed to handle knits as well as woven fabrics. It eliminates
skipped stitches and the slight ball will not damage delicate fabrics. This is the needle
provided with your sewing machine and will be used for most of your sewing. A larger
ball point may still be necessary for certain knits, such as bathing suit fabric or power net.
A ball point needle is recommended for use with tricots, jerseys, lingerie and power nets.
Unlike sharp, pointed needles, which pierce fibers of knit fabrics, destroying elasticity, the
ball point slips between fibers, preventing damage to fabric and skipped stitches. These are
available in fine, medium, and heavy ball points.
A wedge point needle is recommended for use with leather and leather look vinyls. A
wedge cutting point pierces leather more easily than ordinary sewing machine needles,
resulting in more satisfactory stitching.