16
• Changing Needle
Raise the needle by turning the handwheel
toward you and lower the presser foot.
Loosen the needle clamp screw by turning it
counter-clockwise. Remove the needle from the
clamp.
Insert the new needle into the needle clamp with
the flat side away from you.
When inserting the needle into the clamp, push it up
as far as it will go and tighten the clamp screw firmly
with the screwdriver.
* Check your needles frequently for barbed or blunted
points. Snags and runs in knits, fine silks and
silk-like fabrics are permanent and are almost
always caused by a damaged needle.
• Thread and Needle Chart
Fabrics
Light
Crepe de Chine, Voile,
weight
Lawn, Organdy,
Georgette,
Tricot
Medium
Linens, Cotton, Pique,
weight
Serge, Double Knits,
Percale
Heavy
Denim, Tweed,
weight
Gabardine,
Coating, Drapery and
Upholstery Fabric
* In general, fine threads and needles are used for
sewing thin fabrics, and thicker threads and
needles are used for sewing heavy fabrics.
Always test thread and needle size on a small piece
of fabric which will be used for actual sewing.
* Use the same thread for needle and bobbin.
* When sewing stretch, very fine fabrics, and
synthetics, use a stretch needle.
The stretch needle effectively prevents
skipped stitches.
* When sewing very fine fabrics, sew over a piece
of paper to prevent distortion.
Needle Size
Threads
9
Fine Silk
or
Fine Cotton
Fine Synthetic
11
Fine Cotton
Covered
Polyester
50 Silk
11
50 to 80 Cotton
or
14
50 to 60
Synthetic
Cotton Covered
Polyester
50 Silk
14
or
40 to 50 Cotton
16
40 to 50
Synthetic
Cotton Covered
Polyester