What a difference a needle makes.
 

Woke up close to 3:00 am couldn't go back to sleep, so off to my sewing room. I've made 35 pillows for Christmas and 42 is my goal. I'm just about there but getting anxious. Our Christmas party is the 1st week end of Dec. I'm feeling the crunch about now. I've been recycling denim jeans into cathedral pillows and my sewing machine needle just couldn't do any more. I tried several new needles but couldn't get them to work. Mostly broken thread. I was lucky in finding a lone needle in my needle drawer, it was out of it's package but looked very much like the one I had been using. Oh how delightful to have it sewing thru that denim!

I've got to learn more about needles. How do you store and use your needles? How do you know what works for whatever project you are working on?

I'm going back to bed. Maybe I can get another hours sleep now. (grin)

Superior threads has lots of info:
http://www.superiorthreads.com/education/
Click the 'needles' hotspot.
Growing up, we had one size & type needle, and only changed it if it broke. I agree that the right needle can make all the difference!

If you buy Schmetz needles, you can download their "color card" that tells you how each needle is colored for its usage.
Here's their website:
http://www.schmetzneedles.com/

Go about 3/4 down the page.

I'm going to try to attach a copy here.
Good question, as I didn't really know the answer myself, until I found this!

**Edited to try to put image in here too**

Thanks for downloading that color chart, Leta. I can never remember what the colors on the Schmetz needles mean, now I don't have to worry about it :thumbup:

Rob

thanks for info!

Do you know when Schmetz started color coding their needles? I have many older ones that are "plain" -

Are you sure they're not Universal needles? Those aren't colored. They come in regular & cheater ("quick thread").

Yes, i am sure. Some of them are still in the original packaging.

I just started using needles from Superior Thread that are titanium coated. They work beautifully and are said to last much longer. Anyone else have experience with them? Do you think they're worth the extra $?

Thanks for the color chart...now to try and save it!! I also use titanium needles. They seem to last longer. I also have some Schmetz from years ago that are plain. The Singer needles were all that were available to me 50 years ago are still hanging around my sewing room! I must have only changed needles when they broke to have so many. I do better now!