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    Quilter's Handy Guide to Supplies: Needles, Threads, Batting • Machines, Tools, Workspace • Preparing Fabric, Storing Quilts
    Quilter's Handy Guide to Supplies: Needles, Threads, Batting • Machines, Tools, Workspace • Preparing Fabric, Storing Quilts
    Quilter's Handy Guide to Supplies: Needles, Threads, Batting • Machines, Tools, Workspace • Preparing Fabric, Storing Quilts
    Ebook229 pages1 hour

    Quilter's Handy Guide to Supplies: Needles, Threads, Batting • Machines, Tools, Workspace • Preparing Fabric, Storing Quilts

    By Dawn Cameron-Dick

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    About this ebook

    The internationally beloved quilting teacher and author of Invisible Machine Appliqué offers a practical guide to getting started as a quilter.  
     
    In this handy guide to the fundamentals of quilting, Dawn Cameron-Dick explains everything from how to choose the right equipment and supplies to the best way to set up a sewing room. She answers questions ranging from "What should I look for in a sewing machine?" to "Why does my thread keep breaking?", "How often should I change needles?", and "How can I sew without getting a backache?"
     
    The Quilter’s Guide features information on needles, threads, sewing machines, batting, cotton fabric, piecing tools, and techniques. Packed with useful facts, tips, and rules of thumb, this comprehensive guide is laid out in a fully illustrated, easy-to-read format.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Integrated Media
    Release dateJul 1, 2013
    ISBN9781607057703
    Quilter's Handy Guide to Supplies: Needles, Threads, Batting • Machines, Tools, Workspace • Preparing Fabric, Storing Quilts

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      Book preview

      Quilter's Handy Guide to Supplies - Dawn Cameron-Dick

      INTRODUCTION

      This little Quilter’s Guide to Supplies & More is your very own patchwork and quilting teacher in your pocket! It contains everything you need to know about needles, thread, sewing machines, batting, and cotton fabric in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand layout.

      It is a perfect size to carry with you, so you can always have the answers in the palm of your hand.

      I wish you hours and hours of happy quilting.

      Make haste slowly.

      —AUGUSTUS CAESAR

      Everything should be made as simple as possible but no simpler.

      —ALBERT EINSTEIN

      NEEDLES

      It may all seem a bit daunting, but understanding needle types and sizes is the easiest way to improve your work and save valuable time.

      A needle’s job is simply to transport a thread safely through the fabric and, without damaging the fabric, to create a stitch.

      The needle is the first point of contact between your sewing machine and your quilt, and it is important that you understand needles so that you can intelligently choose which one is best for your individual needs.

      So, let’s get to know the domestic sewing machine needle.

      Parts of a Needle

      Butt   Found at the top of the needle, this beveled end allows easy insertion into the needle bar on your machine.

      Shank   Modern domestic sewing machine needles have a shank that is flat at the back and rounded at the front. The front is usually engraved with the brand of the needle and its size.

      Shoulder   The shoulder is the section of the needle that reduces the shank down to the chosen diameter of the needle blade. Some brands color code this area for easy identification.

      Blade   The needle size is determined by the diameter of the blade.

      Groove   The groove cradles and guides the thread into the eye. The thread must lie comfortably in this groove if the machine is to produce a perfect stitch.

      Scarf   The indentation above the eye, on the back of the blade, allows the bobbin hook to smoothly grab the thread under the throat plate and create a stitch. The shape and size of the scarf will vary according to the needle type.

      Eye   The eye is the hole through which the thread passes. It must be large enough for the thread to pass through with minimal friction but small enough to hold the thread securely as the stitch is made.

      Point   The length, shape, and size of the point will vary according to the needle type. Each type is created for a specific use.

      Domestic sewing machine needle, 130/705H

      No matter how sophisticated or basic your machine is, it is only a motor pushing a needle through fabric. If that needle is not right, even the most expensive machine may have trouble producing a good stitch. Using an inappropriate needle type or size can be the cause of many sewing problems.

      Needles are not difficult to understand once someone explains them to you.

      Before I explain how to choose the proper needle, please look at your current needle packages.

      Check that your needles are labeled 130/705* (modern domestic sewing machines use system 130/705H) or 15x1H for Singer needles or HAx1 for Organ needles.

      This number identifies needles manufactured for use in a modern domestic sewing machine.

      * After the 130/705 you may see an H. This stands for Hohlkehle, which is German for the scarf on a needle (page 11).

      Choosing Your Needle

      There are three things to consider when choosing a needle:

      ■ brand

      ■ type

      ■ size

      Look at the package of the needles you have been using.

      Is the package clearly marked with the brand, type, and size?

      If it is, then you can assume the needles are worthy to be among your quiltmaking tools.

      If this information is not marked, these needles may not be top quality. Without knowing what type and size your needles are, you may not be able to achieve the results you deserve.

      Brands

      There are many brands of good needles available for domestic sewing machines, including the following:

      Inspira

      Klasse’

      Madeira

      Schmetz

      Always buy quality needles.

      You and your work deserve nothing less.

      You do not need to buy needles branded for your machine—Bernina needles for a Bernina machine or Janome needles for a Janome machine.

      Needle Types

      Once you have chosen a brand, you will choose the size and type.

      ■ Choose the size of needle depending on the thickness of the thread you are using.

      ■ Choose the type of needle depending on the fabric you will be sewing.

      Universal   A slightly rounded point; fine for casual sewing or repairs

      Sharps   Sharper than a Universal needle, perfect for high-thread-count fabrics

      Jeans   Reinforced blade

      Quilting   A tapered, slightly rounded point to minimize damage to fabric

      Topstitch   An elongated eye, which reduces friction and makes threading easier; a popular choice for difficult threads

      Embroidery   A wide groove to protect threads

      Metallic   Nickel plated

      Gold Titanium Embroidery   A light ballpoint, an enlarged eye, and a special titanium nitride coating that allows for extended hours of sewing by improving the needle wear resistance in high stitch counts and reducing needle clogging

      NEEDLE TYPES*

      Images courtesy of Schmetz GmbH

      * Needle images are not to scale and are only a visual

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