CAN YOU USE SCHMETZ NEEDLES IN A BROTHER SEWING MACHINE
Schmetz is internationally known as the best manufacturer of sewing machine needles in the world. Sewers everywhere rely on the quality of their products. Your choice of high quality sewing machine needles can lead to an equally high quality of maintaining smooth, even stitches in your work.
Schmetz is a quality and very popular brand and they make a wide range of needles for different purposes. ‘Klasse’ are readily available at most hobby markets and fabric stores. The organ is also a quality brand. Schmetz sewing machine needles are known worldwide for their quality and precision. These needles can also be used in all sewing machines such as Brother, Singer, Janome, etc.
HOW TO CHOOSE SCHMETZ NEEDLES – CAN YOU USE SCHMETZ NEEDLES IN A BROTHER SEWING MACHINE
Schmetz makes a variety of needles designed specifically to perform specific sewing jobs very well. Many plumbers do not know how to select the correct type and size of needle for the job they are doing. It is important to choose the right needle to complement your thread selection and the type of sewing work you are doing.
Many simply continue to use the needle that came in their machine until it breaks. Sewing machine needles are not indestructible, they do not last forever. The tips become dull with repeated use and the handle can bend from hitting the pins in the fabric. As a general rule, change the needle after eight (8) hours of use and at the beginning of each project. Choose your needle size based on the type and weight of thread you are using and the fabric you are sewing. The goal is for the needle to slide easily through the fabric without damaging the fibers or creating too large a hole, and for the thread to carry smoothly without damaging itself while sewing.
Each package of Schmetz needles has European and American size equivalents written on the bottom of the front of the plastic case. They usually range from 60/8 (the finest) to 120/19 (the largest). There are cheaper carding needles on the market and many of them you would believe are as good as SCHMETZ needles. No other needle maker can match the amount of detail and quality of material that goes into each needle before it leaves the SCHMETZ factory. Remember that not all needles are created equal. Insist on high quality SCHMETZ needles for all your sewing projects.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF NEEDLES FOR SCHMETZ SEWING MACHINES – CAN YOU USE SCHMETZ NEEDLES IN A BROTHER SEWING MACHINE
- Ballpoint needle
Its unique point does not damage or break the knitted fibers. It comes in sizes 70/10 to 100/16 and in an assortment pack. Choose a size that will handle the thread used when sewing the knit.
- Denim needle
Denim needle has made especially for quilting densely woven materials such as denim or imitation leather. It features a modified medium ball tip and reinforced blade. Some quilters use it when quilting multiple layers of fabric, especially batik with a high thread count. This needle comes in sizes 70/10 to 110/18. Choose the size according to the type of thread used. Thicker denim threads work best with a larger needle.
- Double eyed needle
It is used for embroidery and quilting with decorative threads to make decorative seams. They have two (2) eyes, one directly above the other. These needles work in machines that use system 130/705H needles.
- Leather needle
They have a slightly sharp cutting tip for leather and other heavy non-woven synthetic materials including imitation leather. It comes in sizes 60/8 to 110/18 and in an assortment pack. Choose the size according to the type and size of the thread used.
- Embroidery needle
The special scarf, long smooth groove and large eye of this needle protect these fragile threads and prevent excessive friction. The beautiful luster of these threads results in excellent embroidery work. Check the thread size and use the correct size needle for each thread. Remember that the finer the thread, the smaller the needle size should be used.
SCHMETZ NEEDLE SEWING MACHINE SIZE AND PRICE – CAN YOU USE SCHMETZ NEEDLES IN A BROTHER SEWING MACHINE
Schmetz Universal Sewing Machine Needles, Mixed Pack, 10 Needles
- Ref: 12996
- 2×70/10, 3×80/12, 3×90/14, 2×100/16
- Manufacturer: Schmetz Needles
- Part Number: 705HP ASS 70-100 10’s
- Price: £3.75
Universal packing of Schmetz needles. 5 needles in a package, size 120/19. Needle system 130/705H
- Manufacturer: Schmetz Needles
- Part Number: 705H 120R
- Price: £1.90
Universal needles for Schmetz sewing machines, size 120/18
- Manufacturer: Schmetz Needles
- Part Number: 705HP 110R
- Price: £1.90
Universal needles for Schmetz sewing machines, size 100/16
- Manufacturer: Schmetz Needles
- Part Number: 705HP 100R
- Price: £1.90
Universal needles for Schmetz sewing machines, size 90/14
- Schmetz Universal packing of sewing machine needles. For heavier, quilted fabrics, damask, felt or twill. System 5 needles 130/705H
- Manufacturer: Schmetz Needles
- Part number: BLB179
- Price: £1.90
HOW LONG DO SCHMETZ NEEDLES LAST – CAN YOU USE SCHMETZ NEEDLES IN A BROTHER SEWING MACHINE
After 6-8 hours of sewing, you can change the needle. No matter how much effort you put into choosing the best needle for your project, you won’t get good results if it’s dull. Also, if you hit a pin, check that the needle is not bent. If you feel any rough edges or burrs, replace them to avoid fabric damage and/or stitching problems.
The wider part of the needle at the top is the shaft. Look closely and you will see a groove running from the front towards the eye. The thread sits in this groove and is protected from wear as it passes through the fabric. The “pulled out” bit on the back is a “scarf” and is meant to allow the bobbin hook to pass close enough to grab the loop of thread.
Make sure the needle is properly inserted with the flat side of the shaft to the rear and as high as it will go. Screw it in tightly. Vibration can loosen the needle and cause it to break or fall out. If you break a needle, check that you have all the attachments and that there are no pieces anywhere around the feeders or in the bobbin cavity. This can cause serious damage to the machine.
You also need to use the correct needle size for the weight of the fabric. Needles are available in many sizes from 60/8 to the largest 130/21. The middle range is 80/12 or 90/14. The first, larger number is the metric dimension and refers to the diameter of the needle shaft. Size “80” is therefore 0.8 mm. The second smaller number, i.e. 12, is the old imperial measure. It’s easy to remember that the bigger the number, the bigger the needle.
For delicate voiles, organza and cotton batiste use size 60-75. The medium 80 or 90 range is suitable for medium weight fabrics such as craft cotton, poly cotton and cotton sateen. And 100-130 is for heavy wool, denim, cotton and upholstery. Many general haberdashery stores only have about 75 to 100 pieces in stock. You may need to try a sewing machine dealer or online supplier for needle sizes at the extreme ends of this scale. Use a needle that is too thin and will bend or break; use a needle that is too thick and you risk damaging the fabric by making larger holes than necessary.
CONCLUSION
Schmetz is a quality and very popular brand and they make a wide range of needles for different purposes. “Klasse” are readily available at most hobby markets and fabric stores. The organ is also a quality brand. Expect to pay around £2.20-£2.50 for a pack of 5 universal needles, but specialty needles will be more. You don’t need to buy needles that are branded according to your particular brand of machine. If you look closely at the packaging of Janome brand needles, you will see that they are indeed made by Organ, but they cost about twice as much as Organ needles. See my note on Singer* below. Don’t buy really cheap needles in the supermarket ie £1 a pack. It’s a false economy and will only lead to frustrating sewing.
