Intro To Needles, Pins, Thimbles & Pincushions
Knowing the tools of the trade is an integral part of the design process. Industry professionals recognize the importance of not only choosing the correct hand-sewing and machine needle for each of their projects, but they are also in the know about thimbles and pincushions. This lesson lets you into their world, while helping you make all of your projects the best they can be.
| Module | Description | Step |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hand-Sewing Needles | 1-20 |
| 2 | Thimbles | 1-8 |
| 3 | Pincushions | 1-4 |
| 4 | Pins | 1-7 |
| 5 | Sewing Machine Needles | 1-9 |
MODULE 1 • Hand-Sewing Needles
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Hand-Sewing Needle Anatomy
Before we discuss the various types and sizes of hand-sewing needles we need to understand their anatomy, beginning with the needle’s eye. This is the opening at the top of the needle where the thread passes through. The shaft is the area from the eye to the tip. The diameter of the needle refers to how thick or wide the needle is, and the point or tip is the part of the needle that penetrates your fabric or material. |
| 2A | Hand-Sewing Needle Size – Shaft/Diameter
There are many different lengths and thicknesses of hand-sewing needles to choose from. They are chosen based on the thickness of the fabric or material in the project. For most needles, the rule is that the higher the needle’s number, the shorter the shaft and the finer the needle’s diameter. |
| 2B | For example, a size #10 sharps will be shorter in length and finer in diameter than a size # 5 sharps. This needle size rule dates back to the beginning of the nineteenth century. |
| 2C | The exception to this rule are beading needles, whereby the number given indicates only the width of the needle’s eye and not the needle’s length, since beading needles come in varying lengths. |
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