The Sewing Place

Needles and Threaders

Acorn

Needles and Threaders
« on: October 29, 2017, 18:28:24 PM »
I have been having trouble with the automatic needle threader on my embroidery machine.  It appeared that the little metal hook was too high for the eye of the needle, and so was slipping to one side or the other.  I checked and re-checked that the needle was in as high as it would go.   ><

Eventually it occurred to me that the problem had started when I started a new pack of needles (75/11 as opposed to my usual 90/14).  I tried another needle from the new pack and the problem was just the same, but when I changed back to a needle from my previous pack there was no problem at all.

Has anyone else found this?  Both packs of needles are Hemline ones.  I have just ordered some Schmetz to replace them (my preferred brand, but not available locally).
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Efemera

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2017, 18:49:07 PM »
Never really thought about needle threaders...took them for granted until today, it took ages to thread the needle in the 201!

Greybird

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2017, 18:53:57 PM »
Acorn, years ago I worked in a large London store alongside an Austrian lady who was highly trained in needlework (including shoemaking!) in Austria. She was in sole charge of the store's sewing machine section. She told me I should only ever use Schmetz needles. She said that some other brands had the needle point below the eye too long - or in other words the eye was too high up.  I hope that makes sense! Maybe this would account for the problem you had? You could test this by placing both together to see if there is any difference.

Acorn

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2017, 19:07:01 PM »
Good point Greybird - I've just compared the two Hemline needles, and one is a touch longer than the other, with the eye lower by a miniscule amount (but then eyes of needles are pretty miniscule!)  The problem here is that the eye in one is too low rather than high, so he threader hook hits the needle rather than the eye.

I rarely used the needle threader on my sewing machine, but it would be agony not to have it on my embroidery machine given how much more threading of needles is necessary.  And now that I have to take my glasses off in order to thread any needle by eye I'm a big fan of them!   :o
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2017, 08:12:38 AM »
Well who knew that could happen!!! :o
Might have to do a test.  Personally not a great fan of the hemline stuff but have used the needles quite a bit and not had a problem with my threader.

Acorn

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2017, 09:23:43 AM »
I shall treat hemline with caution in future - trouble is that they are the main (probably only) brand sold in most of the shops around here, and although internet shopping is my natural habitat, I do like to support local shops when I can!

I shall stock up on Schmetz - I have an emergency packet arriving tomorrow and will use the larger needles until then.

I came close to dismantling the needle threader and trying to pull the hook down - thank goodness a bit of logic forced its way to the front of my mind first...  :|
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ohsewsimple

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2017, 13:51:42 PM »
They tend to be the main brand anywhere.  They do a wide range of products and are cheap.  For many people that is the most important thing.  For those of us that don't mind paying for quality it's very frustrating.

Kenora

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #7 on: October 30, 2017, 17:46:43 PM »
I only use Schmetz needles but the needle threader on my Janome struggles and refuses to work with a 70/10 or smaller, while the threader on my Bernina tackles any size needle successfully. It has a slightly different threader and seems to cope with smaller needle eyes much better.
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

sewingj

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #8 on: October 30, 2017, 18:54:54 PM »
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« Last Edit: November 27, 2021, 13:10:43 PM by sewingj »

Acorn

Re: Needles and Threaders
« Reply #9 on: October 30, 2017, 19:50:27 PM »
My previous needle threader had a fight with a microtex needle which they both lost - the needle broke and the hook in the threader also broke.   :o

This time, though, it was a brand new needle, and the other needles in the pack were the same.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.