The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Embroidery and Embellishment => Topic started by: sewingj on February 12, 2020, 19:02:24 PM
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I have got dozens of needles. I don`t even know where most of them have come from - I think I inherited lots of them from my Mum. And I don`t like any of them! I`ve been doing a bit of sewing this evening and have given up because the needle I was using it so sharp at the eye end that it was hurting my fingers (I can`t sew with a thimble).
So I`ve decided to have a mass clear out and buy some decent ones. But I don`t know what I`m looking for. I prefer to sew with quite a long needle. And even if the needle itself it fine, I can`t cope with a tiny eye!
Point me in the right direction please
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@sewingj I 'upgraded' my handsewing needles a couple of years ago and found a good selection and reasonable prices on the John James website: jjneedles.com. I bought together with a friend so we placed a decent order and delivery was good too.
ATM, if you download the useful "sewing needle guide ' leaflet there's a code for 25% discount on page 3 too :D
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Thanks @Kad - especially for the tip off about the discount. John James is actually not far from me but I don`t think they have a factory shop
Incidentally if anyone is in the Redditch area,, this is worth a visit:-
https://www.forgemill.org.uk/web/
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I’m going to chuck out all the old crappy needles and buy some new shiny ones!
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I'm another John James user. Although I tend to buy 1000 at a time...partly because of the shipping to the US and partly because I am the world's worst at losing my needles.
Just keep in mind, hand sewing needles are like machine needles and need to be replaced as well.
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For fine sewing I like Clover Black Gold (https://www.cottonpatch.co.uk/acatalog/Clover-Black-Gold-Needles--Applique-Sharps--No-9--10082.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAhJTyBRAvEiwAln2qBxt9UfWe0-O9JcCN8uMh8y9pG77DOR9j9_tKzVn_FOeHkkCw1jdqYRoCRwIQAvD_BwE) needles.
For hand qulting and anythng else that needs a longer needle I like EZ Gold Eye needles, these (https://www.minervacrafts.com/shop/quilting/accessories/882101b7a-ez-gold-eye-quilting-basting-needles?gclid=CjwKCAiAhJTyBRAvEiwAln2qB-TQJbBjjcj4KpBNd3TsRBMmfobbIj-URF3kIGb24S2pfO_WJ3SNdBoCKVcQAvD_BwE) are pretty sturdy.
I haven't used them, but Tulip brand needles from Japan are often recommended.
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@BrendaP Tulip needles are on my wish list! Bit pricey but don’t care if they’re really good. I’m just getting rid of a load. I haven’t used the Bohin needles I bought recently. Might try them today and see how they compare.
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Going to confess here that when I first started sewing (not that long ago), I bought a huge pack of "budget" needles, with every size you can imagine in it, from tiny up to some that you could use to harpoon a whale.
Cost about a quid or so for the whole lot, from Lidl or Netto, or somewhere.
Not knowing any better, I'd managed with them ever since.
But then, after reading this thread, I did wonder about trying some quality.
So, following the recommendations here, sent for a small spectrum of "sharps" from John James.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49538969283_8c3cfcf147_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2itAaE4)Needles (https://flic.kr/p/2itAaE4) by Mick (https://www.flickr.com/photos/one_rod/), on Flickr
For something that's basically just a sharpened bit of metal, the difference is really quite surprising.
Still trying to work out which size is actually best for which job, but can honestly say that hand sewing is now a pleasure instead of a chore.
So thank you ladies for the good advice. :loveit:
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Wow @Mick that’s a lot of needles. :). Small tip if I may. As I’m getting older I find embroidery needles better than sharps. Still sharp but longer eye which are easier to thread. :)
Enjoy the hand sewing.
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@Ohsewsimple after starting this thread I got some embroidery needles from John James - mainly because of the larger eye and I'm very pleased with them
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Which pack exactly did you get @sewingj ? There seems to be a bewilderingly large selection in the embroidery section of the JJ site and I'd prefer to go by recommendation.
Im another who's decided to replace my ancient needles. :|
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@Vezelay I went for the size 5 and size 7 as I wanted something fairly long but fine. I think I will mainly use the 7s.
John James "sewing needle guide' on the website is very helpful and, as Kad pointed out, on page 3 there is a code for 25% discount
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I am French, so I don't know English needles. My (far ahead) favourite ones are French Bohin needles. I use mostly 11, 10 and 8 with Mettler thread, sometimes from 3 to 8 when needed.
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@crfrench I’ve recently bought some of those after finding some good reviews about them.
I haven’t used them yet but hope they’re good.
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Another John James fan here. I have a carefully hoarded stash of my favorite sizes for embroidery, though I've seen other sizes in local quilting shops. They're one of the only brands that I don't bend into an arc while I'm stitching.
Some time ago a member of my local EGA chapter bought a huge lot of Boyle needles online for what we should've known was too good a price. More needles were oxidized than not, though some were okay. Just for fun and games, I'm gradually stringing good, bad, and indifferent needles onto interconnected rings to form a mobile for my sewing room. I can only stand to do a few at a time, but eventually, it will look kinda cool.
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@Ohsewsimple, I love them because they are very sharp and very precise. I had others before and the difference is huge. But I don't know which needles are sold in England, I am quite sure there are very good ones too. Someday I'll try Japonese ones, they are very famous too.
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I got several of the John James pebbles a couple of years ago - a huge range.
I don''t do a great deal of hand sewing in comparison to many here but my real favourites are the Clover Black Gold needles which slide beautifully through lycra.
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Just searched and found this old topic. I am so fed up with searching through my needle case to find a needle with a decent sized eye, that doesn’t jab into my fingers as I sew. I’m off now to look at John James embroidery needles. Hoping they’ll solve the problem and I can throw out most of the old ones. :D
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If you can find them the Tulip needles are brilliant lots of choice and fantastic quality
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If you can find them the Tulip needles are brilliant lots of choice and fantastic quality
I splashed out and bought one tube of them and I don't like them :scream:
Nowhere near as shiny and smooth as JJ or Clover. Usually Japanese stuff is excellent, but these are not for me.
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I usually use John James as they are so easy to pick up at quilting stores here, but I also ordered a tube of Tulip and LOVE them. Of course that tiny "oh-so-cute" glass tube is no where to be found at the moment. Its probably in hiding with the only thimble I've ever been able to use, a properly fitted tailors thimble I found at a thrift store. Did I make note of the size - of course not.
Tailors thimbles fit on the middle finger of the hand with pressure applied from the side. They do not have a top, so long nails are not an issue. Which is why I could never use a thimble - having long nails since age 11. They can also be easily slightly "smashed" to make for a more custom fit.
Just realized - Mom has a circular mm measuring device in a junk drawer in the kitchen. I've noticed it for the past year and kept thinking, " what did I need one of these for?" I can measure for a thimble!!!
Whoever brought this thread back up.....THANK YOU !!! :dance:
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I only have 2 small sets of needles. An old wallet of Millward, probably 30 years old and really smooth - in the paper cases and putting the needles back through the paper is so satisfying.
The ones I use most are Maison Sajou. Very smooth and sharp in the right places. Also come in a lovely tactile wallet. They're unfortunately not very easy to get hold of any more. I need to look for some more as I've bent a few, recently.
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That’s strange @BrendaP the ones I have are very smooth, I started with the beading ones and then bought the sewing. I have also tried the black clover needles can’t remember what they are called, I wasn’t sure I liked them but they are good for super sharp and I have used them, I do a lot of hand sewing and am always interested in different needles.
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@sewingj, I think you've got plenty of good advice there from the rest of the group but as far as thimbles go I use a rubber one these days (the kind they used to use for counting paper money) if my fingers are getting too punctured when I'm using fine needles if that's any help.
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The ones I use most are Maison Sajou. Very smooth and sharp in the right places. Also come in a lovely tactile wallet. They're unfortunately not very easy to get hold of any more. I need to look for some more as I've bent a few, recently.
Available from the Maison Sajou website, but I don't know what the shipping costs or taxes might come to.
https://sajou.fr/en/1512-needles-and-pins (https://sajou.fr/en/1512-needles-and-pins)
Interesting that you've bent some needles - is it just a slight curve or really bent. Needles are a grade of stainless steel and should break rather than bend (machine needles especially). Pins tend to bend more than needles.
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The ones I use most are Maison Sajou. Very smooth and sharp in the right places. Also come in a lovely tactile wallet. They're unfortunately not very easy to get hold of any more. I need to look for some more as I've bent a few, recently.
@Ouryve Beyond Measure are based in the UK and have a small selection of Sajou needles.
https://shopbeyondmeasure.co.uk/collections/sajou
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And there was me thinking a needle is just a needle, ok some are a bit bigger than others I suppose. I think I'm using ones from my very early sewing days, I know I haven't bought any for about 35 years or more :P
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Hand needles can get blunt, just as machine needles do.
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Also things like good beading needles are made so they bend and don’t snap, this can be useful when sewing on braids etc
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Needles also microscopically rust over time, and you may not even realize they've done so.
@Bodgeitandscarper I FINALLY bought myself some Kai Scissors a few years ago and my sis gave me a pair of Gingher dressmakers two weeks later.
I can't believe I sewed with budget/cheap scissors for more than 40 years! What a HUGE difference! I slowly started upgrading the little bits and pieces like needles, thread snips, etc Next on the list is a pair of Kai 6" to use as trimmers at the machine.
Do yourself a big favor and upgrade a bit. It's worth it!
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Well I ended up ordering a couple of selections of Bohin needles. Used one of their embroidery needles to run some basting thread along some pleat lines on a rather robust medium weight cotton hemp blend and they've done a fine job of it sharp and smooth enough to run through the fabric with a big enough eye to not need a threader.
As for scissors, I treated myself to some lightweight blacks from William Whitely, a few months back, and they are lovely to use.
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I got some Bohin needles a while ago. Like them a lot.
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Ohh more needles to collect, another excuse to make more beaded needle cases :devil: