World Wide Quilting Page
Question of the Week
Question for the week of February 21, 2005:
Our question this week comes from brucerunion:
Whenever I am working on a quilt I go through several needles because I bend them every time. What can I do to stop this?
Paola :
Assuming your discussing handquilting, I also bend several needles per quilt, sometimes even snapping them! I have less trouble if I give the quilt a little more slack in the hoop but keep it taut enough to maintain a nice stitch. Experiment with the tension. Good luck:)
Gloria Jean Johnston :
Not sure what you are asking for! Hand piecing, hand quilting, machine piecing, machine quilting?
Sue :
Try different sizes and brands of needles. Some are better than others. I bend needles too, but found the Roxannes better than others. Everyone seems to have their own favorites - so keep trying them till you find one you are satified with. You may just have to live with using several needles per quilt.
Sheila :
I guess because I am not a hand quilter either, I answered from my own viewpoint didn't I? I wonder if that is why they call those short sharp needles hand quilters use...."sharps"? Would the shorter and sharper needles hold up longer without bending? I guess we need a hand quilter to join in this search for an answer.
Kathy in WA :
Sheila's response makes me wonder if I am reading the question right. I thought it was hand needles bending. Hand quilting friends talk about that happening. I have no advice if it is as I don't have the patience for much hand work.
Sheila :
One more time....usually a size 11 needle is good for all types of sewing. Unless you are using a heavier fabric, then a size 14 should be adequate.
Sheila :
It may be that you need sharper sewing machine needles so they go through the fabric instead of bending. OR, somehow your seams must be turned in a direction that they have too much thickness. Do you stagger the direction your seams are pressed when you sew your pieces together?
World Wide Quilting Page * Question of the Week