Sewing Needle | Basic Features of Sewing Needle

A sewing needle is a long slender tool with a pointed tip. The needle must be able to penetrate the material being sewn, by pushing the yarns aside according to the application, without damaging it. Needle used for hand sewing since about 1800BC and made from bone, wood and stone. In 1800AD, Balthasar Krems of Germany was the first to use a needle with the eye near the point and he had developed it. Iron needles were introduced during the 15th century for hand sewing. The large scale production of sewing machines started about 1840. Curved needle is only used for blind stitching. Modern needles are manufactured from high carbon steel wire, nickel or gold plated for corrosion resistance. Today the still needle is commonly used.

Basic Functions:  

• To form a passage in the material through which the needle thread can wholly pass.
• To form a loop this can be picked up by the looper or hook mechanism.

Construction of needle: The main construction features of a needle are-

Butt: The truncated conical shape at the top of the needle which facilitates its insertion into the needle bars or clamp. 

Shank: Usually larger in dia than the rest of the needle. The shank can be cylindrical in shape or flat on one side depending on the method used to secure the needle in or on the needle bar. 

Shoulder: The section joining the shank to the blade.

Blade: The longest section of the needle. This runs from the shoulder to the eye. Blade increases in thickness from eye to shoulder to increase stiffness. Curved blade needles are used for Blind stitch machine. 

Groove: On one side of the needle there is a long groove which protects the needle thread as it enters and is withdrawn from the fabric. There is a short groove on the opposite side which extends a short distance above and bellows the eye. Its purpose is to aid the passage of thread into the material and loop formation. 

Eye: An elliptical hole between the two grooves. The shape and finish of the inside top of the eye are important factors in the prevention of thread damage during sewing. 

Point: This is shaped to provide the best penetration of the material being sewn. 

Tip: The tip when combined with the point, determines the case and extent of penetration into the fabric.