Pimp Stitch : Tool Thursday

I know what you're thinking. She's seriously going to write a whole post on needles? A needle is a needle, right? Oh noooo. There's a whole world of needles--different shapes, sizes, materials and uses. And by the end of this diatribe, you might just pick up a few cool words to impress sewers and non-sewers alike. Like, "Last night, during The Office, I was laughing so hard I almost used a Calxy-eyed Sharp instead of a Glover on my sewing!" Ha ha.

For most general sewing, Sharps are your friends. Not too long, small-eyed, they come in ten different diameter sizes. These are the ones you grab to sew a button on or whipstich a hem. Embroidery Needles, aka Crewel Needles are the same as Sharps, but with bigger, elongated eyes to accomodate multiple threads. Some Embroidery Needles are more blunt-tipped, like Tapestry or Cross Stitch needles that will slide through the open holes in the fabric easily without snagging. Betweens are shorter than Sharps and used for hand quilting or tailoring where you need maneuverability. Is that a real word? The opposite of those are Millinery Needles--they are longer. Calyx-eyed needles are self-threading and have a slot you push the thread down onto. Most needles are made from steel or are nickel or gold-plated. The finest needles are Platinum. Needle bling, who knew? Moving on..

It seems like almost every kind of material has it's own needle adapted just for it. Leather? Triangle-pointed Glover Needles that don't shred the leather as they sew. Chenille? Chenille Needles have very sharp points for tightly-woven fabrics. Canvas? Sailmaker Needles have a triangular point half-way up the shaft for the heaviest of fabrics. Doll Needles for doll faces, long Beading Needles that can hold a length of beads or sequins at a time...and I could go on. There's even cool, curved Upholstery Needles that can be used for everything from quilt-tying to fabric box-making. Or scaring small children a la Freddy Kreuger.

So what's the point--get it, point? Sewing, like most crafts, can be very frustrating at times. It might be worth a little investing to have several kinds of needles in your stash for different projects. It makes your work faster, easier and more rewarding when you have the right tools handy. And be careful around those suckers..this woman looks dangerous!