Sewing Machine Needles

My sewing task for this morning was to make a couple of marsupial pouches. I'll admit, that's a rather unusual task, even for some-one who specialises in unusual tasks and improvisation. I was having a go at making these pouches because I met a wildlife carer at my local pet shop last week. On top of the huge human toll of the bushfires, there is, of course, a huge impact on wildlife. Denise told me that she knew of seven wildlife shelters that had been burned. So she is busy with injured wildlife and could use some extra pouches to keep the babies in.

The challenge for my sewing, is that these pouches need to be well padded. I made the first one with several thicknesses of flannelet and a plain cotton outer layer. I wasn't sure that it was thick enough. So, I added a layer of quilt wadding to my next attempt. That made for a softer pouch, but it was hard on my sewing machine. I broke two needles on that pouch, so I'll have to try another way.

But, it did remind me to write about sewing machine needles. Here's what a machine needle looks like:

• * nice sharp tip
• * the eye of the needle is just above the tip
• * long straight shaft
• * the top end is shaped--one side is curved and the other is flat.

Here's how to replace the needle:

1. loosen off the screw holding the needle in place. That's it on the right hand side.
2. remove the old needle--dispose of it thoughtfully. Remember, it's sharp!
3. slide the new needle in place--in my machine, the flat part goes towards the back. Because of the shaping, you can only put the needle in one way.
4. tighten up the screw again firmly.

Some points to remember--sorry I didn't intend the pun, but I'll leave it there now:)

• * sewing machine needles are a consumable--they need to be changed fairly often. If your machine isn't stitching nicely, try a new needle, it's often the solution.
• * there are different needles for different tasks: finer ones, stronger ones, special tips for different fabrics, even double needles for making two rows of stitching at once. Match the needle to the task.
• * Be nice to your needle. Don't sew over pins. Don't tug at the fabric while the needle is down. And don't expect the needle to manage too many layers of fabric--note to self there!