Rookie Sewing Machine Needle And Thread Questions

[ouchmyfinger]

i noticed people are using a linen thread for hand stitching and i was wondering if i could get away with using that for both or if there were any disadvantages of using linen thread in a machine

thanks everyone

[Wizcrafts]

i noticed people are using a linen thread for hand stitching and i was wondering if i could get away with using that for both or if there were any disadvantages of using linen thread in a machine

thanks everyone

Your machine might be able to feed waxed thread, if the needle is oversize. The wax tends to come off along the way to and through the eye of the needle. It could gum up the works. I shouldn't have mentioned it at all in this topic. You're better off sticking to bonded nylon.

I used to use Linhanyl thread, until it ceased being imported into the USA. I now buy Cowboy pre-lubricated bonded nylon thread, available from Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines. My friend for whom I sew buys only Weaver pre-lubricated bonded nylon thread.

[Art]

Unless you have a needle and awl (hook and awl) machine, your experience with linen may be less than satisfactory. You need to learn about your new machine using standard practices, that will mean bonded nylon or polyester thread. After a year's experience with bonded thread, you may wish to venture onto sacred ground and try other things, and have the experience to know when the manure is hitting the windmill. I have used Weaver thread of late and find it excellent, it is much like American and Efird thread. What A&E thread will be in the future is only speculation after it's acquisition by KPS, it may turn into China and Efird. The Thread Exchange is good also but I generally specify the brand I want if available. The best policy is to learn to use what you can get readily, and stick with it. This has not been easy over the years as I have went through Rice, Linhanyl, Coats, and am searching again.

Art

i noticed people are using a linen thread for hand stitching and i was wondering if i could get away with using that for both or if there were any disadvantages of using linen thread in a machine

thanks everyone

[Scary Leatherworks]

Steve is very helpful and you should get some thread and 3 different sized needles with your machine. If you want to get different sized thread but dont want to commit to a full spool the thread exchange has small spools as well. So far I have 138, 207, and 277 size thread.

[Trox]

Thank you Ben, For that Pdf with info. Great work and a very good presentation. A handy documet to use as referance for needle choice.

Thanks

Trox

You have already been given some great information for this but here's a compiled document that I put together sometime back for Adlers. However the needle system is the same and should give you some good general guidelines for selection by types of products, size/thickness of material, needle selection charts as well as a chart based on recommendations compiled from various vendors.

Go to this thread and get the PDF. It should help guide you on your decisions for guidelines from many different sources.

http://leatherworker...ndpost&p=231011

Hope that helps answer a bunch of your questions. I would have strongly suggested that you would have talked with your machine vendor (Steve in this case) and told him what you were trying to do. He would have been most helpful in guiding you as to the decision of needles and thread required.

Regards,

Ben

[gtwister09]

Trox,

You are quite welcome. I am really glad that you found the thread, needle and material information inside. It helped me greatly as I compiled it years ago and has helped some other people over the years even those who didn't have an Adler.

Regards,

Ben

[Bob A]

If I were you, I would call Steve and ask what he recommends for what you want to do, he has been very helpful when I've called. I received my Class 4 in February and don't have experience with different thread and needle sizes yet, I've just been working with the white 277 I got with the machine to learn, so I can't make any suggestions about that at this point. I would recommend getting extra bobbins and the small LED light that he is selling that attaches to the machine with a magnet. I got the light last week after reading about it on here and I really like the way it puts light right where I'm sewing and it's only about $20. Also, I got 4 bobbins with the machine and I think if you plan on swapping around sizes and colors often having several extras on hand would be essential. One thing you will hear repeated on here a lot for new machine operators is to practice a lot and I'm finding that to be solid advise. Good luck.

Bob