This is not just about needles! When you change thread, backing, brand of blank product or even digitizers you may also affect the balance.

BEST ADVICE! There is no firm, fast rule to solving problems associated with needles. Experimentation to solve problems is the best advice. Keep a variety of needle types, sizes, and finishes on hand so you will have the tools needed to solve any related problem.

 

 

Embroidery Machine Needle Selection Information

Organ Brand Needle Guide

FLAT SHANK NEEDLES 15x1: HAx1, 705H   This is the standard needle with a flat shank and a regular size eye for most home sewing machines and home sewer based embroidery and quilting machines. It is widely available in a large range of sizes with a sharp or ball point, also available with PD/titanium finish. 15x1 ST: HAx1 ST, 705H-E   This is a special version of the 15x1 for embroidery and decorative stitching. It is made to higher standards for longer life. It has an oversize eye to reduce stress and tension on the thread. It also accommodates metallic threads for heavier top stitching thread and makes needle threading easier. It is available in sharp or ball point, also available with PD/titanium finish. 15x1 SP: HAx1 SP   This is a special version of the 15x1 for stretch or elastic materials and tightly woven knits. It is made to higher standards, it has a snake's head shape due to a combination of a slightly bulged eye and a slightly reduced blade above the eye. HAx130EBBR:    This needle was developed for use in the new Babylock EMB6 & Brother PR-600 PR620 embroidery machines. It is an industrial quality machine embroidery needle with a flat shank, reinforced blade, light ball point and an oversize eye. It is available in a range of sizes with a hard chrome finish.

ROUND SHANK NEEDLES DB-K5:    This needle is designed especially for industrial /commercial embroidery machines such as Tajima. The DB-K5 needle has a one size larger eye than that found in a regular needle. Unlike sewing thread used for general apparel sewing, embroidery threads are "fluffier" and have less tensile strength. A larger needle eye, without increased blade diameter, allows the embroidery thread to pass easily through the needle's eye without fraying or snapping DB-K5SS: This embroidery machine needle has all the eye features of the DBxK5, but the point has a very narrow wedge to make penetration through leather, vinyl and similar materials easier and neater.  The very narrow wedge point "slices" through the leather-like materials while making a cleanly cut needle hole. A standard "set" or "sharp" point needle punches it's way through leather like materials which may make irregularly or undesirably shaped needle holes. The very narrow wedge point "slices" through the leather like materials while making a a cleanly cut needle hole.   Other available wedge point needles typically have a longer wedges then the DB-K5SS embroidery needles. That's fine for most sewing operations, but in machine embroidering, the stitches are very close together, The longer wedge point needles will actually punch out the design created by those close pattern of embroidered stitches. The extra narrow wedge point of the DB-K5SS embroidery machine needle leaves enough distance between stitches in embroidered patterns to maintain the strength of the leather like material and avoid punching out the embroidered design. DBxK5 Q1:  This embroidery machine needle was made for the Janome MB4 and Melco EP4 4 needle embroidery machines. It has a long extended groove, longer deeper scarf, tapered blade and a slim extra light ball point.

BALL POINT NEEDLES Ball point needles are designed to alleviate making holes in knit or loosely woven materials. The cross fibers which constitute the knit or loosely woven materials are relatively far apart as compared to those in tightly woven materials. When a needle with a standard "set" or "sharp" point encounters one of those fibers in penetrating the fabric, it cuts right through the fiber. This creates a hole in the fabric. The ball point needle pushes aside the fiber it encounters in penetration and thereby avoids making a damaging hole in the fabric. (It is also recommended to use the thinnest possible needle for a particular fabric)

PD (Perfect Durability) NEEDLES PD needles have a titanium-nitride ceramic finish which makes them more wear-resistant than any other needles. When embroidering large stitch patterns or penetrating very abrasive, dense or tough materials the needle points and surface will maintain its original shape and dimensions 3 to 5 times longer. PD needle points will not wear down as fast as chromium plated needle points. The use of PD needles gives you longer needle life, fewer defects due to "dulled" needle points, and increased productivity.