<p><a href="http://www.oldsewingear.com/blog/whats-so-great-about-a-slant-needle" rel="noreferrer">Slant-needle sewing machines</a> used to be all the rage, and it's easy to see why: being able to see what you're sewing better is great.</p>

<p>But nobody makes them anymore. Instead, most modern machines have a big chunky arm hanging right over your work area, forcing you to bend your neck down to see. Why is that? Were there problems with the slanted design? Which?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-02T17:22:40.537Z
I never knew about these - very interesting! A few pages on google claim they are not good for heavy fabrics, as the needle may deflect or break due to the slant. Maybe the "general-purpose" machines won out since they could handle heavier material? That's just speculation, though.
user812786
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-02T17:29:08.300Z
Also the modern [Singer 14SH654 serger](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Singer-Finishing-Touch-Sewing-Machine-14SH654/2276639#about-item) is listed as having a "slant needle bar". Kinda hard to see in the pictures.
user812786
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-04T18:51:56.253Z
[Meta consensus seems that this is on-topic](http://meta.crafts.stackexchange.com/q/279/30), so I'm looking forward to seeing answers about it.
Erica
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-05T20:30:08.780Z
I think the meta is wrong. The only way this can be definitively answered is from someone at the companies that used the make the machines. Otherwise it is just speculation.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-11T23:51:06.063Z
I wasn't aware of slanty needles - sounds interesting! I was amazed to discover that my normal fairly cheap desktop machine has an embroidery foot! I had no clue that alternate feet were available! The embroidery foot is a ring about 1.5 cm across, it is suspended above the work, about half a centimetre, so one can see the position and also, move it in all kinds of directions freely while sewing. It is very useful for artistic sewing, can be used with various stitches, and it so much more fun than the square flat foot which is designed for straight edges and seams.
user3025
<sewing><sewing-machine>
What happened to slant-needle sewing machines?
Ingmar Hupp
# What happened to slant-needle sewing machines?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-11-28)

[Slant-needle sewing machines](http://www.oldsewingear.com/blog/whats-so-great-about-a-slant-needle) used to be all the rage, and it's easy to see why: being able to see what you're sewing better is great.

But nobody makes them anymore. Instead, most modern machines have a big chunky arm hanging right over your work area, forcing you to bend your neck down to see. Why is that? Were there problems with the slanted design? Which?

**Tags:** sewing, sewing-machine

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I never knew about these - very interesting! A few pages on google claim they are not good for heavy fabrics, as the needle may deflect or break due to the slant. Maybe the "general-purpose" machines won out since they could handle heavier material? That's just speculation, though.  
> **username_1**: Also the modern [Singer 14SH654 serger](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Singer-Finishing-Touch-Sewing-Machine-14SH654/2276639#about-item) is listed as having a "slant needle bar". Kinda hard to see in the pictures.  
> **username_2**: [Meta consensus seems that this is on-topic](http://meta.crafts.stackexchange.com/q/279/30), so I'm looking forward to seeing answers about it.  
> **username_3**: I think the meta is wrong. The only way this can be definitively answered is from someone at the companies that used the make the machines. Otherwise it is just speculation.  
> **username_4**: I wasn't aware of slanty needles - sounds interesting! I was amazed to discover that my normal fairly cheap desktop machine has an embroidery foot! I had no clue that alternate feet were available! The embroidery foot is a ring about 1.5 cm across, it is suspended above the work, about half a centimetre, so one can see the position and also, move it in all kinds of directions freely while sewing. It is very useful for artistic sewing, can be used with various stitches, and it so much more fun than the square flat foot which is designed for straight edges and seams.  

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## 0 answers

