Needle is very common word in garments industry. different accessories are joined by needle. Needle is used for sewing operation. Two or multiple fabric parts are joined by stitching which is done by the help of needle. Sewing thread is passing through the hole of needle. I think that one of you have used needle for sew something. So, you must have curiosity to know the history of needle. Now I will describe the history of needle.
History of needle with its using age:
- Needle used for hand sewing since about 18000 B.C and made from Bone, Wood and Horn.
- Iron needles were introduced during the 15th century for hand sewing.
- In 1800, BALTHASAR KREMS of Germany was the first to use a needle with the eye near the point for sewing machine and he had developed it.
- The large scale production of sewing machine’s started about 1840.
- Today the steel needle is common used in sewing operation.
- Needles are made in straight or curved form.
Needle Size/Needle Numbering: The thickness of needle is expressed by a number that is called Needle Number or Needle Size (NN/NS). It is the most widely used system in the metric system (Nm). Needle lengths for each type of machine are standardized. Needle number is calculating by multiplying the blade diameter (mm) with 100. If we consider that, the blade diameter is 0.7 then
Needle Number = 0.7 x 100 = 70
The range of needle number is Nm 70 to Nm 200.
Functions of Needle: Needle has different functions. They are as follow:
- To form a passage in the material through which the needle thread can wholly or partially pass.
- To form a loop which can be picked up by the looper or hook mechanisms.
Needle Selection: Selection of needle depends on the following factors:
→The characteristics of the materials. Materials could be woven or knit. For woven fabric V-Point needle is use and for knit fabric Ball-Point needle is use.
→The size of the sewing thread.
→The stitch type.
→The seam type.
Needle is used for forming loop and holds the fabric parts together. Use of needle is depends on the thickness of materials. For use of faulty needle different fabric faults can be appear in fabric.
So, selection of needle should be correct. Needle number should be fixed for sewing specific fabric.