Needles

Be sure to change to a fresh needle after every 6–8 hours of sewing and/or every project or two.

If your sewing machine is making popping sounds, or if you’re seeing broken, uneven, skipped, or puckered stitches, change your needle! It may be dull or bent.
I collect my used needles and rotary blades in a lidded glass jar so they don’t accidentally injure wildlife or sanitation workers.

Schmetz has handy guides that recommend what needles to use for specific fabrics and a diagram that can help you identify what kind of needle you currently have on your machine if you forget.
Domestic sewing machines use a 130/75 H needle system. If you use an industrial sewing machine, your machine may use a different needle system.

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Match the type and size of your needle to your specific project! Not sure? A Microtex or Universal needle in size 80/12 is a good place to start.

Needle Types

Different needle types have different shapes and characteristics that make them suitable for specific fabrics. Here are some types to consider for this project:

Universal: general purpose needle with a slightly rounded point that works for most wovens and some knits
Microtex (Sharps): thin, sharp point that is designed for precise and tidy stitching; great all-purpose needle for woven fabrics
Jeans/Denim: reinforced ballpoint that can penetrate thick fabrics without breaking the fibers; reduces needle breakage and skipped stitches.
Super Nonstick: anti-adhesive coating is helpful for sewing waxed canvas and similar fabrics
Topstitch: large eye to accommodate heavier weight thread specifically for topstitching (but neither is required to topstitch).

Needle Sizes

Needle size is usually indicated by two numbers, where the larger number is in metric and the smaller number is in imperial units. The larger the numbers, the larger the diameter of the needle. For example a 90/14 needle has a diameter of 0.90 mm, while a 100/16 needle has a diameter of 1.00 mm. Match the needle size with the weight of the fabric you will be sewing on:

65/09, 70/10, 75/11: Lightweight fabrics like cotton lawn or voile
80/12, 90/14: Medium weight fabrics like cotton poplin, chambray, linen, some canvas
100/16, 110/18, 120/20: Heavy weight fabrics like canvas, denim, corduroy

Thread

All-Purpose Thread

Use an all-purpose polyester thread for sewing machines such as Mettler Metrosene, Gütermann Sew-All, or Gütermann Mara 100. Polyester thread is stronger and more durable than cotton thread, which you definitely to make lasting garments and bags!

Topstitching Thread (Optional)

For most projects, you can do all of your topstitching with a single strand of all-purpose thread and the same needle you use throughout construction.
For projects using heavier weight fabrics, such as jeans, jackets, and bags, you may wish to topstitch with thicker thread for a more professional finish.

You can either use two strands of all-purpose thread in your needle or switch to a heavier weight topstitching thread (my favorite is Gütermann Mara 70). Some sewing machines perform better with one option or the other, so I recommend testing both on scrap fabric to see what look you like best and/or what is easiest for your machine to sew.
If you choose to use a topstitching thread, be sure the eye of the needle you are using has enough room to accommodate the thread without causing friction. I recommend using a topstitching needle since they have a larger eye specifically for heavier weight topstitching thread.
To avoid sewing machine tension issues, use all-purpose thread in your bobbin even when you have topstitching thread in the needle.

Press your work after topstitching to help the thread settle into the fabric.

Common Stitch Types and Settings

Construction stitches: relatively short, strong stitches you use when sewing fabric right sides together (so the stitches are not visible on the finished object)

For woven fabrics, use a standard straight stitch about 2.5 mm long x 0 mm wide.

You can reduce your stitch length when sewing around tight curves or corners for more precision, but be aware that the shorter the stitch, the more tedious it is to seam rip if you make a mistake.
You may need to increase your stitch length to 3.0 or even 3.5 mm long when sewing many layers of bulky fabric to avoid skipped stitches.

For knit fabrics, you will want to use a zigzag or stretch stitch instead. If you use a straight stitch, the stitches will break the moment you stretch the fabric.

Topstitching: stitching that is visible on the finished object to add a decorative element and/or add durability by securing seams. You may see the terms topstitching or edgestitching used interchangeably by some pattern designers.

Topstitching is applied more than ⅛” from an edge or seam line.
Edgestitching is applied within ⅛” of an edge or seam line. Try using an edgestitch presser foot and adjusting the position of your needle to the left or right to get straight, parallel lines.
For woven fabrics, use a straight stitch but increase the stitch length to 3 or 3.5 mm for a more aesthetically pleasing line. Test various stitch lengths on a fabric scrap to see what you like best.
For knit fabrics, use a zigzag stitch or a twin needle.

Understitching: stitching added to a facing to prevent it from rolling toward the right side of the garment.

Understitching is generally only visible from the wrong side of the garment, so you can use either construction stitch or topstitch settings.

Bartacks: densely packed stitches used to reinforce areas of a garment that are subject to a lot of stress or where, such as pocket openings and strap attachments

Use a zigzag stitch ~0.5 mm long x ~2.5–3 mm wide

Test out your bartack settings on the same number of layers of scrap fabric to see if you like how it looks; adjust length and width as desired.
Bartacks are generally ¼ to ½” long. Backstitch over the stitchline once to secure.

It’s common for sewing machines to get stuck or have a thread jam when sewing bartacks because the stitches are so close together.
Remember to hold the thread tails when you start sewing to keep them from being sucked down into the machine and creating a “thread nest” that can then prevent the feed dogs from moving the fabric.
If you notice that the feed dogs are not successfully moving the fabric forward and giving the fabric a little push does not resolve the problem, stop sewing, cut the threads, and remove the piece. You can leave it as is or cut out the thread and try again. If you keep going, you will actually weaken the fabric because you are piercing it with the needle in the same spot repeatedly.

Keep In Touch

Thanks very much for reading! If you’d like in-person support and instruction, please sign up for my classes at Modern Domestic or reach out to schedule a private lesson. If you have any questions, feedback, or corrections regarding this post, please don’t hesitate to contact me!