I use milliners' straws sizes 8, 9, or 10 depending on what I'm sewing, and haven't broken a needle since I first started using them. They are thin with long eyes so they're easy to thread and they are bendable, just right when you're working with buckram or something that won't move the way you want it to. (Some needles I bend on purpose and some just bow slightly as I use them.) They are longer than the shorter needles, but I'm sewing for accuracy not speed and I don't care how long hand sewing takes me because most of my sewing is by machine. I don't quilt and haven't gotten that wonderful rocking running stitch I've seen others use. Maybe it's me, maybe the needles, but for my sewing it doesn't much matter.
If you find you're breaking needles, try a couple milliners' needles and see if they solve your problem. I swear by mine. John James makes a good milliners' straw; you can pick them up at Lacis, Hedgehog, lots of places on-line. I purchased several packages a few years ago from a needle museum in England. LynnD On 11/30/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > I don't know what the "usual expectation" is -- not being snarky, I just > often am puzzled by how our ancestors managed when needles were scarce and > expensive, given that they *do* bend and break. My breakage problems tend to > have one of about three sources: 1) I am trying to use some coarse > "authentic" thread (hemp, linen, wool) pulled out of my weaving supplies > that is just a bit too big for the needle, so the doubled bit has trouble > following the needle through the fabric and eventually the strain pulls the > eye off; 2) I am using a fine needle on a fairly heavy fabric, and I get to > bending it when trying to make fine stitches; 3) I am using a fine needle on > many layers of fabric, which seems to aggravate both 1) and 2). So I am > always quite happy to blame myself for the breakage, rather than the > needles! But the nicer they are the more I burn through; sometimes I get out > my 70s-era giant steel needles, which none of my costumer friends find fit > for anything but basting, ! > and do > some unacceptably coarse seams just to deal with the frustration. I > suppose I *could* resort to using modern threads -- so fine! so smooth! -- > but that would be cheating! ;-) > Lauren > http://www.timetraveltextiles.com > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "LLOYD MITCHELL" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > On the subject of needles, my biggest problem is that I seem to have > them > > break a lot. > <snip snip> > > > > I have tried some of the name brands that have been mentioned in this > > conversation and some of these also seem to break more often than usual > > expectation. I > _______________________________________________ > h-costume mailing list > h-costume@mail.indra.com > http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume > _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list h-costume@mail.indra.com http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
