I was sure I'd read all of the manual (well, the last half of the book pertaining to embroidery anyway, mine is a dual machine) but last week when working on a project I consulted my manual for hooping help (which turned out to be NO help lol) and on the page opposite I saw a box with "Do not use ball point needles" .. um, why?
I only ever use top stitch needles (which my Brother dealer stated) so I guess I got lucky the two times I've embroidered on a knit. I did however use iron on interfacing on the knit and then hooped sticky stabiliser and had no problem with the two nappy covers I did. (I used PUL)
I'm not very adventurous when it comes to embroidering but what happens if I want to embroider a t-shirt instead of the wovens I usually embroider? Interestingly ball points arent mentioned in the sewing section of my manual either. Were they not around in 1994? (I'm the 2nd owner of this machine) Under "knits" I'm told to use a "golden needle"... hrmm..
So what does your manual say?
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I have a Brother 190D and the manual states to always use ordinary sewing machine needles 75/11 or 90/14 if you use a stabiliser, a packet containing 3 of the first and 2 of the other came with the machine.
I, however, never used those, but use embroidery needles for most embroideries, the special ones for metallic and ballpoint needles for knits (as I was used to on my Designer).
1 comment
by danababes
13 Dec 2010
hrm .. interesting, thx :)
I've been thinking about it and I suppose the reason I was told to use only top stitch needles is that my machine has 2 speeds, on and off. Perhaps if I was able to slow the embroidering then I might try other needles, and maybe even metallic threads too. I'm not likely to ever try metallics because of this. (The speed control slider only works in "sewing" mode, not when the embroidery bed is attached.) xXx
145302I have a Brother SE-350 and it came with 2 sharp and 2 ball point. Ball points slide between the threads of knit fabric but sharps would tear them.
1 comment
by danababes
13 Dec 2010
Ohh, I dunno what my machine came with, I wasnt the first owner, but I'm guessing not a ball point lol :)
33580My Brother is an Innovis 1500 (also a combi)
The Manual says the gold needle it a BALLpoint.
Happy Trials for all diff methods...
From Bev
1 comment
by danababes
13 Dec 2010
oh lol too funny. Then I guess the manual says I can use ball points in regular sewing but not embroidery. (not that I tend to follow rules anyway lol)
Thanks :)
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