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 MsMacFan |
Needles |
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Posts: 96 06/16/08 08:30 PM |
I have the worst time with needles. I've tried both the platinum and gold plated needles, but the coating always wears off and then they don't stitch well.  Does anyone else have this problem? Seems like I go through a bunch of them. I wash my hands frequently when I'm stitching but it doesn't seem
to help. I've been using primarily the John James brand. Does anyone know of a good brand for needles?
Thanks! |
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 Snafu Sooz |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 434 06/16/08 10:20 PM Medieval Town Tart |
I just recently asked a question on the Mirabilia Stitchers bb asking what type of needles people used and that ended up spinning into some commenting about
this very problem. I do not have it. Some just bought the cheap kind and changed their needle often. You could go over there and check out some of the replies
if you wished.
 ToFaaT
Rotation ~ Two or Five at a Time
Mirabilia ~ Cottage Garden Fairy ~ On The Rods ~ Chatelaine ~ Medieval Town Mandala L&L ~ Celtic Banner TW ~ Fortunate Traveler Samplers & Such ~ Cirque des Cercles ~ Finished 06-30-08 ~ ~Sooz~ |
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Gabi2111 |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 776 06/17/08 01:10 AM |
In my humble opinion....all gold plated needles wear off. I agree they do stitch the very best with the plating on, but that doesn't last very long.
Still my favorite needles are gold plated ones - and I have NO clue what brand they are. I do get them in bulk from England from an Ebayshop that sells my absolute favorite needles....lol. But what is one's favorite can differ. I tried John James, and wasn't impressed....tried also the petites from JJ....wasn't impressed either. Tried DMC needles (eeeuwww) and couple of others in search of THE best needle. Got myself a bunch of Piecemaker needles from the US. They are ok and became my second choice needles. If I couldn't get my normal gold plated ones, I would switch over to piecemaker needles But....that's only my opinion. Which needle one likes best is as personal as the way you stitch. Some love scroll frames, some q-snaps...some stitch in hand. Same with needles. Like I said...I tried them all and found my favorites. 
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AnneMarieke |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 2496 06/17/08 03:33 AM Chatelaine Addict |
My absolute favourites are Piecemaker 28's.
 They last and
last and last and you can even bead Delicas with them , they are so tiny. So no more fiddling with beading needles (I was forever stabbing myself with those!).
Anne Marieke
My Webshots album: http://community.webshots.com/user/amb120465 Current WIPs: Chatelaine: Mini Mystery Mandala 2, Oriental Harem Mandala, Mystery XI (Celtic Mandala), Mystery IX (Potager du Roi), Persian Iris Garden, Knotgarden, Taj Mahal, Spring Morning Theresa Wentzler: Egyptian Sampler Completed in 2008: Secret Victorian Garden (Mystery X), Mini Mystery Mandala 01 |
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Laury Lyan |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 675 06/17/08 05:48 AM |
Well... plated needles always wear off with use, that's normal...
I tried recently some new needles I found in my LNS and I'm really happy with them : Gold plated needles nr.28 from Permin of Copenhaguen. And I must say that I love them :-) They are wonderful in hand, I can stitch great with them. The only thing is that they don't exist yet in "petite" format 
If you want to try one, just yuku-message me, I'll send you one (already bought a little stock of them, so I won't miss one or two  ).
----------------------------------- I forgot to tell : I use some John James "petites" and standard. Plus the Permin of Copenhaguen now. Mostly nr. 28. I have an ethical and ideological problem with Piecemaker's products. But that's me and I won't question the quality of their products. I've tried to get in touch with a japanese needles manufacturer to try them as they are really praised for their quality, but... never got any answer from them. Surely they are too busy, or they don't understand english
edited to add the comments on my needles
Last Edited By: Laury Lyan 06/17/08 05:53 AM.
Edited 1 time.
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momstitches |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 1778 06/17/08 10:08 AM Chatelaine Enabler Exceptionale |
John James Petites are my favorite needles, but I don't seem to have the issue you do. Then, I don't buy the plated ones. One suggestion I've tried
that does help: when the needle begins to lose its ability to slide well through the fabric, put it through the "strawberry" attached to a standard
sewing pin cushion. You know, the thing that feels like it's full of sand or something. It sort of polishes the rough spots out. I usually send it through
multiple times. Doesn't last forever, but it does seem to give the needle a longer life.
~Cheryl My blog? Find it in my Yuku profile.
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shell39 |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 759 06/17/08 03:11 PM |
piece makers 28 same as Anne Marieke, I wont stitch with anything else now lol. And Cindy sells them too, so I usually add a pack or 3 to my orders.
Shell |
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MsMacFan |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 96 06/17/08 07:08 PM |
Thanks for the replies...
Sooz I did go and look at that thread in the Mirabilia board. Interesting that others who have the same problem as I do with the needles also have a sensitivity to metals. I'm allergic to nickel and can't wear jewelry unless it's sterling silver or gold. Sounds like a lot of you have good luck with the Piecemaker's needles. I hadn't heard of the group, but after reading Laury Lyan's comments about them, I went and read up on their website. Kinda wish I hadn't. They're a little too far out there for my tastes. I may still try their needles
though. They probably can't do too much damage with the few dollars I spend here and there on needles. 
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Hazel Hood |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 687 06/17/08 08:12 PM Chatelaine Addict |
I use John James petites or Piecemakers. I've tried many other needles but none seem to work for me like these two do. I've tried the gold plated ones
but they feel 'sticky' to me. That said, I'm one of the lucky one who can use the same needle for months on end (unless I lose it and generally I
find it again when my DH steps on it and curses me!!!)
Hazel |
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sue61408 |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 154 06/18/08 10:55 AM Master of the Art of Justification |
I use John James 28 petites almost exclusively. I do use a 26 for perles and metallics. I bought some gold plated ones at a going-out-of -business sale, but
wasn't terribly impressed.
My biggest problem with needles - no matter what brand I use? I bend them. By the time I"m half through a project the needle is bent. I don't think I'm holding on that tightly to them, but I must be more stressed than I think. Sue in VA
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vampyre0711 |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 3 06/19/08 07:15 AM |
I love the piecemaker's 28's also. Like MsMacFan I wasn't too impressed with their site.....Luckily I love the needles..I haven't had one
break or bend yet..Not even the "normal" bending I used to see with my needles--I thought "all needles" did this with a lot of use. I used
to also have a lot of eye breakage..Not one yet.
Debbie |
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Wx4caster |
#11 | |||
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Posts: 99 06/19/08 07:47 AM |
My hands-down favourite needle is a Piecemaker 28. I've also tried DMC needles (which I can buy locally and will use if I'm desperate) and John James
needles and I rarely get more than a few days use out of them before the eye breaks or the needle snaps in half.
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MsMacFan |
#12 | |||
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Posts: 96 06/19/08 09:00 AM |
I did end up ordering some of the piecemaker needles. A lot of people here and on other boards seem to really like them. Funny there's so much difference
in needles. You'd think they would be pretty much the same!
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Sisquoc39167 |
#13 | |||
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Posts: 93 06/19/08 09:26 AM |
As much as I love the way platinum just *glides* through the fabric, every platinum needle I've ever had has had a weak eye. Never liked the feel of the
gold in my fingers. My all-time favorites are Susan Bates, but apparently those are no longer available. Petites are too small for my hands. You couldn't
*pay* me to use Piecemakers.
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Dizzy Xstitcher |
#14 | |||
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Posts: 206 06/23/08 05:44 AM |
I used to use plated needles.. but they wear off very quickly in my hands so now I just use normal ones and they do last... the one I have just put to one side
I think has been going for several big projects... I am 3/4 through taj and it was used on Mermaids of the deep as well... so I think I am going to stick with
the normal ones from now on... and I don't use petities either... no 10's but not petities..
I use a brand called Millwards...
Last Edited By: Dizzy Xstitcher 07/06/08 03:46 PM.
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mlr64 |
#15 | |||
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Posts: 577 06/23/08 07:52 PM |
I go through needles very quickly. I do spend more money on my needles, because the more expensive ones really do last longer for me than the cheap needles (which can last as little as a couple days), but none of them last a long time ( a couple weeks is a good needle for me). I have been told that it is a chemical reaction. Mary Mary R. in Maryland, USA |
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jascott853 |
#16 | |||
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Posts: 66 06/30/08 01:48 PM |
I use John James petites - I'm also a hand quilter and I like JJ for the shorter needle length.
I also have one "My Favorite Needle" but don't use it much - since I'll probably loose it if I do. I never really thought about the "best" needle. I've used most brands and haven't had many problems with them except JJ (which I only buy because they are short). I've had these needles break on me (size 28's P) and sometimes the eye of the size 28 needle is bent (which is where it will break). Maybe I should reconsider! We are certainly lucky in this day and age. In the pioneer days, needles were a scare and treasured commodity. Can you imagine having to do with ONE needle for your sewing!? Julie.Scott@wmich.edu http://homepages.wmich.edu/~scott Favorite designers: Gerda Bengtsson, Claudia Dutcher, Martina Weber, Paula Minkebige |
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Gabi2111 |
#17 | |||
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Posts: 776 07/06/08 07:10 PM |
Something very different...After I read somewhere about emery pin cushions, I ordered one. The idea behind it is that the emery material in the pin cushion
sharpens the needles. When my needles are new they slide so well through the material. That feeling wears off after a while then they stitch still good. Anyway
I ordered an emery pincushion of a decent size and will hopefully receive it soon. I'm very curious if it will make a difference and will make the needles
slide through the fabric as if they were new. If not....lol....I got myself a nice (heavy) pin cushion from the US which will enlighten my sewing box instead
of my stitching stuff.
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Dizzy Xstitcher |
#18 | |||
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Posts: 206 08/18/08 06:06 AM |
Gabi, Let us know how you get on with the pin cushion I am intrigued...
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Gabi2111 |
#19 | |||
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Posts: 776 08/18/08 08:59 PM |
Oh....I got it. It works ok. It's however not a miracle. It gives the needle a very very light sanding basically. Still a complete new needle slide better
(for a day...lol)
I'm one of the persons who do ages with one needle, even after the gold did wear off...simply because my needles still do very well? Every once in a while I push my needle couple of times through that Emerald powder in the pincushion and it gives for a while a "newer" feeling. Hope that makes sense...lol. Following my husband it's normal because emerald powder is also used on some sandpaper for metallic and for sanding metallics in general. Which means also that every time you use the emery powder you take a tiny bit off the needles. If you want to keep your coating you better be careful. Anyway, it works, but it doesn't give me the same feeling as a new needle does. |
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