History of the needle and different parts of Needle used in the textile sewing operation

Needles have been used for hand sewing since 18000BC and were originally made from ivory, bone, wood, and horn.

The main function of a needle is to form a passage in the material through which the needle thread can wholly or partially pass and form a loop that can be picked up by the looper or hook mechanism.

Needle parts:

Butt: Conical shape at the top of the needle which facilitates its insertion into the needle bar or clamp. 

Shank: Shank is usually larger in diameter than the rest of the parts in the needle. This is a cylindrical shape or flat on one side.

Shoulder: The joining part of the shank and blade.

Blade: The largest part of a needle that runs from the shoulder to the eye.

Grooves: Groove is two types in a needle. 

They are the  1) Long groove and 2) short groove. 

1) Long groove: On one side of the needle, there is a long groove that protects the needle thread as it enters and it's withdrawn from the fabric.

2) Short groove: There is a short groove on the opposite side that extends a short distance above and below the eye and the main function of a short groove is to aid the thread into the material and loop formation.

Eye: An elliptical hole between the two grooves. The eye is very important because of avoiding sewing thread damage.    

Point: The point make sure the best penetration during the stitching operation. The point is divided into two classes.

i) Round pints.

ii) Cutting points.

 

 

Article Reference: Garment  Technology for Fashion Designers by Gerry Cooklin