Most sewing machine needles do have the flat side on the shank to correctly align the needle in the machine (some industrial machine needles are round) but also machine needles have a groove down the front (rounded side of the shank) to accommodate the thread as the needle pierces the fabric. The scarf or indentation on the back of the needle is to allow the shuttle hook to get very close to the thread.
Machine needles are always threaded from front to back of the needle, although on a lot of machines the needle is positioned sideways so that threading might go left to right or right to left, but itâs always from front (rounded side of shank) to back. I donât know, but Iâll guess that the shanks are flattened before the eyes are punched. That would make the needle more stable is it is being punched and ensure that subsequent threading would go in the same direction as the punching went. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewing_machine_needle <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sewing_machine_needle> > > I think the flat side is to be sure the needle is positioned > exactly right for the mechanism that makes the stitch. If the needle were > rotated the slightest amount, the thread wouldn't be hooked and there'd > quickly be a thread jam. Brenda in Allhallows paternos...@appleshack.com www.brendapaternoster.co.uk - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
