Needles and Thread

[Jefferson Guards]

I know that this information was contained somewhere in the archives on the old site, but with numerous people hounding me to give them hints for Christmas I need to get some hints and information as soon as possible.

What I need to know is: what are some proper needles and threads for period sewing. I am most specifically interested in Machine needles and thread that can be fed through a machine (Singer Featherweight circ. 1940). What kinds and sizes of thread were used for garments constructed by machine?

Thank you

[Jack Enright]

Dear Brian,

have you tried checking out the resources on the civilian side, or posting your question on the civilian pages? As I know that many of the contributors in that branch have done some very detailed research, and a lot of practical work, too - so they could speak from experience.

Hope this helps,

Jack Enright
24th MI Vol Inf (UK)

[Jefferson Guards]

I haven't posted it there, but I think I will do that now. Thanks for the suggestion!!

[Bill Cross]

Brian,

You will be hard-pressed to come up with authentic sewing machine thread. Linen thread as is available today just won't work (too many "lumps" and uneven spots for uniform tension). Cotton thread is almost universally mercerized, a process by which it is run through a chemical bath to singe the fibers and make the thread more likely to run through a machine. While the mercerization process had been invented by our period, its use was not widespread until after the war.

If you can find un-mercerized cotton thread, buy it. Otherwise, any 100% cotton thread should work in machine-sewn garments.

I don't know what size needles would fit your machine.

Bill X

[Jefferson Guards]

Regular Schmetz needles work in my machine, I was just interested as to the shape of the point of the needle. I believe that they were what today would be considered "sharps" I know that the size of the needle varies according to the thread and fabric used.

In terms of thread, how about silk? I know silk thread is mentioned in some instances in the unpublished quartermaster's manual.

Thanks!

[Michael McComas]

Brian,

You can find Glace or Glazed cotton thread in many quilting stored and some better fabric stores. It's a kind of waxed cotton thread and is correct for the period. Look for 12 weight or 30 weight, depending on what you're doing with it. County Cloth sells some heavy glace thread. You might run across "Boil-Fast" waxed thread in an antique shop. It's also a waxed thread, but the wax has a higher melting point. It's from slightly later, but looks very similar to glace thread.

For a needle, you're going to need a "topstitching" needle to handle the large thread. If you use a smaller needle, the glace thread will bind and come apart. It can get ugly. Be prepared to thoroughly clean your machine on a regular basis when using glace thread. Pay particular attention to the bobbin and tensioner.

[Clark Badgett]

Most of the original items I've ever looked at have had very tight stitching when machine sewn. Most machines today sew about 8 spi, and most old machine sewn stuff was around 12 spi.

[Carolann Schmitt]

Brian,

I looked at the original needles that came with both my antique machines. The needles for my 1868 Wheeler and Wilson are equivalent to a size 65 or 70 Schmetz. Under magnification, the point more closely resembles a Sharps than a Universal. There is no scarf (indentation at the back of the needle around the eye), and the needle is slightly curved. The needles on my hand-crank machine (absolutely no markings, but believed to be pre-war based on design) are equivalent to a size 70 or 80. The point on these needles looks more like the point on a modern Universal needle, but they may just be dull.

I think the point you raised about selecting needle and thread size appropriate for the weight of the fabric is an important issue. I can't speak for machine-sewn military uniforms, but the original civilian clothing is sewn with a much finer thread and much shorter stitch length than any of the threads mentioned in the other responses. Many of the original machine-sewn shirts I've examined were sewn at 15-20 stitches/inch; many of the vests, coats and trousers at 12-15 stitches/inch. The heavier glace threads that were mentioned are much too heavy for the needles on my original machines.

When I've found references in period sewing manuals for silk thread, it is usually in a discussion on tailoring woolen clothing. Silk thread is very strong and will actually cut through most linen and cotton fabrics over a period of time. Modern tailoring and sewing manuals still recommend using silk only on woolen fabrics, and cotton thread for sewing on silk or cotton.

I have copies of some journal articles on the production process for making hand sewing needles; I'll have to check to see if I have an on the production of machine needles.

[Hank Trent]

Many of the original machine-sewn shirts I've examined were sewn at 15-20 stitches/inch; many of the vests, coats and trousers at 12-15 stitches/inch. The heavier glace threads that were mentioned are much too heavy for the needles on my original machines.

I've noticed the same thing, and when I can get the glace threads to run through my machine (turn-of-the-century treadle), I'm not a hundred percent happy with the look of the resulting seam on lighter-weight cloth, when the stitching is set that tight. It tends to make a stiffer line of stitching, for lack of a better way to describe it, than thinner threads do.

Hank Trent
hanktrent@voyager.net

[Michael McComas]

Carolann,

You are correct about the weight. I grabbed basting thread, not topstitch thread, when I was looking at numbers. My apologies, Brian.