Changing the Needle

What you will learn

• Removing a needle safely
• Inserting with correct orientation
• Checking the needle fits

Materials and tools

• New needle of the type and size needed
• Small screwdriver, if your clamp uses one
• Manual
• Flat surface to check the needle

Before you start

• Switch off and unplug the machine. Turn the handwheel toward you to bring the needle to its highest point. Raise the presser foot. Place a folded cloth over the needle plate to catch the needle if it falls.

1. Hold the old needle with one hand. With the other hand, loosen the needle clamp screw by turning it toward you (counter-clockwise on most machines; check your manual). Do not remove it completely.

   1. Spool pin
   2. Thread guides
   3. Tension dial
   4. Take-up lever
   5. Needle clamp and needle
   6. Presser foot
   7. Feed dogs
   8. Needle plate
   9. Bobbin and bobbin case
   10. Presser-foot lifter
   11. Stitch selector
   12. Stitch length control
   13. Reverse lever or button
   14. Handwheel
   15. Foot pedal

2. Slide the old needle straight down and out. Put it in a safe container for used needles.
3. Check the new needle by rolling it on a flat surface. If it wobbles or you see a gap, it is bent. Throw it away.
4. Find the flat side on the shank (the thick top part). On most home machines, the flat side faces the back. Some models are different. Check your manual for the correct orientation.
5. Push the new needle up into the clamp with the flat side facing the direction in the manual. Push it as far up as it will go.
6. Hold it in place and tighten the clamp screw firmly by turning it away from you (clockwise).
7. Turn the handwheel by hand toward you for a full stitch to check that the needle passes through the center of the needle plate hole.
8. Plug in, switch on and test on scrap.

Tips for a neat result

• Change the needle when you start a new project, with new fabric type, or when you hear a thud or see skipped stitches.
• Keep the old needle packet or write the type and size on a tag by the machine.

Common mistakes and fixes

Check your result

• The needle is fully seated and tightened with the flat side in the manual's direction.
• Hand-turning the wheel moves the needle cleanly through the plate hole.

Projects that use this