Sewing Machine help?

Question

Okay, so I'm about to borrow my grandmother's sewing machine.. and I have never used one in my entire life. Got any tips for me? I mostly want to sew my jeans, where can I find a denim sewing needle? & How much?

Answer 1

A standard needle will sew denim if you dont go to fast.Ask grandma to show you the basics of operation on her machine before you take it to use it.

Answer 2

You'll want a pack of "Jeans" point needles from a good maker like Schmetz, Groz-Beckert, Klasse, Organ.  The name of the point style will vary, but this is a sharp point with a different taper than the standard sharp point.  Most likely, you'll need size 16/100 needles if you're going to do hems.

If you'd like to see how needle points compare, here are some photos:

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/vi...

You will likely break a number of needles trying to cross previous seams, especially when sewing hems.  The trick to it is to keep the presser foot level while sewing, using a shim like a "hump jumper" or old credit card.

Do your best not to break needles... they can damage the machine, or hurt you.