Bernina Sergers Needles

Mastering

Your

BERNINA®

BERNINA® Sergers

MASTERING YOUR BERNINA® SERGERS 2/15/03 6

Needles

Along with thread, needles are very important to stitch formation. Many

“mechanical” problems and damage to fabrics can be traced to a bent,

damaged, or incorrect size or type needle. Approximately 60% of all

needles made are discarded at some stage of production. When select-

ing the correct needle for any serging project, three things must be

considered:

Needle system – 130/705H

Needle point – to assure stitch formation and avoid fabric damage

Needle size – smaller for lightweight fabrics; larger for heavier ones

If the needle is:

Too small – the thread can’t stay in the groove to form a loop

to be picked up by the looper

Bent – thread loop forms too far away from looper, which can’t

enter loop to form stitch

Blunt – needle won’t pierce fabric so no thread loop forms to make

a stitch

Need To Know

• Never use a needle bigger than size 90/14 in your serger; larger

needles can interfere with looper movement and cause damage.

• Needle should be changed every 4-6 hours of sewing. The needle

is the most inexpensive part in your serger but is one of the most

crucial for getting good results and keeping your machine running

well. Don’t let false economy keep you from doing what is best for

your sewing projects and your machine.

• European needles are chrome-plated to glide through fabric easily.

• The selected thread should fit in the groove on the front of the

needle. If it isn’t protected by the groove, a needle with a larger

groove should be used.

• Always make sure needles are fully inserted as high as possible,

with the flat side to the back.

Needle Size Conversion

European vs. Domestic

60 = 8

70 = 10

75 = 11

80 = 12

90 = 14

100 = 16

110 = 18

120 = 19

Regardless of the system, the greater

the number, the larger the diameter

of the needle. Never use a needle

larger than size 90/14 in your serger!

Notes