BASIC SHOE MAKING- THREADS & NEEDLES

The quality of upper stitching has a major impact on the sales appeal and wear
performance of footwear. Choosing the right thread and needle is the key to
achieving the required result.
Before selecting a thread, always make sure you know exactly what type of seam is
to be sewn. In particular, it is essential to be clear whether the seam is intended to
be functional (that is, to join parts of upper together) or purely decorative.
It is essential that all thread used in functional seams are strong enough to
withstand wear, although this is not so important for purely decorative uses. Always
remember however, that the stitch density (the number of stitches per inch or
centimeter) will also affect the strength of the finished seam.
Continuous Filament (CF)
The most widely- used type of thread-it is made from synthetic materials (such as
nylon or polyester) with individual fibers many miles long. Bundles of these fibers
are spun together to form yarns (or piles), which are than combined to form the
thread.
The main advantages of continuous filament threads are their high levels of
strength, extensibility and flexibility. A disadvantage is that because they are made
from thermoplastic fibers (which soften when heated), the friction heat built up
during stitching can cause them to melt. To help prevent this, many CF threads are
coated with a thin layer of polymer. This is known as the bonding agent and is
intended to both hold the piles together and improve heat resistant. Most CF
threads are also ready coated with a lubricant.

Figure 1: Continuous Filament (CF)

Staple or Spun Fiber
This type of thread can be made from either synthetic fibers such as polyester, or
natural fibers (for example, linen and cotton). The essential feature is that the
individual fibers used are only a few centimeters long, and threads strength
depends on the degree of twist introduced when the fibers are spun into yarns.
The main advantages of spun fiber threads are their generally good heat resistance
and stitchability. Also, some manufacturers prefer their slightly hairy appearance to
the shinier artificial look of CF threads. Their main disadvantage is that they are

significantly weaker than comparable CF threads. Because of this, they are rarely
used in upper stitching, mainly being reserved for bottom stitching.

Figure 2: Staple or Spun Fiber

Corespun Thread
Corespun thread is a cross between CF and staple fibre threads and is intended to
combine the superior strength of the former with the good sewability of the later.
Each ply of the thread has a continuous filament core (usually polyeaster),
surrounded by a sheath of spun fibers. Both polyester/cotton and
polyester/polyester corespun threads are available.
Although the staple fiber sheath gives the thread good sewability, it adds little
strength. That is why corespun threads are usually much weaker than comparable
CF threads. They are normally most suitable for stitching long seams at high
speeds, when their good heat resistance is of most benefit.

Figure 3: Corespun Thread

Thread Constructions
Twisted threads: Most threads are made by twisting together two or more separate
plies. The amount and the direction of twist are both important for a number of
reasons:

Thread with too little twist may fray or break.

Threads with too much twist tend to snarl, loop or knot- especially around the
thread guides- and may spill from the kop or cone during stitching. This is
known as twist liveliness.
The direction of twist must suit the action of the stitching machine. Most
normal upper closing (lockstitch) machines require clockwise (or Z) twist
threads, although anti-clockwise (or S) twist threads may be required for
Puritan, left hand post machines and some twin needle machines.

Other Constructions

Although the majority of upper closing threads are twister, alternative constructions
are available. They include:
1. Monocord threads: these comprise only a single yarn (or ply) made up of several
continuous filament fibers. Such threads are frequently used in pre-wound bobbins.
2. Monofilament threads: Consisting of a single continuous filament, these are
usually almost transparent. Despite their attractive appearance, however they are
not recommended for footwear because of their poor flexing resistance.
3. Braided threads: These are made from three plies which, instead of being twisted,
are interlaced in a similar manner to a hair plait, thus producing a flatter thread.
Such threads are widely used for automatic stitching, because they do not untwist
and, therefore, throw a more consistent loop. Because of this, they tend to give a
more uniform stitch appearance in multi-direction stitching.
Specifying threads and needles
Threads are classified into size groups known as ticket numbers- the thicker the
thread, lower the number. Whenever possible, the needle and bobbin thread of a
stitching machine should be matched in both size and type. However using a
lockstitch machine, bobbin thread changes are always time-consuming. To get over
this problem, threads are often one size smaller than the needle thread, to reduce
the number of changes.
Threads greater than one size difference should never be used together. Other
suggestions would be to use pre-wound bobbins, which give 30 percent more thread
than a conventional wound bobbin.
The size of thread used is not the only factor controlling the strength of the finished
seam. The stitch density (the number of stitches per unit length) is also vitally
important. For instance, when two pieces of leather are sewn together and then
opened up, a closed seam is constructed. If the stitch density is too small, a gaping
effect between each stitch will be noticed, leading to a reject seam. Adding more
stitches to any seam construction would relate to a better quality seam
construction. Needle point and size selected are equally important.
The heart of any lockstitch stitching machine is the rotary stitching hook. The rotary
hook is responsible for picking up the top needle thread and making a stitch. The
formation of a stitch begins when the needle penetrates the material and descends
to its lowest point. The rotary hook point then slides by the needles scarf, catches
the upper thread and carries it around the bobbin thread. The tread is then pulled
up into the material, completing the stitch.
Chain stitch machines, however, do not have a rotary hook or even a bobbin case,
but they do have a looper (a thread pick-up device). The looper unlike the rotary

hook, does not have a bobbin case to change. It swings from side to side pickinig
the looped thread from the needle to form a chain stitch.
The tension of the top and bottom threads of a lockstitch should be balanced so that
the lock of the stitch- the point where the two threads meet and loop together-is
within the material being sewn.

Figure 4: Thread Tension

Incorrect tension may lead to the seam puckering (tension too high) and could
result in the thread breaking in wear, or grinning (tension too low). For quality and
durability, it is good practice to select the thread before an appropriate needle.
Needles
The importance of needles in the stitching operation is often underestimated.
Although their unit cost is low, their type, size, quality and condition can
significantly affect the appearance and performance of seams. See table for
guidance on matching needle types to the material being stitched.
There are two main groups of needles: ball or round points and cutting points. Ball
or round-point needles in the construction of leather shoes can be extremely
difficult to push through the tight fibers. This would cause needle deflection and
frictional heat which can lead to melting of thread inside the needle eye.
Using the wrong needle for a specific material construction in footwear can also
result in needle cuts to the material. Using a cutting point needle on the leathers
would make the stitching operation much easier, as the needle would cut its way
through the leather, thus making an improved, uniform stitch formation with fewer
overall problems. However, using cutting point needles on fabrics will cause the
yarns of the fabric to be cut, leaving a larger needle hole and damaged fabric. On
sports shoes, it is necessary to take into account that both the leather and the
fabric will be stitched at the same time, and using a cutting point needle will
damage the fabric fibers. Because the leathers used on sport shoes are somewhat
thinner than of formal shoes, a round-point needle is used.
Narrow wedge is the usual choice of cutting point for leather. There are many
different types of narrow wedge needle having the wedge-shaped point at different

angles o the stitching. These different cutting angles will affect the appearance of
the final stitching and the resultant material or seam strength. For this reason, they
must be selected very carefully.
Triangular, diamond point (rhombic) and spear points are more aggressive cutting
points producing relatively larger holes. They do not deflect, bend or bow when
entering the leather as they cut the leather in all directions when penetrating. The
main parts of the needle are shown in the figure.

Table: Matching needle type to material sewn

Material
Recommended Needle
Patent and coated
leathers
Grain leathers and
suede
Coated fabrics
Textiles

Narrow wedge

Possible Alternative
Needle
None

Narrow wedge

Other cutting points

Tri-R
Round

Narrow wedge
Tri-R, Narrow wedge

The Blade
The center section of the needle, known as the blade, is the factor determining the
metric size classification of the needle. This is expressed in hundredths of a
millimeter of the blade is 0.9mm, the size will be 90/14.
Needle Size
The correct choice of needle size is important for good stitching performance. If the
needle size is too small for the thread, the thread will suffer excess abrasion
through the eye, causing additional tension. If it is too big, the resultant seam will
have large stitch holes, causing the thread not to make a uniformed loop for the
stitching hook of a lock stitch machine (or a looper on a chain stitch machine) to
pick up.
The size of the needle much be chosen to match the size of the thread, and the
thread must be chosen first to suit the seam under construction. A needle too small
for the thread size may cause the thread to snarl and break, and one too large may
result in skipped or missed stitches and produce unsightly seams. Recommended
needle sizes for various thread sizes are show in table.
Table: Matching thread to needle type
Thread
type
and Thread
construction
(ticket no.)
Continuous filament nylon
20
40
60
80
Core spun and polyester
18

size

Recommended needle size

(matric/UK)
110/18 120/19
100/16 110/18
90/14 100/16
80/12 90/14
110/18 120/19

36
50
75

100/16 110/18
90/14 100/16
80/12 90/14

Needle size numbers increase the larger or thicker the needles are. For instance a
size 120/19 needle is larger than a size 90/14 needle.
Thread size (ticket number) however, is different. This is based on the length of the
thread per unit weight (matrix per kilogram). Therefore, the larger the number sizes
the thinner the thread.

Figure 5: Main Parts of Stitching Needle

Needle Points:

There are many different types of needle and points

shapes designed to fit different brands of stitching
machine, usually characterized by shank length and
diameter. For example, a heavy duty machine stitching
through thick material will have a longer shank, and a
conventional medium-weight machine (for general
stitching applications) will have a smaller shank length
needle. Within each system, therefore, there will be
design variations which affect the length of the blade and
contours in the eye regions. These are intended to
enhance stitching performance with different materials or
to address particular stitching problems. There are
approximately 6,000 needle variations.
For automatic stitching, needle will need to be selected
which gives a uniform appearance to the stitching in any
direction. This is because when using a pallet moves in
any programmed direction, whereas with conventional
stitching the work is moved either forward or backward
through the stitching machine.

Figure 6: Needle
Points
Condition
Damaged or worn needles must always be replaced. When threads break during
stitching, or if seems start to appear uneven, it is good practice to change the
needle first. Needles can be checked visibly by the operator for distortion or
damaged point, or by rolling them on a flat surface (as bent ones will not roll
evenly), although needle point wear is more difficult to establish. If heavy leathers
or thick fabrics such as denim are being stitched, operators are recommended to
change the needle each day.
Needle cuts to materials can be caused by a variety of reasons. One of the most
common causes of needle cuts is the presence of a burr or rough spot on the needle
point. When the needle penetrates leathers, the burr or rough spot severs the
fibers. Burrs and rough spots are often not visually detectable and sometimes
cannot even be detected by feeling the needle. To remedy this situation, the

machine that is causing the needle cuts should be identified and the needle
changed immediately.
Factories should have a formal needle policy whereby all are routinely changed and
accounted for (at least after every work break, if not sooner) even though the
needle may appear undamaged. Needles should be booked out to the operatives
and broken or changed needles accounted for when finishing work.
Not only does this policy ensure that the correct needles and sizes are being used,
but also verifies that all pieces of broken needles are collected and returned to the
supervisor. This makes sure that no pieces are lost in the stitched product, which
could lead to injury and possible litigation.
Matching needle size to thread size:
At the outset, the needle eye should be chosen based on the thread in use. The
thread should pass through the needle eye with the minimal amount of friction. A
needle size should then be selected that is just large enough to get the job done, as
a needle that is too big leaves unsightly holes. A simple test enables a precise
match to be found: the recommended size of needle is threaded on to
approximately 40-50cm of stitching thread, which is then held vertically at both
ends. The needle should easily glide down the thread, impelled by its own weight.
The shaft of a stitching machine needle is the area from the bottom of the shank to
the point. The shaft contains the groove, scarf, eye and the point of the needle.
Shaft thickness determines the needle size.

CHANDRA
SHEKHAR
(FDDI, India)