I’m trying to hem a knit shirt with my twin needle, but the stitches aren’t consistent and sometimes miss on one row of stitching. What’s wrong?
Twin needles make wonderful machine hems as they showcase two nice parallel rows of stitches with only one go-around. But if something’s awry, your hem might not be so beautiful. Chances are that you’re using a universal point twin needle, designed for sewing on woven fabrics. Twin needles also come with a ballpoint which is what you need for knit fabrics to avoid skipped stitches.
A ballpoint or “stretch” needle has a rounded tip that will separate the knit fibers as it penetrates the fabric, instead of breaking through them. A universal needle may not catch the bobbin thread on both needles when used on knit fabrics; this is necessary for proper stitch formation.
Your stretch needle size should be consistent with the weight of your knit fabric for best results–use a 70/10 for lightweight knits up to a 90/14 for heavy knits.