Needles

Kimball and Morton 1902 Lion Figural Sewing Machine

Maggie Snell's 'Almost a 10' Sewing Machine

International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society

The purpose of the International Sewing Machine Collectors' Society is to foster the collecting of, and research into, sewing machines.

The practice of finding substitute needles for elderly marques is not new. On October 1st, 1889, The Sewing Machine Gazette (London) carried this helpful article with some suggestions.

“It is undoubtedly best to use the needle made expressly for the machine; but there are times when the dealer, canvasser, and repairer runs short of “sorts”, and in such cases there are a few kinds of needles that are alike, or so nearly alike, as to fit the same machine and serve the purpose.

“The following table I can recommend for those who have not the time to order the needles desired, and wish to substitute those that they have on hand. It is the result of practical tests, and will, no doubt, prove very useful to sewing machine men, both in the office and repair shop.

“Many machines are now in use the manufacture of which has been discontinued, and they are rapidly finding their way to the scrap-pile, being traded in at a very low price as part payment on some modern and greatly-improved make of machine.

“A little courtesy in the way of supplying needles (for pay), prolonging the use of these old machines a few weeks, or perhaps months, will give the obliging agent the best chance when a new machine is wanted.”

SINGER, N.F. (class 12; 12x1) - can be used in the Blees, Home and Avery (old style).
SINGER Medium (class 13; 13x1) — can be used in the Singer Letter A, Levitt, Aetna (old style), Empire (old style), Greenman, Whitney, and Grover & Baker No. 9.
SINGER, V.S. (20x1) — can be used in the New Home and Crown.
SINGER I.F. (15x1) — also fits the Singer V.S. No. 2.
HOWE — can be used in the Empire, Home Shuttle, Ladd & Webster, Buckeye, Keystone and Wilson.
WEED — can be used in the Domestic (old style), St. John, Dauntless, Queen, Gardner, and Wheeler & Wilson No. 4.
NEW HOME — can be used in the Crown, New Avery, and Singer V.S.
DAVIS, O.S. — can be used in the White, Howe “C” and Weed Manufacturing.
WILLCOX & GIBBS — can be used in the McLean & Hooper and Post Combination.
AMERICAN, O.S. — can be used in the Independent, New England, Little Giant, Folsom, Chicopee, Reliance, Keystone and Home Shuttle.
WHEELER & WILSON (Curved) — can be used in the Elliptic, Beckwith, and Germania.
WHITE — can be used in the American B.H., Davis (old style) and Howe ‘A’, ‘B’ and ’C’.

There are other needles that can be used, but not so well, as they require more care in setting them:
The DOMESTIC needle will answer for the Helpmate, Weed, Hartford and Remington with adjustment.
The HOUSEHOLD needle can be used in the Jennie June.
The NEW HOME needle is almost like the Royal St. John and Davis - the New Home being the shortest.
The UNION and HOWE ‘G’ are almost alike. The Union needle can be used in the Howe ‘G’.
The NEW REMINGTON needle fits the Springfield.
The DOMESTIC needle will answer for the Eldridge ‘A’ (old style).

ISMACS is an organization totally independent of all sewing-machine manufacturers, past or present and is not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in these pages. Please Note: Do not contact any ISMACS official in an attempt to solicit a valuation - it is not possible other than by hands-on assessment and your request will be ignored.

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