If you’ve never sewn or quilted with a Twin Needle, you’re missing out on a whole lot of sewing excitement. They’re easy to use once you know how and the tutorials and videos I’ve collected will be a great start. Adding a new tool or skill to your sewing life is always a good thing, so let’s double your sewing options with Twin Needles! Image Source: Threads Magazine web siteTwin Needle Basics We’ll start with this helpful, two minute video from Threads Magazine. You’ll learn the basics of setting up your machine, how to read the needle package and see examples of the possibilities of Twin Needle stitching. It’s a great introduction to why you should definitely add this tool to your sewing machine accessories. Once you’ve seen the basics, you’ll be ready to move onto the details and skills in the next tutorials. Click here to view the Threads video. Image Source: Radiant Home Studio blogTwin Needle Sewing and Troubleshooting Sara of the Radiant Home Studio blog really knows her way in and out of Twin Needles and does a wonderful job of sharing her experience. She starts with why it’s important to consult your sewing machine manual and create samples before you work on your project! Sara also offers lovely examples of how to use your twin needle for decorative as well as practical stitching including pintucking without a special foot. But, my favorite part of her post is the discussion of troubleshooting. She gives easy solutions for common problems and illustrates them well with clearly labeled front and back photographs. Click here for Sara’s post. Image Source: So Sew Easy blogTwin Needle Sewing with a Pintuck Foot If you own a Pintuck Foot or are curious about them, then you’ll love the post written by Deby of the So Sew Easy blog. The great thing about a Pintuck Foot is the accurate straight lines that you can achieve! Deby will lead you through the possibilities of pintucks, how the foot works and choosing the right Twin Needle for your foot. You’re going to love her tips on how to begin your straight lines and create the spacing that you want for your project, too. Click here for Deby’s tutorial on the So Sew Easy blog. Image Source: Sew4Home blogDecorative Stitching with a Twin Needle Beyond the practicalities of Twin Needle stitching, Sew4Home presents the fun of decorative stitches. If you’ve never known quite what to do with the decorative stitches on your machine, this post will open up all kinds of possibilities! Editor Liz Johnson discusses how to determine the stitches you can use and shows delightful ways to create Twin Needle wizardry. Decorative stitches are a great opportunity to explore new threads, so be sure to look at Coats Trilobal Embroidery Thread. It’s strong, beautiful and will create a fabulous sheen in your Twin Needle stitching. Click here for the Sew4Home tutorial. Image Source: The Quilt Show web siteTwin Needle Quilting Quilters, there are Twin Needle possibilities for you, too! This short video from The Quilt Show with Nina and Connie will teach you how to use an Open Toe Foot for stunning Twin Needle quilting. The video starts with Twin Needle quilting on bias tape circles and choosing the right needle size for the width of tape you use. And, then there’s more! Using Bernina’s Stitch Regulator they’ll create Free Motion Quilting excitement with a Twin Needle. This is a fabulously creative technique and, although I don’t have the BSR, I’ve done it and it was a ton of funI Click here to view the The Quilt Show Video. Image Source: We All Sew web siteAnd, click here to learn even more about Twin Needle Quilting in a post by Nancy Mahoney on the Bernina web site. You’ll want to check out Coats All Purpose Quilting Cotton Thread, too. Great thread makes such a difference! Beginning Your Twin Needle Adventure So, now, it’s time to pull out the Twin Needles you’ve stashed and never used. (Yes, I did peek in your sewing room!) If you don’t have any on hand, I highly recommend the quality of Schmetz Twin Needles and the variety of sizes they offer. And, of course, you’ll need good thread! Coats Dual Duty XP is perfect for Twin Needle Sewing – treat yourself if you don’t have what you need on hand. You’re going to really enjoy adding this skill to your sewing “toolbox”. Sewing should always be an adventure and Twin Needles are a great stitching frontier to explore!
