Inspire & Create

Hand Sewing Needles

What is it?

No tools are more basic to sewing than needles are. They existed even before thread and fabric as our ancient ancestors used pointed objects to perforate hides so they could be laced together with leather cords. Centuries of technology later we have highly advanced, modern hand sewing needles that do basically the same thing. But they do it so much better now. Few tools are more useful. This primordial sewing tool has evolved into virtually every genre of sewing specialty including general sewing, appliqué, embroidery, ribbon embroidery, quilting, upholstery, tapestry, basting, beading, darning, tailoring, etc. and etc. In addition to having needles specific to a wide range of applications, suitable sizes of each have developed. The general convention for sizing needles is that within any given style or class of needle the length and thickness of the needle increases as the size number decreases. Just remember it’s backwards and you’ll keep it straight. As an added complication though, a size 10 of one style of needle may be either larger or smaller than a size 10 of another style. It’s important to select the type of needle for your intended application and then select the smallest size consistent with the size of thread being used. The larger the needle the larger the eye. Having the right needle and the right size needle makes all the difference.

What does it do?

A needle has to have a point, either sharp or ball, consistent with its intended use. It has to be smooth so it pulls evenly through layers of fabric. It has to be resilient so it will flex without bending or breaking. It has to have a smooth eye that can easily be threaded and hold the thread without causing damage. It has to be durable so its term of use is not limited by the quality of materials used or manufacturing techniques applied. And all of that has to be consistent 100% of the time. Clover has gone to extraordinary effort to ensure the availability of a wide range of needle styles as well as uncompromising quality control.

Black Gold Hand Sewing Needles

Produced with unique coating materials and manufactured with a non-traditional vertical polishing process, the Black Gold needles are a premium brand. Strong, sharp and uncommonly smooth they are the choice of those to whom ultimate performance is a necessity.

Black Gold Needles

Art No. 4960 - 4963: Black Gold Needles Quilting Between – primarily for quilting of anything requiring small, precise stitches.

Art No. 4970 - 4973: Black Gold Needles Appliqué/Sharps – a good general purpose needle suitable for most general applications.

Art No. 4980 - 4983: Black Gold Needles Quilting – perfect for short, precise hand quilting stitches.

Clover Gold Eye Hand Sewing Needles

Gold Eye Hand Sewing Needles are perfect for a wide range of hand sewing applications. They are available in several styles and sizes.

Quilting Needles

Art No. 468/09, 468/10, 468/12: Quilting Needles – perfect for short, precise hand quilting stitches.

Art No. 496/09, 496/10, 496/12: Gold Eye Quilting Needles Between – a little shorter and narrower than the quilting needle.

Art No. 237/10: Gold Eye Sharp Needles – this is the “go to” general hand sewing needle.

Gold Eye Appliqué Needles

Art No. 497/09, 497/10, 497/12: Gold Eye Appliqué Needles – ideal for detail work that requires a sharp point that penetrates without bending.

Embroidery Needles

Art No. 235: Gold Eye Embroidery Needles (No. 3 - 9) – ideal for embroidery, heirloom or general sewing.

Art No. 2012: Huck Embroidery Needles – unique curved tip enables easy fabric manipulation.

Art No. 234/18, 234/20, 234/22, 234/24: Gold Eye Chenille Needles – perfect for crewel embroidery and ribbon.

Art No. 238, 238/24: Gold Eye Tapestry Needles – perfect for needlepoint, counted cross stitch, etc.

Sashico Needles

Art No. 2007, 2009: Sashico Needles – long and extra long shafts to accommodate sashiko embroidery techniques.

Gold Eye Milliners Needles

Art No. 236: Gold Eye Milliners Needles – great for basting, pleating and decorative stitches.

Self Threading Needles

Art No. 2006: Self Threading Needles – a general purpose needle with an easy to thread slotted eye.

By Steve Butler

Enjoy sewing with Clover hand sewing needles!!

Knitting Bobbin Set

What is it?

Knitting and crochet. If you look at all of the fibers, textures, sizes and colors of yarns available to accomplish either we find that the potential for creative expression is virtually unlimited. But wait, if it’s possible to go beyond unlimited we can certainly do so simply by adding multiple colors to the same project. Adding schmancy to fancy if you will.
Think of basic color work techniques like Fair Isle, Scandinavian, intarsia, C2C graphghans or others. Using these methods we can manipulate various colors of yarn to make any pattern desired on a single project. We can either copy existing designs or develop custom designs that complement a specific personal interest. Regardless, with these techniques we can add bold, eye catching motifs to any project. Easy peasy. Or perhaps not.

Instead of one ball or skein of yarn, we now have two or more to manage. A really complicated project might require many. How do we keep them all from tangling with each other and turning our fun project into an onerous task? With any project we will have major colors and minor colors. To reduce the effort required to manage them it’s obvious that we should reduce the minor colors to smaller yarn balls and implement some way to keep them from unwinding while they are manipulated into our project. Easier said than done.

A quick search of the internet reveals options such as “butterfly” patterns wound onto stretched fingers and then tied, clothes pins or various homemade cardstock shapes wound with yarn or skein filled plastic grocery bags with yarn pulled from a knot restricted enclosure at the top. All very functional but all sound a little like solutions that have their own inherent problems. However, with the Clover Knitting Bobbin Set you can consider the problem solved.

Art No. 332 Knitting Bobbin Set

What does it do?

Clover Bobbins, with their familiar “H” shape, were designed specifically to accommodate the reduced amounts of yarn needed consistent with the requirements of any pattern we might choose. The arms are sturdy enough to support the yarn windings and the convenient notches on either end of the bobbin holds loose ends securely.
This allows us to quickly wind desired amounts of our yarn onto the bobbins creating convenient little packages that will be easy to manipulate when we’re working on our project. And when we have an interruption of our work, which we often do, we can easily fold everything up and place it in our bag until we can resume work. And when we are ready to resume and we unfold our project we’ll find everything is there, nice and neat and ready to go. Just as we left it.

Each package is complete with six durable bobbins in three colors. One added thought. Clover’s Yarn Guide is an excellent way to keep our colors organized at the point of knitting or crochet. This handy little device fits comfortably on your finger and keeps the individual strands separated so they don’t get twisted or tangled as we work.

By Steve Butler

Clover's useful pressing tools

What is it?

These are pressing issues. Shakespeare might even ask, “To press or not to press, that is the question.” Well, no matter who is asking the question, the answer is the same, a resounding yes to press. Some very important things happen when we press each seam as we sew it and they make all the difference between something that looks “finished” and something that looks much more amateurish. Pressing as you go allows your project to acquire the intended shape more quickly and allows you to spot problems and make timely adjustments. Often we face a series of complicated construction steps in our sewing processes involving several seams. It is absolutely essential that we press one seam before sewing another seam that will cross it. Once we’ve sewn one seam across the other we’ve lost the opportunity to properly press the first seam. Any irregularities that result are now a permanent part of our garment or sewn project. Ever wonder why some garments looks so smooth while others have puckered seams that are just impossible to get out? Chances are the seams of the former were pressed correctly as the garment was constructed. Taking the time to press every seam is the magic that makes all the difference. But if we’re going to do it, it makes sense to do it right, right? Procedure – press the seam flat first and then press it open or to the side. Tools – the right tool for the right job. And that’s where Clover comes in. If pressing is so important to the creative process then precise pressing is essential. To that end Clover has developed three very useful pressing tools, the Roll & Press, the Hold It Precision Stiletto and the Point 2 Point Turner. Each has its place and each contributes to that much sought after “finished” appearance.

What does it do?

Fabric manipulation is at the very center of any sewn project. We measure it, mark it, cut it, fold it, pin it, sew it and press it. Clover manufactures tools that assist us at every step of the process. Three of them are particularly essential to pressing seams – the Roll & Press, the Hold It Precision Stiletto and the Point 2 Point Turner.

Art No. 7812 Roll & Press

The newest in the Clover line up of pressing tools. Think finger pressing on steroids. Several design features make it unique. First of all the handle is ergonomically designed to make it both comfortable and easy to manipulate. The roller is designed with a slight arc so you can “finger press” seams without leaving edge marks. The roller also presses without pulling or distorting our fabric as we press. Perfect for everything from paper piecing to heavy laminates.

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Art No. 7807 Hold It Precision Stiletto

The name says it all. This tool allows you to hold seams precisely where you want them for either the sewing or pressing processes. All of us have burned a finger trying to hold a seam and press it or cringed a little as we push a seam ever closer to the machine needle as we’re sewing complicated seams. Worry no longer. The Precision Stiletto is designed to help us with both. It’s made of strong, durable plastic with an angled point at one end and a silicon “grippy tip” at the other end. Both ends are iron proof so get as close as you want and either gives you a perfect view of your seam as we guide it beneath the machine needle. No burns, no punctures. Problem solved.

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Art No. 7803 Point 2 Point Turner

This is truly the Swiss Army Knife® of point turners. Every surface has a use. The large flat blade on one end is perfect for finger pressing. Easily open and press seams before or instead of pressing. There are two turning points, one at either end. The sharp point is perfect for more acute angles like collar points. The broad point on the other end is perfect for seams that are more open allowing us to turn them on grain without distorting our fabric. The long edges on the sides are great for turning long seams, both straight and curved, and the sharp edge on the end is a perfect hera marker. This is a very handy tool indeed.