Twin Needles

Twin needles for sewing machines have two needles mounted on a single shank and sew two parallel rows of stitches at the same time. They are used for hems, finishing edges and decorative topstitching, and can replace a coverlock machine’s cover stitch on knit fabrics. Here you’ll find Schmetz, Singer and Pfaff twin needles in the 130/705 H system for domestic sewing machines. Needle spacing ranges from 1.6 to 4 mm and needle sizes from 70 to 100. The range includes universal twin needles for woven fabrics and stretch twin needles for elastic fabrics.

How do you sew with twin needles?

You fit a twin needle into your machine in the same way as a single needle. Each of the two needles needs its own upper thread, while both share a single bobbin thread. Schmetz recommends a straight stitch with the needle in the centre position when using its twin needles. This produces two parallel rows of stitches on the right side of the fabric, resembling a hem sewn on a coverlock machine.

Singer specifies its twin needles for most domestic sewing machines, while Pfaff specifies them for all its own models. Before buying, check your machine’s manual to make sure it supports sewing with a twin needle.

Universal or stretch twin needles?

A universal twin needle (Schmetz 130/705 H ZWI, Singer Twin Universal, Pfaff H-ZWI) has a slightly rounded point and is suitable for woven fabrics and most knits. Singer marks its universal needles in red. You can find single needles of this type on the Universal Sewing Machine Needles page.

A stretch twin needle (Schmetz 130/705 H-S ZWI Stretch) has a medium ball point, a smaller eye and a special transition from the groove to the eye. These features prevent skipped stitches even on highly elastic knits, fabrics containing Lycra and spandex, swimwear fabrics and fleece. Schmetz marks its stretch needles in yellow. You can find single stretch and jersey needles on the Jersey and Stretch Sewing Machine Needles page.

Which twin needle spacing and size should you choose?

A twin needle pack shows two numbers, for example 4,0/75 or 2,0/80. The first number is the needle spacing in millimetres, which determines how far apart the two rows of stitches will be. The second number is the needle size: 100 corresponds to 1 mm, so a size 80 needle measures 0.8 mm. For thin, delicate fabrics, choose a finer twin needle in sizes 70 to 75; for thicker fabrics, choose a twin needle in sizes 90 to 100.

Schmetz specifies its stretch twin needle with 4 mm spacing for elastic fabrics and knits to prevent skipped stitches. You’ll find other needle types, such as needles for denim, leather or overlock machines, in the Needles for Sewing Machines category.