Do all of the manufacturers offer the same number of needles? How does configuration of the needles affect performance?
&A: Most have five, one offers seven. From left to right in the picture above are the needles from the Bernina, Brother, Baby Lock & Embroidery Source. Some of their features are: Bernina: The five needles are able to be replaced individually by loosening just one simple screw on Berninas updated attachment. The configuration of five needles offers less frequent need to remove some needles for working in detail areas and while couching narrow yarns to a delicate base fabric. Berninas configuration of needles is a good size, slightly larger than that of the Brother, not as far apart as on the Baby Lock and about the same as The Pierrot. Brother: Brothers attachment, with its five needles, covers ground efficiently in combination with its 1500 stitches per minute motor speed. Needles cannot be individually replaced. Since their configuration seems is the tightest, I dont ever feel the need to remove any for detail work. The needles are permanently mounted in the needle clamp; to replace,
