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Many tools play their respective role to complete an overall sewing project. Some tools and items are so minor that if you drop them accidently, it becomes a big deal to find it especially if you are working in a messy area where things are not well organized. The sewing needle is a thing that can go under your tables and sofas while putting you in a difficult job and hating your work as well.
Not just under furniture, sometimes a sewing needle is right in front of you but sticks in an edge that it cannot be removed by pinching and sliding a finger is dangerous as the needle can hurt you.
While looking for some ideas to find needles easily, you may wonder, are sewing needles magnetic? just like some people whether they can carry sewing needles on planes.
Needles are kind of magnetic but it’s not that simple. There are some tweaks that need to be understood along with many other related aspects. In this article, we will go through the sewing needle and their magnetism along with a method to make your sewing needle actually magnetic.
Is a sewing needle a magnetic material?
Sewing needles are not exactly magnetic but fall in one of the categories of magnetism known as ferromagnetic.
It means that they are not actually magnetic but if rubbed with magnetic, they can have the characteristics of magnet and get attracted as well.
What are sewing needles made of?
In ancient times, sewing needles were made mostly from wood and animal bones but they were not as sharp and effective as modern sewing needles.
Therefore, sewing needles are now made using high carbon steel, chromium coating, nickel and sometimes gold as well.
New sewing needles are much stronger and can sew through any kind of fabric multiple times.
Why is my sewing needle magnetic?
The thing is that a ferromagnetic item has composition that its each atom simply reacts like a tiny magnet which is not strong but enough to get attached to a full force magnet.
Also, the ability of being attracted to magnetic fields varies from needle to needle depending on the material used in its manufacturing.
Do needles attract a magnet?
Needles don’t really attract the magnet as their magnetism is not strong enough but if you place a magnet near it, the needle will be attracted by the magnet easily.
Also, the iron needle has more chances of attraction and it will only be towards the magnet bars ends and not to the middle area.
Can you magnetize a sewing needle?
Yes, you can magnetize your sewing needles as their material has composition and properties to be so.
Many methods can be used such as rubbing or attracting with a magnet bar. Doing so activates the ferromagnetic atoms in sewing needles and they start to possess magnetic abilities. Some companies also make sewing needles coated with magnetic materials but they are only used in some specified fields.
Can an iron bar make a sewing needle magnetic?
Yes, it is a great technique which most people don’t know but you can actually make a sewing needle magnetic by hitting it with a iron bar, stainless steel bar, or any other material exactly like this with gentle forces.
Simply hit the sewing needle about 50-70 times (sometimes more) and your needle will surely have magnetic abilities.
How can I make a needle show magnetic force?
You can see the magnetic force of a sewing needle just like you can see the static charge effect of a paper.
Simply bring the needle up and down, back and forth, around your hair, animal hair, animal fur, velvet, or the silk you are sewing.
Doing so will result in sewing needles lifting the hair, fur, or fabric when you take it close to that item. It may not be too powerful but strong enough to show the magnetic force.
How to magnetize a sewing needle?
Although there are quite a few ways to make your sewing needle magnetic, running it against a magnet is the biggest, easiest, and most efficient method. Below is the brief step-by-step procedure to magnetize your sewing needles using a magnet.
- Start by cleaning the sewing needles specially if there is dust or rust on it.
- Rub the magnet over the sewing needles for quite a few times. (Sometimes 5 rubs are enough while some sewing needles become magnetic after 10 rubs.)
- The number of rubbing cycles will dramatically change depending upon the power and type of magnet. This is because some magnets are capable of making needles magnet after 5 rubs while others may require 15-20 ss well.
- Rub in the same direction against the magnet during the whole rubbing process.
- As soon as you go through step 2-4, your sewing needle should have proper magnetic characteristics.
How to magnetize a needle without a magnet?
Now this is something everyone should learn because making sewing needles magnetic without rubbing it against the magnet is a fun way to do it.
There are many ways such as hitting the needle with iron or stainless steel (described in one of the previous sections), or using a wood piece for this purpose.
The step-by-step procedure for latter method is given below:
- Start by finding a solid piece of needle even if it is small.
- Stick the sharp end of the sewing needle into the wood piece while the other end with an eye stay in the air.
- Now tap the free end of the sewing needle either with your hands or other small stick of wood.
- Tap for about 50-70 times until you notice the magnetic force in sewing needles.
Other ways to make your sewing needles magnetic include:
- Rubbing it against your hair.
- Rubbing it against animal hair.
- Rubbing it against animal fur.
- Rubbing it against the velvet fabric.
- Rubbing it against the silk fabric.
Best ways to find a lost sewing needle
Finding a lost needle is one of the most tricky tasks to do in sewing projects. It is annoying because it requires a lot of time and focus while it also stops your work and wastes your precious time as well. However, if you know the right techniques to find a sewing needle, you can get the job done without panicking. The one way is to use a magnet while the other is briefly explained below.
1. Stay relaxed
The first mistake people make is panic as soon as sewing needle drops. This should be avoided because staying relaxed can help you find the needle in no time. Mostly the needle is right in front of you or on your clothes but your panic makes it fly somewhere else.
2. Shake your clothes
Mostly sewing needles fall into your clothes. So simply get up gently and shake your clothes. Make sure you don’t shake clothes forcefully as it can throw the needle away which will make the finding process more difficult.
3. Try a strong flashlight
Flashlight is considered a good tool to find sewing needles, it is not used as a source of light but as a strong flash that can create a reflection of the sewing needle. Start moving the flashlight from one point and go through the whole area consistently.
4. Try stocking tights
Stocking tights are good fabric to catch sewing needles especially if they are in messy areas like carpets, under the sofas, tables, or beds.
Simply drag tights all over the carpet and where you think the needle should be and there are huge chances that it will catch the sewing needle. Always be cautious while checking tights after dragging because carelessness may cause you injury in case you touch the sharp edge of the sewing needle.
*If all the above mentioned methods don’t work, using a magnet is the last resort which is quite effective but takes a lot of effort and time to find.
FAQs
Are scissors magnetic?
Yes scissors are magnetic but the theory is not that simple.
Most scissors are just made of iron but if you may notice that almost all the time, the scissors act like a magnet when you take it with sewing needles or the sewing machine itself. It doesn’t mean that scissors are magnetic or made of magnetic material but the electrons are what made scissors magnetic.
The electrons get activated when they go near a magnet and become magnetic themselves in almost no time.
What to do with old magnetic needles?
The best thing is to dispose of the old needles with proper care whether they are magnetic or non-magnetic.
However, you can utilize such needles for some other purposes and fun activities as well. Some people make compass using three magnetic needles, magnet, clear box, thread, modeling clay, paper, and pencil.
