FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to sewing tools, and more particularly, to a hand sewing needle with markings for facilitating sewing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A garment with consistently equal stitch spacing is superior in appearance and looks more professionally manufactured than one with inconsistent stitch spacing. However, spacing stitches accurately and consistently by eye without any visual assistance is difficult and time consuming, even for experienced users. Unfortunately, conventional hand sewing needles do not assist the user in obtaining consistently equal hand stitch spacing, resulting in: multiple attempts at equal stitch spacing; the need to mark the fabric prior stitching; or, to measure the stitch length using, for example, a ruler, thus adding additional steps to the sewing process.

It is desirable to provide a hand sewing needle with markings for facilitating sewing.

It is also desirable to provide a hand sewing needle with markings for facilitating sewing that enable a user to easily measure the stitch length while sewing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a hand sewing needle with markings for facilitating sewing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand sewing needle with markings for facilitating sewing that enable a user to easily measure the stitch length while sewing.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand sewing needle. The hand sewing needle comprises a needle shank having a tip at a first end thereof and an eye at a second opposite end thereof. At least a marking is disposed on the shank. The at least a marking is indicative of at least a predetermined distance from the tip with the at least a predetermined distance corresponding to a stitch length.

According to the aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hand sewing needle. The hand sewing needle comprises a needle shank having a tip at a first end thereof and an eye at a second opposite end thereof. At least a colour marking is disposed on the shank. The at least a colour marking is indicative of at least a predetermined distance from the tip with the at least a predetermined distance corresponding to a stitch length. The at least a colour marking is indicative of two distances from the tip with the first distance corresponding to a first stitch length a difference between the second distance and the first distance corresponding to a second stich length.

The advantage of the present invention is that it provides a hand sewing needle with markings for facilitating sewing.

A further advantage of the present invention is that it provides a hand sewing needle with markings for facilitating sewing that enable a user to easily measure the stitch length while sewing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a hand sewing needle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figures 2a and 2b are simplified block diagrams illustrating a sewing process using the hand sewing needle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; and, Figures 3a to 3e are simplified block diagrams illustrating different markings disposed on a front section of the hand sewing needle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention belongs.

Although any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described.

While the description of the preferred embodiments hereinbelow is with reference to hand sewing a piece of fabric, it will become evident to those skilled in the art that the embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto, but are also adaptable for embroidery, hand quilting, hemming, and stitch-work.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3a, a hand sewing needle 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is provided. The hand sewing needle 100 comprises a needle shank 102 having a tip 104 at a first end thereof and an eye 106 at a second opposite end thereof, manufactured in a conventional manner from, for example, a high carbon steel wire or stainless steel wire.

Preferably, two markings 107 and 108 are disposed on the needle shank 102 such that line 108 A (location B) separating the markings 107 and 108 - placed a first predetermined distance to the tip 104 (location A) - corresponds to a first stitch length Lsl and the distance between the line 108A and end 108B (location C) - placed a second predetermined distance to the tip 104 - of the marking 108 corresponds to a second stitch length Ls2. Preferably, the markings 107 and 108 are provided by colouring respective surface portions of the needle shank 102 using different colours I and II with the colours I and II being a combination of sufficiently different colours such as, for example, red and yellow, and colour II being sufficiently different from the colour of the needle shank 102, in order to facilitate visual recognition of the transition line 108 A between the marking 107 and 108 and the end 108B of the marking 108. Optionally, the remaining surface of the needle shank 102 is also coloured in a colour that is, preferably, sufficiently different from colour II. Further optionally, the marking 107 is omitted and the two stitch lengths Lsl and Ls2 are indicated by the beginning 108 A and the end 108B of the marking 108. The colouring is disposed onto the respective surface portion of the needle shank 102 in a conventional manner, employing, for example, a state of the art electroplating process or a state of the art ultra-thin powder coating process. Preferably, the colour is provided in a very thin layer having a smooth surface to ensure that passage of the needle 100 through the fabric is not impeded by the colouring.

Optionally, the colours are associated with a predetermined stitch length in order to facilitate selection of the proper hand sewing needle 100 for a desired stitch length. For example, a dark red colour is associated with a stitch length of 1/4 inch while a lighter red colour is associated with a stitch length of 3/16 inch.

Referring to Figure 2a, a simple hand sewing process for sewing fabric 10 using the hand sewing needle 100 and thread 12 is illustrated. The process is started with an overstitch and performed using a same stitch length for overstitch and understitch, i.e. Lsl = Ls2. The distance from the initial pierce mark 10.1 to location 10.2 corresponds to the stitch length Lsl of the first stitch - distance A-B on the hand sewing needle 100. When the location B on the hand sewing needle 100 reaches the initial pierce mark 10.1, the overstitch is terminated and the fabric 10 is pierced at location 10.2 with the tip 104 to begin the understitch. The distance from the location 10.2 to location 10.3 corresponds to the stitch length Lsl of the first stitch distance A-B, Ls2 confirms, being at the distance 10.1 to 10.2. When the location C on the hand sewing needle 100 reaches the initial pierce mark 10.1, B will have reached 10.2, the understitch is terminated and the fabric 10 is pierced at location 10.3 with the tip 104 to begin the next overstitch. When the location B on the hand sewing needle 100 then reaches the location 10.3, the overstitch is terminated and the fabric 10 is pierced at location 10.4 with the tip 104 to begin the next understitch. The above steps are then repeated until the sewing process is finished. It is noted that in the above case of a same stitch length the distance B-C on the hand sewing needle 100 may be used to confirm the length of the stitch taken by A-B. The above process is also applicable in a similar manner when a different stitch length for overstitch and understitch is applied, as illustrated in Figure 2b. Here, the hand sewing needle 100 employed comprises the markings 107 and 108 associated with different stitch lengths Lsl and Ls2, as illustrated in Figure 3b.

As is evident to one skilled in the art from the above process, the hand sewing needle 100 provides experienced users, as well as inexperienced users and beginners, with simple easy-to- use means to quickly and efficiently measure even stitch spacing while sewing, without:

alterations to the garment; use of machinery or rulers; or, performing additional steps.

Referring to Figure 3c, the markings 107 and 108 are replaced by shorter bands 110 and 112 having, for example, a same colour I. Here, the stitch length Lsl is indicated by the edge 110A of the band 1 10 - corresponding to the location B - and the stitch length Ls2 is indicated by distance from the edge 11 OA of the band 110 to the edge 112A of the band 112 - corresponding to the location C. Optionally, the stitch length Lsl and Ls2 are different, which may be indicated by employment of different colours for the bands 110 and 1 12.

Referring to Figure 3d, more than two markings are disposed on the needle shank 102 with the markings 110 and 112 being associated with a first set of stitch lengths Ls 1.1 and Ls2.1 and markings 114 and 1 16 being associated with a second set of stitch lengths Ls l .2 and Ls2.2. The stitch length Ls 1.1 is indicated by the edge 11 OA of the band 1 10 - corresponding to the location B.1 - and the stitch length Ls2.1 is indicated by distance from the edge 1 1 OA of the band 1 10 to the edge 1 12A of the band 1 12 - corresponding to the location C.1. The stitch length Lsl .2 is indicated by the edge 1 14A of the band 114 - corresponding to the location B.2 - and the stitch length Ls2.2 is indicated by distance from the edge 1 14A of the band 114 to the edge 116A of the band 116 - corresponding to the location C.2. Preferably, the markings 110 and 112 have a colour I and the markings 1 14 and 116 have a different colour II. The stitch lengths of each set of stitch lengths are equal or may be different.

Referring to Figure 3e, the bands 1 10, 112, 114, and 116, illustrated in Figure 3d are replaced by joined markings 118, 122, 126, and 130 with markings 122 and 130 having a first colour I and markings 118 and 126 having a second colour II. The stitch length Lsl .l is indicated by the transition 124 - corresponding to the location B.l - and the stitch length Ls2.1 is indicated by distance from the transition 124 to the edge 132 of the marking 130 - corresponding to the location C.l. The stitch length Lsl .2 is indicated by the distance from the tip 104 to transition 120 - corresponding to the location B.2 - and the stitch length Ls2.2 is indicated by distance from the transition 120 to the transition 128 - corresponding to the location C.2. The stitch lengths of each set of stitch lengths are equal or may be different.

The present invention has been described herein with regard to preferred embodiments. However, it will be obvious to persons skilled in the art that a number of variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as described herein.