A needle assembly for a stitching machine comprises a stitching jig comprising a needle holder, a needle clamp hoop and a fixing jig. The needle holder has needle sockets to hold a plurality of needles. The needle clamp hoop is connected to the needle holder to retain needles in the sockets. The fixing jig is connected to the needle clamp hoop to couple with a reciprocating bar of the stitching machine. A method for manufacturing an article of footwear upper comprises laying out a first sheet of material; positioning a second sheet of material to overlap with the first sheet of material at an overlap; positioning a felt material adjacent the overlap so that the second sheet of material is between the first sheet of material and the felt material; and felting the felt material to draw fibers of the felt material through the first and second sheets of material.

A sewing needle is used in a sewing machine. The sewing needle has a working portion with a needle eye and a region which tapers into a needle tip. The needle eye passes through a needle body in a transverse direction perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the needle body. A twist groove is recessed in a front face of the needle body relative to the outer contour of the needle body, the twist groove extending in the direction of the needle tip from the needle eye. The twist groove is formed by a thread groove. The twist groove is preferably symmetrical relative to a first longitudinal central plane spanned by the longitudinal axis and the transverse direction. The thread groove has a groove portion adjacent to the needle eye and two end portions, each having a thread groove opening, remote from the needle eye.

A sewing needle is used in a sewing machine. The sewing needle has a working portion with a needle eye and a region which tapers into a needle tip. The needle eye passes through a needle body in a transverse direction perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the needle body. A twist groove is recessed in a front face of the needle body relative to the outer contour of the needle body, the twist groove extending in the direction of the needle tip from the needle eye. The twist groove is formed by a thread groove. The twist groove is preferably symmetrical relative to a first longitudinal central plane spanned by the longitudinal axis and the transverse direction. The thread groove has a groove portion adjacent to the needle eye and two end portions, each having a thread groove opening, remote from the needle eye.

A method for reinforcing a cellular material includes producing a through-hole in the cellular material that extends from a first surface of the cellular material to a second surface of the cellular material; reaching through the through-hole from the first surface of the cellular material to the second surface of the cellular material; taking hold of at least one fiber bundle at the second surface of the cellular material; and pulling the at least one fiber bundle into the through-hole in the cellular material. Producing the through-hole in the cellular material includes perforating the cellular material with a rotating and/or oscillating needle.

A sewing needle is used in a sewing machine. The sewing needle has a working portion with a needle eye and a region which tapers into a needle tip. The needle eye passes through a needle body in a transverse direction perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the needle body. A twist groove is recessed in a front face of the needle body relative to the outer contour of the needle body, the twist groove extending in the direction of the needle tip from the needle eye. The twist groove is formed by a thread groove. The twist groove is preferably symmetrical relative to a first longitudinal central plane spanned by the longitudinal axis and the transverse direction. The thread groove has a groove portion adjacent to the needle eye and two end portions, each having a thread groove opening, remote from the needle eye.

A sewing machine needle (1) is described, which reduces the friction between the blade (2) of the sewing machine needle (1) and the fabric and which can be manufactured economically in large numbers. The sewing machine needle (1) includes a needle eye (3) and at least one recess (5), wherein the distance between an upper edge (6) of the recess (5) and the lateral position of the axis (12) of the needle eye (3) differs from the distance between a lower edge (7) of the recess (5) and the lateral position of the axis (12) of the needle eye (3).

A sewing machine needle (1) is described, which reduces the friction between the blade (2) of the sewing machine needle (1) and the fabric and which can be manufactured economically in large numbers. The sewing machine needle (1) includes a needle eye (3) and at least one recess (5), wherein the distance between an upper edge (6) of the recess (5) and the lateral position of the axis (12) of the needle eye (3) differs from the distance between a lower edge (7) of the recess (5) and the lateral position of the axis (12) of the needle eye (3).

The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a visible seam, which is arranged in a sheet material part. The arrangement also includes a lighting apparatus, which is arranged beneath an underside of the sheet material part. The visible seam has an upper thread and a lower thread. The lower thread extends along the underside of the sheet material part in a direction. The upper thread has first thread portions along the upper side of the sheet material part and is guided, at stitch holes formed during the sewing process, through said stitch holes via second thread portions. By means of the lighting apparatus, emitted light passes into the second thread portions, into the stitch holes, and from there into the first thread portions. Some of the light propagates along the first thread portions, starting from an adjacent second thread portion, whereas another portion of the light exits from the first thread portion. In this way, the upper thread of the visible seam is illuminated.

The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a visible seam, which is arranged in a sheet material part. The arrangement also includes a lighting apparatus, which is arranged beneath an underside of the sheet material part. The visible seam has an upper thread and a lower thread. The lower thread extends along the underside of the sheet material part in a direction. The upper thread has first thread portions along the upper side of the sheet material part and is guided, at stitch holes formed during the sewing process, through said stitch holes via second thread portions. By means of the lighting apparatus, emitted light passes into the second thread portions, into the stitch holes, and from there into the first thread portions. Some of the light propagates along the first thread portions, starting from an adjacent second thread portion, whereas another portion of the light exits from the first thread portion. In this way, the upper thread of the visible seam is illuminated.

A composite sewing head, including; a feed needle bar configured to drive a feed needle; and a catcher needle bar configured to drive a catcher needle, wherein the feed needle bar and the catcher needle bar are configured to have linear and rotary motion when a stitch is created by the composite sewing head.