Needles break for a variety of causes during the sewing process. Most embroidery machines, in fact, have needle breakage. It’s unavoidable and completely unpredictable. Continue reading to learn how to prevent dealing with those bothersome needle breaks! Thankfully, embroidery firms have devised a variety of tips and strategies for preventing needle breaks and/or identifying them.
By the end of this article, you should be able to determine the fabric density in relation to the needle, verify if you’re using the correct needle, make sure the cap driver isn’t too high, and understand how wrong timing might result in needle breaks.
Improper timing
Hook timing refers to the rotary hook’s synchronisation with the needle. You will have many needle breaks if your hook timing is wrong. To reduce the number of needle breaks that may occur, we recommend monitoring your hook timing once a year. It’s very probable that the timing of your hook is wrong.
Embroidering on a piece of flat fabric rather than a cap is one technique to see if your hook timing is causing the needle breakage. You may also find out more by subscribing to our hat embroidery guide, which will tell you if your time is off! If you’re still getting needle breakage on a flat surface, it’s possible that it’s not your needle or cap.
Fabric is too tough
Have you ever tried to embroider a piece of fabric only to have your needle keep breaking? Our embroidery cheat sheet can assist you in selecting the correct needle, stabiliser, and design for your next project. Think about whether the fabric is too tough for the needle you’ve picked!
It’s also critical that you select the correct needle, which we’ll discuss in the next section. This technique works well for hard, structured caps because it softens the fabric and allows it to be penetrated more easily. Many embroiderers get inventive and soften the fabric with heat from a heat press or steamer.
Spray water on the front of the cap to soften it, or use heat to soften it. But not before you change the cloth or needle you’re using right now.
Cap driver is too high
When embroidering on caps, needle breakage is common. This is owing to their unique form and spherical surface. Remember that you can embroider anything that is flat. The general rule is to provide a tiny gap between the sewing arm and the cap driver so that they don’t contact or rub.
The purpose of embroidery digitizing is to get the fabric as flat as possible. The needle will impact the plate and break if it misses the needle hole. The needle will flex and finally break as a result of this. Flagging, which is what causes needle breakage on caps, is reduced as a result of this.
With more space, the needle is more likely to flex (bend) and miss the needle hole. When there is too much space between the fabric and the needle plate, the material bounces up and down when the needle enters the fabric, causing flagging. As a result, by lowering the cap driver, the distance between the cap and the needle plate will be reduced.
You’re using the wrong type of needle
Certain textiles necessitate the use of specific needles. We recommend using an 80/12 sharp point needle or a 75/11 titanium needle for caps. Ball point needles, for example, are best used on thin, elastic fabrics and may break if used on thicker materials such as caps or corduroy.
If you’re embroidering on a cap, the needle can deflect and break in particular places. 75/11 sharp point needles are required for most needlework tasks. However, if your needle frequently breaks, consider switching to a different type of needle to remedy the problem.
Because titanium coated needles are meant to endure longer than conventional needles, you can use them on standard cloth as well. Try using titanium needles, which are better suited to tougher materials.
Bottom Line
Breaking needles is a very aggravating sensation. Make sure to watch machine embroidery tutorials on YouTube and join different Facebook communities for more embroidery tips and projects. Every embroiderer should read or watch tips and techniques on how to make the experience smoother to avoid needle breaks as much as possible. It’s unpredictable and time-consuming, especially if you’re dealing with one for the first time.
Sometimes the key to resolving your needle breaking issue is to resist the impulse to repair it right away and simply walk away. You may just pick up where you left off with the design at the counter. Then leave the machine turned off. The next day, you’ll have new eyes and greater patience. If you’re in the process of stitching a design, make a note of where you were in the stitch count.