The Breaking Point Embroidery Project

Needles only break when they encounter a solid obstruction. The only parts of a machine that the needle can run into are the hoop, the trimmer knife, the bobbin hook and the needle plate.

Hitting the hoop is a pretty obvious problem that can be attributed to operator error. If a hoop crash does occur, either the design is larger than the hoop or the hoop was not centered properly before sewing.

The trimmer knife is sometimes the culprit behind a needle break. Though not a common occurrence, there are occasions where the trimmer knife (located below the needle plate) doesn’t fully retract, placing it directly in the path of the descending needle. This is usually caused a build-up of dirt in the retract area where the knife normally resides. You should periodically remove the needle plate and clean out any dust, dirt or lint buildup to prevent this from happening.

If the bobbin hook timing gets out of synch, the needle may run into the bobbin hook as it descends. Machine timing is something that should not need frequent adjustment. However, in the case of a hoop crash, the timing might be affected such that an adjustment becomes necessary. You can make a quick check by turning off the machine and manually rotating the main shaft while watching the needle go through a stitch cycle (remove the needle plate while doing this). It will be obvious if the needle is coming into contact with the hook.

By far, the most common source of needle-related problems is the needle coming in contact with the needle plate. As it sews, the point of the needle may be deflected slightly as it pierces the fabric being sewn. (Obviously a smaller needle such as the 65/9 will see more deflection than a larger one). If a mild deflection occurs, the needle will pass very close to the inside edge of the needle plate hole, possibly grazing it. This in turn may allow the upper thread (being carried by the needle) to rub along the edge of the needle plate hole as well, resulting in thread shreds or breaks. If a more drastic needle deflection occurs, the needle itself may catch the edge of the needle plate hole, resulting in a broken needle.