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My Needle Is Breaking
                                                                                            

It could be a problem with the needle itself:

Your broken needle may have been blunt, dull, bent or otherwise damaged.

















If there doesn’t seem to be a problem with the needle itself, try the following:
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Your broken needle may have been too thin
for your fabric. Make sure your replacement
needle is appropriate for the weight and
type of your fabric and thread. You may also
need a thicker needle if you’re sewing
through bulky layers of fabric.

And when you insert your new needle, make
sure it’s positioned correctly (usually with
the flat side away from the bobbin, but
consult your manual), that it goes all the
way into the holder, and that the screw is
securely tightened.
Check your presser foot

    Make sure it’s attached securely.


Change your presser foot

    Your presser foot may be bent, causing your needle to hit
    it. Also, make sure you’re using the correct presser foot for
    the type of stitch you’re sewing. For instance, if you were
    to use a straight stitch pressure foot (it has a smaller
    needle hole) to sew a zigzag stitch, your needle would hit
    the pressure foot and break.


Don’t sew over pins

    A needle that hits a pin can break. Always remove the pins
    from your fabric before they reach your needle.


Don’t pull your fabric as you sew

    You could be bending your needle back, causing it to hit
    your needle plate instead of going into the hole. Just guide
    your fabric, letting it feed on its own.


Check your needle plate

    Make sure it's securely in position.


Change your needle plate

    If you’ve been using a straight stitch needle plate (a plate
    with a small hole, often used for sewing fine, delicate
    fabrics), switch to a needle plate with a wider hole.


Check the position of your needle

    Sewing machines with zigzag capability allow you to adjust
    the position of your needle – right, left, or center. If your
    needle is not positioned correctly, it may be hitting your
    needle plate or presser foot.
Still having problems?

Try visiting your sewing machine manufacturer's website. They may have a troubleshooting
guide specific to your machine.

Also, you may want to try posting your question on one of the many sewing forums.
<<Back to the Sewing Machine Troubleshooting Guide