Urrrgh. I have just completed sewing out a design that should have taken one hour and it took three. It was my third attempt at the design. IF I had been sewing it for myself I would have given up but its for a friend who has chosen the design. The fabric got caught and stitched to a spare bit which was my fault. Two needles broke and it hopped out of the embroidery frame... but I have finally finished it. There are some words to add but I am leaving that until tomorrow as I need to recover from the mishaps of today. Now what has been the most challenging piece of work that you have sewn?

well you already know one of mine when just yesterday I wasn't paying attention & my bobbin thread was loose & my angel went all wonky. I think we all have days like yours BUT tomorrow will be better. ~Big Hugs 4 U~

Hi Asterixsew, I just tried to put names on some bath towels for a friend and it was a nightmare.


First, finding letters and sizes with enough under stitching for a towel and fit in my hoop took me forever.


I did the first one and I wasn't thrilled with the result but I thought it would be okay after a few washings. I started on the pink towel and the first two letters stitched out great. When I moved the hoop to the next position I put the excess towel over the top of the machine so I could see as I moved the hoop. I hit the button to move the hoop to its correct position with the towel over the top of my machine. That created two problems, the first was the loops of the towel caught on that bobbin thread thingamajig and pulled several out. I didn't see the second problem for a few minutes when I saw the bottom of the letter didn't align with the one next to it. When I hit the button on top to align the hoop, it was caught by the threads and it didn't move completely. When it started stitching out the second half of the name it was 3 inches lower than the first part of the name.


I couldn't believe it and what had started as a favor was now a 4-month disaster.... jane in CT

I feel for you! I do a number of personalised baby towels for newborns and I always find if more stressful if the person giving it supplies the towel, just in case it messes up. If I use one from my stash I'm nowhere near as worried that things will go wrong!

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by pldc 23 Oct 2015

a very good idea using your own towels from your stash! I will have to remember this

You are not alone! It happens all the time to me. The worse thing that I do often is to move the center of the design and then press the wrong button on my machine and never being able to find where I put the center again. Throw more stuff in the trash.

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by asterixsew 19 Oct 2015

Yes I know it happens all the time, yesterday was particularly awful. I hate throwing fabric out

So sorry it was such a trying day. Hopefully today will be much better. Would you like a long list of my bad days! We all have them. And I am one who will shut the machine down if it is possible and walk away, Much safer for the machine and for me if I do that.

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by asterixsew 19 Oct 2015

Normally I would shut the machine down but the work was needed by my friend

I think it's called the ripple effect, you know when 1 thing goes wrong others seen to follow.. I just love it when I sew a design only to find the fabric has gone under the hoop as well encasing my hoop.. I know I know that's what I get for rushing and not paying attention. Marian

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by asterixsew 19 Oct 2015

Now I must remember that, the ripple effect

Every time I use my embroidery machine it is a challenge :) as I am always expecting something to go wrong. I also managed to break a needle over the weekend but it was my fault. How is the cushion going with the sea scene?

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by asterixsew 19 Oct 2015

That cushion is in the pipeline as these are more important ie they are needed before that one is

Ok here I go. I had company for the last 4 days and the last day I decided I would try Sues Zipper purse just to show my friend. I was not paying attention and folded the wrong pieces into 1/2. No problem start over again. I finally overcame my fear of zipper and embroidery machine and was holding my breath. Ok seems to stitch fine until the zipper fell out, because apparently it was not wide enough. I will get a zipper that is wider, now since I know and start all over again.

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by spendlove 19 Oct 2015

I seems that zip tapes are not universal. The ones I have are 24mm (a tad under an inch) Sorry you had a problem.

by jrob 19 Oct 2015

I'm happy to see this. I was wondering about using a hidden zip and they seem to be about 24mm which is narrower than my standard ones.

by asterixsew 19 Oct 2015

Good Luck with the zippered bag, once you get one sewn out the rest will be easy and you will go on sewing in the hoop designs

by crafter2243 19 Oct 2015

Just figured it out and I think jrob said it already. I had bought invisible zippers and they are narrower then the others.

We have all been there. I don't like dead lines.and staying up all night to please some one. You only run into trouble!! Kay

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by asterixsew 19 Oct 2015

I hate deadlines and I have no intentions of staying up all night

I think a bunch of us our having them and that means if we get them out of the way, we'll be able to stitch-error free in time for the Holidays. That's my story and I'm sticking too it. (You are welcome to borrow it if you'd like.) lol

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by asterixsew 19 Oct 2015

Thanks for the advice and I am borrowing your story

by pldc 23 Oct 2015

i like this story too lol

Please wait - we don't want you inserting some alternate message of how you feel. Sometimes I think it's the weather, like full moon, air pressure changes. Sometimes I think when you start having a bad stitchout day, you should go deep clean the house or go fabric shopping. 9or, it's going to get worse.) When I was new to applique, that was the scariest thing I had tried. So, if I was having a GREAT stitching day, I might set aside my plans and whip out the applique fabrics quickly.

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by asterixsew 18 Oct 2015

Well I like the idea of fabric shopping as the shop I got the fabric from is about 4 mins walk away, its shut at the moment but I will probably pop in tomorrow. Housework... well we are still trying to get sorted after our move just over3 months ago, sewing was a distraction from the other jobs that need doing. My sewing room is waiting to be finished but that was not what caused the problems it was probably just one of those days and tomorrow will be better. Thanks for your super words of encouragement

So I'm not the only one who has had a bad day. Welcome to the club!

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by asterixsew 18 Oct 2015

I look forwards to hearing about yours. Just what went wrong?