might help to change needles every 3 or 4 patterns. DO ANY OF YOU DO THAT?

I change my needle often, after every three or four designs, I was recently at a brother dealer in Kamloops, I never even knew it was there, and told her your story, she said the girl only wanted to make a sale, she has never heard of the allowance in stitch counts, and said average use of a embroidery machine is 4to5 days averaging about 6 hours each day above that you should look into a commercial machine, I was glad to hear her thoughts on the matter and made me feel better about the brother brand.

I'm sooo glad things are well with you, and your machine, as for the sales girl try to find out her schedule or ask another person by name, each time I visit the local store, I always look for my Buddy Janet and everyone is okay with that I even start bringing in my projects so she can have a lookie.

It's a great feeling when you find a friend at the store, sometimes she will give me the staff discount when the owner isn't looking....

Have a great day!

1 comment

by mjdg 16 Aug 2011

I've found out that the 780D is a good little machine for home use and even will support a little home business if it is not huge.
Brother answered an email from me and said, "If you are a light to moderate user ( 2-3 hours a day) your machine should be cleaned and oiled every 500 hours of use. If you are a heavy or consistant user or you operate the machine at high speeds for prolonged periods of time, your product should be serviced every 300 hours.

When I told the tech what the sales person told me he just chuckled. He told me to just change needles often, and don't worry about it because it doesn't matter how many stitches you do if you have it serviced when it gets out of whack.

What do you want to bet me she is related to him in some way, or she sells a whole lot of machines?

Every time I go in she is trying to sell me some software or something expensive. I usually tell her I am just looking and when she leaves me alone and I need help I ask the other lady. You would think she would get the message.
MJDG

Ladies ALL!
I was surprised to see so many answers - so I'm giving all of you a flower and saying a big Thank You for all the suggestions and advice!

ALMAG - I think you are on to something about pulling the thread out from the top. I alway raise the presser foot but do pull it from the top. I am going to try to remember to do it like you said from the needle. That makes a lot of sense to me.

Again -- Thanks everyone.
MJDG

Yes, change your needle very often. If I am doing something "important" I put a new needle in. This is one thing that most women have a problem with, and the cheapest way to keep your machine stitching well. Not only for embroidery. I teach sewing, and worked in a fabric store for many years. I had more than one woman tell me that they had been sewing with the same needle in their machine for 5-10 and even 20 years, HONEST!..now if you sew once a year, perhaps....but it is so easy to change a needle. Your machine will stitch better, and not work so hard. A dull needle or one with a burr can and will ruin your needle plate.

hmmm I'm not a very good girl, I don't change my needle until it breaks! Then I figure it's time for a new one (rotflol) usually if the point hasn't gotten dull *(popping sound) I just use it til it breaks then move on. This usually works well for me and my designer 1 doesn't complain, sooooooo

1 comment

by ansalu 16 Aug 2011

Same like me ;o)
Greetings, Bettina

That is good news about your machine.
I change my needle every 8 hours or so. Hugs Yvonne

Glad to hear that your machine will be fixed soon and under warranty. I change needles quite frequently, usually after a major project and I have needles I use to practice different designs with and then better needles to use for projects. Cindy B.

About the thread...... I read once, maybe here, that the wrong way to change thread colours is to grab the spool and pull the thread out of the machine with the spool.
Better to cut the thread above the tension discs and pull it from the needle.
Do I???? .... :{ weeeeelll, no .....
But I do always raise the presser foot and pull the thread gently...... :}

Still.......... the theory is that the thread is spun so that when you are sewing the little hairy bits glide easily through the tension discs without getting caught. When you pull the thread backwards as you would by pulling it out by the spool, the little hairy bits are pulled off and accumulate between the discs. These can accumulate and even small pieces of thread from the end can be left between the discs.

About the needles.......... Listen to the experienced machinists who stitch Big Time (not me). I change my needles fairly often, depending on what I'm sewing. I use Organ needles (from allstitch.com) which are considerably cheaper than some other brands and work perfectly in my HVDII. Most used needles are then still very usable for normal sewing. Any needles with burred ends or damaged in any way get put into a childproof tablet container and collected to be thrown away when the container is full.

Last year I collected quite a few dozen, new and good used, and sent them away to be delivered to women in Timor who are creating small sewing businesses but who can't get the supplies they really need. These needles work perfectly in the basic machines the ladies have in the villages.

AlmaG.

So glad you will have your machine back soon!!

You may just have to be rude or say no I don't need help right now and then go up to the sales person you really want to speak with even if it means waiting if shes with another person. I would ask what her days off are from the service tech or another sales person. I am sure you are not the first person who has had issues with her and they are probally aware of it too. But if no one says anything, nothing can be done. Just be tactful when telling the other person about your issue.

As for changing the needle, when they break or I can tell they need to be changed. Who can afford to change the needles that often??

I try and change needles after reaching 8 hours of sewing. My machine tells me the amount of minutes on a design so I try and keep track that way. Glad to hear you have your machine issue being taken care of. Mary

Now that's a much better scenario than what you got from that saleslady. I think you should still talk to the repairman/owner about it as she must be doing this to a lot of customers and he may be losing business because of it and not aware of it as no one has complained to him.
I haven't been doing mach. emb. long, but I change my needle when things don't seem right, so change needle and everything seems to work and sound right again.
Good luck.

I am glad that the servieman was able to let you know - that it is anusual for you to have that many stitching hours on your machine - just to get it serviced on a regular basis - is a good thing. That sales lady shouldn't be a problem for you - now you have had so many share ways to be tackful. I change my needles about every 8 hours - each of my designs take anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour to stitch - so that is about every 6-8 designs - unless they are small.

So glad you got good news on your machine. I change my needle every couple of big projects or like many others have said when I hear the popping sound like it is not going in very well - or when it pulls the fabric up when the needle goes up - or when it starts dropping stitches - all signs the needle probably needs to be replaced. I buy Schmetz Universals by the 100 when my dealer has a sale like Christmas in July (so I get them for $35 ish). My 780D HATED the titanium so I never tried them in my Quattro.

2 comments

by nanniesara 15 Aug 2011

You might look at Discount Embroidery Supply. They have some great prices and no shipping if your order is over $20. I have ordered needles from them and they are very good to do business with. They ship to you quick also.

by mjdg 16 Aug 2011

I'll take a look... Do you have a link?

MJDG

My dealer holds a class for basic machine cleaning to do at home between annual service cleanings. He recommends doing the cleaning and change the needle every 3 bobbins. I laughed and said I'd be cleaning my machines multiple times a day. So I clean the machine after every major project. I switch needles depending on what I'm sewing and keep used needles separate from the new ones. I "discard" the needle with that tell-tale thunking sound you get when it's not penetrating the fabric or when I start getting skipped stitches. A dull needle gets color coded with a marker and placed in a small storage container to be used when sewing on paper.

I don't count stitches for needle changes, although I probably should, but I do change it after about 2 big designs or after a complete garment if I'm sewing. Of course considering how many times needles break it's more often than that.

1 comment

by sewmom 15 Aug 2011

When you go in the shop just tell the lady that you came to speak with "the name of the person you want to see". There is no excuse needed. If that person is unavailable ask when they will be back.

I'm nearly ashamed to say that I change the needle when she breaks :o) Or when I hear that sound of a dump needle drills into fabric. I think it depends on which material you stitch. I use regular thin fabric for my lamps and grain-pads and this works for me.
Could not need a machine that has to be pampered all the time (my janome is diva enough for me ;-).
Greetings, Bettina

I have a little brother and I change needle and clean out the bobbin case every other day which is about 50 - 70,000 stitches. And I use the Schmetz Gold embroidery needles, which is suppose to last 5 times longer. My rule of thumb is when the needle starts making the project slap because it can't make a big enough hole. it is time to change the needle. This is faster with fill in than with FSL because less stress on the FSL needle. Also I work strictly with cotton, and there is more stress and lint than Polyester. I am not sure about rayon since it too is natural.

TJHIS LADY SOUNDS LIKE A NIGHTMARE GOOD ADVICE TO SIDESTEP HER...SOOZIE

So glad the machine issue is solved and warranty is
still ongoing! As to the push saleslady, simply smile, say "Thanks for your willingness to help me, but I wish to speak to Mr. "blank"! Then, immediately distance yourself from her. If she pursues you, repeat the first statement, and move away from her again. She will get the message, and you have not been rude, just being assertive in the situation.
Hold your presser foot lever as high as you can as you thread your machine. This will assure proper setting of the thread along the thread route, and less likely to have the thread accidentally yanked into the tension area when you begin stitching.
I do not change my needle often, but do so should I see the needle is not going through the layers of fabric and stablilizer smoothly and somewhat pulling the fabric as the needle comes up.
Angel

2 comments

by mjdg 15 Aug 2011

Thanks for the hint on the presser foot and threading. I need all the help I can get! :)
I think I can handle Miss Hard Sell. She already doesn't like me because she couldn't talk me into a bigger machine. When she would not shut up I told her absolutely not and please show me that 780D. She said it was $1000. I told her that I could get it on line without shipping charges for $699, and told her to go ask if he would meet the price. She came back and said he would meet it. He actually came out and got it for me and talked a bit.... was very nice and told me it was a nice little machine.

Once I told her that a vest she had on was pretty and she informed me that I couldn't do it on my 780D .. I would need a 6 needle. I nodded, smiled, and said, "I just think it is pretty, I don't need to make one like it."

Can you tell that this woman and I are not going to get along? But I won't be rude, just firm!
MJDG

by undergroundsue 16 Aug 2011

This lady must be working on commission. If she continues being rude, you should inform the manager. With an attitude like that she will drive business away and who can afford that in these times.

I change the needle when I hear a tapping sound (dull needle having trouble penetrating the fabric) or when my machine starts slowing down. It will slow the machine to have a dull needle. Also when my designs are not stitching out right or my machine is not sewing right. Or when the needle breaks. I use ball point needles, which I've found will last just a tad longer than the sharp variety. I know I should change it more often; just call it being frugal.

1 comment

by mjdg 15 Aug 2011

I have a Viking computer sewing machine and it will sew with almost any kind of needle... so I think I am going to try to recycle them -- and use the needles in that. Can't hurt to try.

The tech said it may sound like over kill but can in the end save you a lot of money on emb. mach. repairs.
MJDG

My dealer suggested changing the needle every 8 hours of stitching. If you hear a popping sound when the needle goes in and out of fabric it is a sign to change out the needle.

1 comment

by mjdg 15 Aug 2011

Every 8 hours sounds good.... but how many of us actually count the time?
My machine doesn't show that... It only shows that doggone service stitch number!

MJDG

I change needles very regularly and always have done. Any idead for used but not over used machine needles?

3 comments

by ashta 15 Aug 2011

I just put them in a small plastic bottle with a lid and when it's full, I put it in with the recycles. The bottle keeps them from possibly sticking me (I'm good at that LOL) or anyone else.

by justonlyme 15 Aug 2011

I keep a labeled prescription bottle with the needles that still have life in them. I use those in my regular sewing machine that isn't so finicky. When they are truly dead, they go in to my sharps container to be safely disposed. I've heard that there is some sort of paper type stuff that you can get and run under your needle (like sewing on sandpaper) and it will sharpen the needles. I've never seen it in stores (haven't looked for it either) but that might help keep them going a bit longer.

by mjdg 15 Aug 2011

Sounds like a good idea. I am certainly going to use mine in my reg. sewing machine.
MJDG