Hi,,

Did you resize the designs at all?
Did you have to convert the design format to the format your machine uses? Sometimes this can cause problems with the design.

Perhaps you got a bad download you could try downloading the designs again and see if that solves the problem.

1 comment

by mary51 24 Mar 2013

Thanks, no I did not change anything, I think I am going to buy by yard, the problem is I can not find a site sells it at a reasonable price, Martha Pullen has it at 5$ the yard, I just can not afford that price.

I was using 40 rayon thread and needle 12, I used tape around the hoop too, all my other laces work fine like that but the tatting is impossible.

3 comments

by eastwitch2 edited 24 Mar 2013

Did the designs have instructions with them telling you what to use for the thread?

Did the instructions say to use 40 weight thread?
Email the digitzer and ask!
Where are the designs from?

by eastwitch2 edited 24 Mar 2013

Try cleaning your bobbin area out of any lint or thread bits.
Make sure you top thread is not getting caught on any thing such as the thread spool or thread pin the spool sits on.
Slow your machine down and stitch part of design to see where the thread is breaking.

by eastwitch2 24 Mar 2013

Email the digitzer and let them know that you have problems and tell them what thread you are using and see if they have any suggestions or perhaps they will look at correcting the designs for you.

Here is the link to Criswell - kLace showing how to adhere strips of Shelf Liner to the bottom side of your inner hoop using Wander Tape which is a double sided water soluble tape.
This helps stop any movement of water soluble stabilizer in your hoop while you stitch.
You can click on each picture on the page to see a close up of each.

Water soluble stabilizer is really light weight and has a tendency to be pulled into the middle of the hoop while stitching Free Standing Lace as FSL has so many stitches and the needle movement pulls on the stabilizer. This can cause problems with the allignment of the stitches in FSL designs.

Are you using a sharp point embroidery needle size 75/11 for your stitching?
If you use a lighter weight thread such as 60 weight you can use a smaller sized needle such as a 70/10.
Try slowing your machine down if possible and this may help with thread breaks.

You might need to use a lighter weight embroidery thread such as a 60 weight.

Did the designs come with a text instruction file that tells you what thread to use?

What digitzers or websites are the designs from?


I noticed on Murphy's website that for some of her tatting designs she uses 40 embroidery thread and others she uses 60 weight or 100 weight embroidery thread which is lighter weight than the regular 40 weight embroidery thread.

So check with the digitizers to see what they suggest.

I have not stitched trim, however I have done a lot of fsl and I have to tighten my hoop quite often, I am going to try the shelf liner idea.

What do the digitizers say about their work? That is where I'd start for answers.

I do a lot of FSL and when the thread brakes it is usually the needle.I use the cloth type WSS and cover the edge of the frame with a shelf liner type rubber to stop the stabilizer from slipping. I hope you will find the solution.

Check with the digitzers to see what top thread weight they recommend and also what thread to use in the bobbin and needle size.
They should be able to help you.

1 comment

by mary51 24 Mar 2013

I did follow the instructions.

It might help us if you posted a picture of the result and possibly the digitizer or site so we might better be able to help with your delima...I have not done a lot of FSL, but what I have done has worked well...Hopefully, you have not lost money, and another Cutie will be able to be more helpful...