I broke one yesterday. It was my fault because I was trying to cut the thread while sewing (not smart).

Only one, lucky you*

I notice you didn't say how loooong you've been embroiderying, hmmmmmm. I usually do fine when embroidering and then break a bunch when doing the free motion quilting. They do say you should change your needle often anyway. So chin up, Wal-mart has more.......:-)

I broke a needle Christmas day. Was doing the 01 snowflake from EdnasEmbroideryDesigns & it is very "thick" At one point my needle wouldn't come back up and it was yanked OUT of the shaft that holds it, the top part of the hoop flew sideways & about scared me to death! I was in the room, thankfully, and quickly stopped the machine. I had to remove foot & all in order to get the needle back up out of the fabric! AND found out a piece of clear tape will pick up a tiny little silver needle piece just fine! I reloaded the hoop using the hoop marks on the WSS as I was almost done and thought if it didn't work, nothing lost as I couldn't use it the way it was! Slowed down the machine, then continued stitching. It came out fine...was a little bit out of line, but only I would notice it!! This was not my first broken needle!! But my scariest!!

Awwwww - I can't even remember the first - but then - after all these years and all the things that I have embroidered - no sense in remembering that sort of thing - glad it was just your first - but you will have many more as the years and projects go by.

My goodness mad you are very lucky to have only just had your first broken needle....I keep my broken needles in an empty prescription bottle and it has a fair number in it, can't really say it was the machines fault too often....

I used to break needles too often, but rarely break them now since I use the titanium needles. They do bend however if thread gets caught and gets in a bind. I buy them at www.Allstitch.net. If any one finds a better price, let us all know.