Maybe Shirlene will see this and answer - she is our Free Standing lace expert.

I find that the water soluble solvy has to be very taut in the hoop. I only use the mesh type not the plastic looking one. I did two designs yesterday on the bottom of a stole for our deacon and it turned out fine. I also place 2 of those packing peanuts(?) or polystyrene thingys above the thread where it comes from the thread stand and one just before your place the thread around the guide. That way the thread doesn't get too twisted. A new needle too an 11 sharp. I'll wait to see if anyone else has any ideas. Good luck it is beautiful when it works. Love and blessings Chris

Katrina, I am so sorry to hear you are having so much trouble - that does sound like it is very dense - most of the FSL at emblibrary sitches out pretty good - make sure you have a new needle - that you only have the one design in your hoop - that you WSS is tight in the hoop. Same embroidery thread in the top and bobbin.

I am new to this too & I have only done a few but I started with a brand new needle & I reduced the speed of my machine by about half, make sure that the bobbin thread matches the top thread, & I hooped only one layer (2 if you already have, 3 will be really sticky)& I did the FSL hen bag & it took me 76 minutes to do one side (there are 2)& it turned out beautiful (I posted it) But I have done a bookmark once & my machine shook sew much I was scared that I was going to break it! I didn't want to try again, but with the help & encouragement from fellow cuties I did & I'm glad too sew hopefully I can pass this love onto you!

If you are using Solvy, you need Ultra Solvy, which is a very thick plastic like stuff. Or use Vilene, which is more cloth-like. EL makes some very nice fsl patterns. The right wss is the key.
Jo

Emblibrary has very dense designs. I have a program called Designer's Gallery Density Works that I use to reduce the number of stitches. I have a Babylock Ellageo and I have a hard time embroidering Emblibrary designs unless I remove stitches. cj

Sorry to hear you are having problems. I don't usually have problems with dense designs but if I do I use a piece of organza with the water soluable stabilizer. I know that doesn't sound like it is very free standing but it helps. If the thread is bunching up at the needle you may need to move your thread so that it is not twisting as it comes off the spool or use a needle with a bigger eye. Also make sure that you have throughly cleaned the area under and around the feed dogs. Even the smallest stray piece of thread can cause a lot of problems. Hope you will be able to get it stitched out as FSL is usually so easy and fun. -- Aileen

I have a Brother 900 D.... The 1st time I tried 2 layers and within 2000 stitches it had already torn a hole in itself which is why I went to 3 layers of solvy (but maybe I need to go back to 2??). I am using a new needle but I don't know the size - I just know it is a Schmetz and it is red (oh 75/11 found a pack!!). It doesn't seem to be moving in the hoop. I think I will try using organza, and I'll see if I can find some vilene around here somewhere. Oh - and I am using the same thread - top and bottom.... and I did clean it before I started. Today has been a day of "new stuff" for me. Goodness!! Thank you all so much for your help!! I'll start over again tomorrow!!

I've done quite a lot of FSL stitching - I love it. I think your stabiliser might be the trouble, and maybe where your thread is coming from.

I use a fine non-woven WSS (not the plastic-looking type), not an expensive brand but it's good quality and I use three layers, the middle one at right angles to the other two. I get my WSS from Marathon Threads in Melbourne, Australia, so that probably won't help you much. If you use organza you'll have to cut around your design when it's done, won't you??

I slow the machine to about 1/3 of its normal speed or 1/4 if the design is really dense which is quite often the case with the designs I choose.
A new needle is a must and I've been using Organ 75/11 size for two years now, from AllStitch.com. I'm lucky ... they work perfectly in my machine.

Do you have a tall thread stand behind your machine? There are the ready-made ones that hold 8, 10 or 12 spools, that attach to the back of your machine or free-standing ones.
If the thread is coming from the little thread holder built into the machine it might be too close to the tension discs to straighten out and if you can't stand that little thread holder in a vertical position the thread will twist a lot as it tries to run through the tension discs.
I don't do any of my embroidery using that built-in thread holder but I do use it for normal sewing.

I also bought a very tall thread stand from AllStitch.com when I was in America to hold the bigger, heavier and taller spools - about $8, I think. It only holds one thread spool and has a heavy cast iron base to keep it steady. The thread passes through the loop right at the top of the stand and then I thread it down through the thread guide on the lid of my machine and then through my machine tension parts to the needle. This seems to keep the thread even and under control.

Don't give up on FSL. The other members have given you a lot of good ideas in these messages and hopefully one of them might be the key to your success.
Once you master FSL and find what works on your machine you'll have a lot of fun and be able to create some wonderful items.

Good luck!!!!

AlmaG...... long answer, as usual... :}

I love FSL and have done a lot of it. Here's my method. I use Badgemaster,(the plastic looking one)2 layers and hoop it tightly but don't hoop it overly tight. When you begin to stitch if it is too tight as the needle pierces the WSS it will be just like it is perforated and keep splitting. You need just a slight bit of give. Use a new needle, and slow the machine down. I have used the 6 X 10 hoop on my machine and filled it full and very seldom have any fail. That hoop will hold 60 of the little pocket angels. Good luck, you can do it, don't give up.

Hi Katrina, I was afraid of FSL at first, and now it is my favorite thing to do when I have a little time. My friends here at Cuties convinced me that Vilene is the way to go on stabilizer. I hoop two layers, not too tightly. I use the same thread top and bottom. Use a new needle size 11 Schmetz is best in my opinion for this. I lower the tension one notch. Use fresh thread - not some old stuff (I know it sounds silly, but old thread can dry out and get thread rot - honestly!) If you have had to struggle with that piece for a long time, my suggestion is to just throw it out and never look back at it. Start all over with a brand new hooping, new thread and a new needle and a new outlook. I use lots of FSL designs and most turn out really well and .... most are fun and rewarding. Don't give up - you're gonna like it, lady! It's nice to have some little FSL in your bag to give to the check out ladies, waitresses and friends - it makes their day :-)

I did some Christmas FSL last year. It was my first attempt and I had no problem. Although they turned out well I do not think I will do much FSL in the future as I am not very keen on it. Give me applique and ordinary embroidery any time. I am sure that you will get loads of help here on FSL.

I wonder whether you are using the right wss. The vilene (looks like woven) type is ideal and I personally use the extra thick film type, called Badgemaster, that's 80 micron thick, 4 times as much as the wss you use as topping for towelling. It's no good using 3 or 4 layers of the thin stuff, it will tear along the stitches..
As for the breaking of your thread, that's usually the sign to insert a new needle.
Hope you get it to work well for you as FSL is so lovely to make!

Yes vilene is the answer. Once you start with FSL you will get hooked like us all.
** 4 all
Hugs Yvonne

I just have to say that all you ladies are totally amazing!! I went out today and purchased some ultra solvy because it was my only option in the store. I used to be able to get WSS at walmart but they have stopped carrying it for some reason - so now I'll need to order it online. I am slowly remembering that I have done some FSL before - I did a bookmark - and I did it on the more material type stuff and it turned out wonderful. However - I am not giving up!! I will continue to try and I'll let ya'll know how it turns out... It may take some time - but I'll get it - promise I won't quit on you. Thank you all so much for the encouragement (and long answers - they always help!!)

Don't be disheartened, my dear.
Hugs

I personally love FSL designs. Some of those that have 20+ stitches, depending on the digitizer and/or the design could be very stitch intensive and theu produce broken needles,binding and just about anything could go wrong. I know, I've had it happen. I use WSS the woven kind bought in JoAnn's known as Wash n'Gone. An excellent product and I've had much success with my designs. Sometimes the simple designs have parts that could be stitch intensive or use miniscule stitching in the same spot to cause the machine to stress and the design to bunch up. When that happens, I always notify the digitizer or company I purchased them from to inform them of what I'm experiencing. Sometimes they can offer some solution or reduce the intensity of the stitches. I personally feel if you use the right thread that is suggested, the correct needle, the right WSS that is suggested, then the problem could be the design itself. But don't give up, once you master FSL design/stitching your hooked. The only downside to trial and error is the cost of the thread and the frustration it causes us, otherwise its the only way to find out if a design is for you or your needs. You will also find that a design will start out stitching out just nicely and then in a particular spot start to give you trouble, again, this I think could be a design flaw or something the digitizer wanted to do but it won't work out that way in stitching. Don't give up!!!