Grrrr, sewing machine!!

[mamalisa]

I broke a needle today and I can't get the new one in correctly.  Does anyone have any tips on how to get it in right?  It's rounded on one side, flat on the other.  I've tried 100 times and it keeps going in just the slightest bit off center so my thread keeps breaking.

Clearly I can't find the stupid manual.  It's a low end Singer, bare bones, nothing fancy.  If I can't figure it out, I may or may not throw it out the window.

[motherhendoula]

I gotta to tell you i LOVE the bare bones models - the lower the price, the less stuff goes wrong (USUALLY) 

i dont understand how your needle is going in crooked - its either in or its not...flat part to the back, round to the front, jam it into the hole, tighten the screw - all done.  I would suggest you re-thread the entire machine, bobbin too - and start again  - i suspect some other reason for your thread breaking.  

Without your manual - are you certain what the tension should be?  are you certain you are threading it correctly?  Those are the two big factors in thread breaking.  good luck!

[mamalisa]

Well there you go, I had the needle in backwards.  I could have sworn the rounded part was to the back.  

Thanks so much!  I really should take a class or something!

[motherhendoula]

LOL - i am suprised it worked  at all...usually if the needle isnt in all the way - it would just fall out on its own!

[3girls1boy]

as a rule of thumb, the narrow groove in the needle shank goes toward the last hook that guides the thread to the needle, or to say it another way, in the direction the thread goes in.