Ricoma Quick Start Guide56
A basic guideline that many professional embroiderers use to determine when to change needles is
the “three strikes” rule. When there have been three consecutive thread breaks on a needle, it should
be changed. Several performance changes in your machine will indicate when it’s time to change a
needle.
How do I know when to change a needle?
This includes but is not limited to:
• Thread breaks
• Poor stitch quality
• Pulls in the fabric
• Machine making unusual noises
• Machine operating at reduced speeds
Why do needles break?
Blade size
Needles break for a number of reasons.
This includes but is not limited to:
• The needle being worn out or old.
• The design having too many stitches and/or too high density for the design area.
• The fabric inside the hoop area being too loose (the material is not hooped tight enough)
• The needle hitting the hoop
• The movement of fabric while the needle is penetrating
SIZE 75/11
One of the rst things to consider when selecting a needle is the blade size, such as size 75/11 or
90/14. If you have ever wondered why there are two numbers in this designation, the reason is that it is
a combination of the European and American size designation numbering systems. The rst number,
such as 75 or 90, is the European designation. This refers to the actual measurement of the blade
diameter. For example, a size 80 needle has a .80 mm blade width. The second number, such as 11 or 14,
is an Asian numbering system, also formerly used by Singer. In this system, a smaller number indicates
a smaller blade diameter.
Good overall needle. It is used to sew everyday items like golf shirts, sweatshirts, dress shirts,
light jackets, light canvas, aprons, holiday stockings and more.
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