# Embroidering caps



## cshanks (Jul 16, 2007)

Caps Suck! I have been trying to embroider a co. logo on some caps. I have broken 5 needles and ruined 2 caps, can't figure out what is wrong. I have used 75/11 sharp point, 80/10 sharp point, and 80/12 sharp point and have broken them all at some time during the design, not always in the same place. can anybody help?


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

Hats are not east to deal with. What type of design is it(text only) or design and lettering. Was the desigm digitized for a cap. What speed are you sewing at and what machine are you using. I will try to help you when I know all the info. .... JB


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## cshanks (Jul 16, 2007)

I have an SWF 601 machine, the design is text only, I digitized it myself in wings, sewing at 700.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

What type of hat is it a 5 or 6 panel. Is the needle breaking at or near a seam. If the answer is yes then move the design slightly to the left or right of center before yo start the design. .... JB


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## XYLisa (Jan 20, 2008)

One more thing to watch is that you're not too low on the hat, if it's down to close to the bill it will break your needle.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

XYLisa said:


> One more thing to watch is that you're not too low on the hat, if it's down to close to the bill it will break your needle.


I forgot that one too. .... JB


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## JormiBoced (Jan 10, 2008)

Slowing it down a hair might now be a bad idea either.


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## Fresh Mode (Apr 9, 2008)

Most likely, your problem lies in the way you hooped the hat and your stitch location. Make sure you are not sewing too close to the brim and try to hoop the hat perfectly every time. 700 is plenty slow and those needles should be fine.


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## fdsales (Jul 1, 2007)

Another issue could be your cap is flexing, or moving, in the cap frame. Make sure you cap frame is adjusted to hold the cap tightly...run your finger across the front of the cap after it's hooped. If the cap fabric moves, or creates a "wave" ahead of your finger, then you're going to have problems. Generally what causes a needle to break when sewing caps is: 1. The seam if a 6 panel cap. 2. The cap flexing or moving around while the needle is going up & down thru the fabric. 3. Improper digitizing; too many stitches in one place. (Proper cap hooping is usually the #1 issue.)
Also if you don't already, add some pellon backing to the rear of the cap when hooping; this sometimes help give the rear of the cap a smooth area, especially going over the seam on a 6 panel cap.


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## make_edit (Jan 25, 2008)

I agree with Brian, but with constructed caps it is about impossible not to have some play in the fabric.


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## fdsales (Jul 1, 2007)

Yes, constructed, or buckram backed caps, do flex less, but we have found the less expensive brands are cut so poorly that they never hoop properly, the middle of the cap pokes up higher, and as the needle bar move toward the center, it's pushing the rest of the cap fabric ahead of it. We don't have that problem much any more, as the qualtity of cap construction has gotten much better, expecially w/ the good caps such as Yupoong, Otto, KC Caps. Years ago, it was a nightmare.


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## blibby53 (Jun 12, 2007)

Is your design sewing from the center out? That can make a difference also.


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## SunEmbroidery (Oct 18, 2007)

After hooping tightly take up additional room with extra backing. You might start slower and increase speed after you're past the difficult part. If there is a lot of flagging you'll be less likely to break needles if you're running slower.


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## KenS (Apr 27, 2007)

I would bet that the needle is breaking when sewing the lower portion next to the bill of the cap. I had this problem with a set of caps. When sewing close to the bill, there is more of a space between the fabric and the needle plate. When the presser foot presses it down, at the same time the needle in making a stitch, it acts as a lever and pulls the needle towards the brim. This causes the needle to strike the needle plate. Thus the needle breaks. 

At least that is what I figure caused mine. It was a stiff constructed cap.


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## deChez (Nov 10, 2007)

When I first got my machine, I could not for the life of me do caps. I wasn't able to go to the training, so I didn't know how to hoop them properly, and I wasn't attaching the cap hoop to the machine properly either.

Once I realized that I had a hoop holder that clamped onto my work table that holds the hoop while putting the cap on it, it suddenly became easy to hoop the caps. (I know, sounds stupid, but the box said it was a frame, and I thought it was the old style frame since the new quick change one had just come out).

I also broke lots of needles and ruined several caps before I saw a training video that showed me that when putting the cap hoop on the machine, I had to make sure to "click in" the bottom before "clicking in" the top.

I knocked my head against the wall for the longest time, and then when I found the magic bullet, I kicked myself for not figuring it out sooner.

Moral of story...most instructions that come with machines don't tell you these necessary little details.


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## HollyMarie (May 14, 2008)

Thanks for all the great information. I am having the same problem that Curt is having. I used brand new 75/11 sharp needles, made adjustments in the density of the design, sewed slowly through the seams of the hats, and I'm still having problems with needles breaking. At first I thought my machine was out of timing, but the design is sewing beautifully on a flat hoop. I made sure the hat was properly hooped and moved the design up more on the hat (away from the bill). Aside from all that, I'm still having issues. I do hats quite frequently but I've never had this problem. Could there be anything else going on that I haven't tried??


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## RussHamm (May 19, 2008)

This is all great information! I too am getting a butt-kicking from trying to make caps...so much so that I don't try anymore! I've asked the question at the last 2 ISS shows I attended, and got various answers. One person always uses sharp needles...another always uses ball point needles...but 1 answer has always been consistent...I probably am not hooping the hats tight enough, causing needle deflection and breaking. Does any one have a recommendation for what cap hoops to use? I saw a demonstration at the last ISS in Fort Worth from Hoop Tech...and it sure looked easy! I guess that comes with experience.


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## propsuper (Mar 23, 2008)

I got the hoop tech system and it works great. Put the cap on (straight of course) pull it down tight, clamp it and push start. Done Deal.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

make sure you have the cap needle plate installed. it has a larger opening and a collar looking protrusion.


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## Deric (Jan 10, 2008)

blibby53 said:


> Is your design sewing from the center out? That can make a difference also.


Im using Embroidery Office Max and I am having a problem figuring out how to make the design sew from the center out. Is it as simple as moving the start/end points? Deric


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## blibby53 (Jun 12, 2007)

Sierra embroidery software - Library: article

This link should help you. Sierra embroidery has a yahoo user group that will help also.

Barb


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## TC GLOBAL (Jul 5, 2007)

I agree with other guys, There maybe many reason. most needle break occurs when stitching close to bill(visor) area. I don't know if your machine new or old but You should also consider the HOOK TIMING of the rotary hook.
good luck.


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## phocused (Sep 21, 2007)

Some caps just don't have the right shape and consequently sew like hell. Only trial and error will reveal what caps run well. 

These problems can occur across the same brand of cap too. (ie. some Otto cap models run well on my Tajimas, some just don't work). Although, I have never had an issue running Richardson brand caps. They are a superior cap in every way.

We recently purchased a Tajima "stretch 8" and had the tech in 3 times in 2 weeks. We were breaking a lot of needles on cap jobs. Like 1 or 2 per run. 

Turns out the factory set the gap between the needle and the hook too tight. A slight, ie. normal, amount of deflection was breaking the needle on the hook. That gap had to be re-adjusted (should be at least the width of thread). And we had to polish any burrs on the hook.

So check the gap between the needle, at the bottom of the cycle, and the hook. Not the timing but the gap. If it's close then bump the hook assembly back a skosh.

In addition Hirsch reccomends facing the eye of your needles "straight out" as opposed to a few degrees to the right. This is a simple way to increase the gap between needle and hook.


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## tshirtsep (Feb 15, 2007)

blibby53 said:


> Sierra embroidery software - Library: article
> 
> This link should help you. Sierra embroidery has a yahoo user group that will help also.
> 
> Barb


That's a great tutorial!


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