PSA: NEVER thread a RUNNING machine.

Eric · June 11th, 2009, 12:02 AM

Hi all ...

Here's a little Public Service Announcement for all you embroiderers out there.

I was working late, I thought I was being slick, threading the machine while it was running, I was threading needle 1 while needle 12 was sewing. I've done it a million times, I was threading an 8 head, I had done almost the entire machine, and on head 7 I heard something that distracted me, turned my head, and Wham!

The worst part is, I was alone. Good thing I had my cell phone on me, as I called and woke up a friend at 2am to come down and help me get my hand out of a Barudan. Needle shattered my thumb bone and I had to have surgery yesterday morning.

Let this be a lesson ... Don't be as dumb as I am, and YES, I'm blonde (figured I would say that before someone asks)

You could look like this:

YES! Barudan sews bone!

dangig · June 11th, 2009, 01:09 AM

jeez.. i was wondering what happened to you... OUCH!!! OUCH!!!
ive done that too 1000 times, ive knocked my finger fast, but never got sewn to my machine before.. how fast were u going??

Eric · June 11th, 2009, 01:43 AM

I was going 1,000spm. I got caught by a jump. I thought I had clearance, coupled with me being distracted to see why a machine on the other aisle stopped. It jump stitched, and caught me. It wasn't the needle actually, it was the presser foot that bent and had my thumb between the plate and the frame. I was doing caps, and forgot about the "center out" sew pattern. lol

Eric · June 11th, 2009, 01:44 AM

They were just lettered caps, so yeah, I was doing caps at 1,000spm, another no-no I know.

I usually get my finger knocked, or I always end up getting my knuckled scraped by the needle bar, this is the first time I've ever had it actually hit me dead center in the finger, and keep going. lol