Start you a journal with the tips you hear about needles, embroidery, sewing, anything worth saving because in the future you will need it. Long as I have been in the business I have tried many thing and oiling thread and using #16 Schmidtt needle , slower sewing is the best advice amyone can give you. Also very important is what you lay under the fabric. Also when I get into a real jam I use a spool of transparent thread to sew along with my metalic thread. Can't see the transparent and the other is stronger.