Make sure your needle is in correctly. I have 7 vintage Singer sewing machines and they all have a different position for the needle. Make sure the needle is all the way up in the shaft. And yes, if you are pulling the fabric too quickly, the needle could bend toward the front and catch slightly on the metal plate and break. Yes, we do have a tendency to go fast....love it....so try to get that lead foot off the peddle...at least we don't get speeding tickets....;-)