Ricoma EM 1010: Definitive Guide to Setting Thread Colors (Step-by-Step)

Video reference: “How to set colors for Ricoma EM 1010” by the original creator on YouTube.

You don’t need to fight the screen colors on your Ricoma EM 1010—just map your design’s color stops to the right spools and go. This guide shows the exact, reliable workflow so your stitch-out runs in the right sequence on the very first try.

What you’ll learn

• How to read a run sheet and translate it into spool numbers on the Ricoma EM 1010

• Why the screen’s button colors don’t control your thread colors—and what actually does

• A step-by-step sequence to assign every color stop correctly

• Quick checks to catch mistakes before you stitch

• Practical troubleshooting informed by real user questions

Primer: What “color setting” really does Color setting on the Ricoma EM 1010 is the process of telling the machine, step by step, which numbered spool will sew each color stop in your design. The machine doesn’t detect thread colors. It only follows the numbers you assign. If your run sheet says the first stop is white, you choose the spool number that currently holds white and assign that number to stop one.

Why this matters: The screen shows fixed button colors that may not match your actual threads. For example, screen button “1” might look pink, but your physical spool #1 can be any color you’ve loaded—white, green, or anything else. The only thing the stitch-out follows is the numerical sequence you set.

Use case: You have a design with eight color stops. Your run sheet reads: white, yellow, white, white, yellow, brown, light brown, black. Your rack might be set up so white is on spool #5, yellow on #9, brown on #10, light brown on #8, black on #6. Your task is to input 5, 9, 5, 5, 9, 10, 8, 6—exactly in that order.

Pro tip: Keep the run sheet visible and mark each stop as you assign it. It’s the single best way to prevent mid-design mix-ups. hoop master embroidery hooping station

Quick check: After entering several stops, pause and compare your on-screen sequence to the run sheet line by line. Catching a mismatch early saves unpicking later.

Prep: What to have ready before you assign colors - Your digitized embroidery design and its run sheet (the run sheet is the document that lists the color order—many users print it from their embroidery software).

- Threads preloaded on the Ricoma EM 1010’s spools (e.g., white at #5, yellow at #9, brown at #10, light brown at #8, black at #6).

- Access to the machine’s touch screen where assignments are made.

From the comments: You can print your run sheet from the embroidery software you’re using. This is how many people keep a clean reference for color order.

Decision point

• If your design offers multiple sizes, choose the size that fits your hoop before color mapping. A community-sourced note warns that simply shrinking a design can distort stitches; it’s better to use a version sized for your hoop.

• If a color on your run sheet isn’t currently loaded on any spool, load it first, note the spool’s number, and then assign that number to the matching stop. embroidery machine for beginners

Watch out: Avoid guessing “by eye” which spool holds a color—confirm the spool number on the rack and write it on your run sheet before you assign anything. This eliminates one of the most common mistakes.

Prep checklist

• Run sheet printed or pulled up on screen

• Threads loaded and each color’s spool number identified

• Machine powered on and touch screen responsive

Setup: Understand the Ricoma EM 1010 color screen The Ricoma EM 1010’s touch screen shows numbered buttons with colors, but those button colors are fixed visual indicators; they do not reflect what thread you’ve loaded. You don’t change the pink, blue, or tan you see on those buttons—they remain the same. What you do change is the number you assign to each design stop.

Why the fixed colors exist: They’re simply on-screen distinctions to help you see buttons quickly. The machine does not know that your #1 spool holds green or white. That’s why the mapping step is essential.

Interface goal: Reach the color assignment view that lets you tap a stop and pick the correct spool number for that stop. Once there, you’ll enter the run sheet sequence as specific numbers.

Comment insight: One commenter suggested there might be a way to change the on-screen button colors, but no method was provided in the thread, and the demonstrated workflow does not rely on changing those indicators. The reliable approach is to ignore on-screen hues and assign by spool number every time.

Setup checklist

• You can access the screen showing the color assignment grid and numeric input

• You understand that on-screen color swatches don’t control the stitch color

• You have your spool-to-color map (e.g., white #5, yellow #9, etc.)

Operation: Assigning thread spools to design color stops We’ll walk through the eight-stop example to illustrate the process. The principle is the same no matter how many stops your design has.

1) Identify the first stop from your run sheet - Example: white is first. Confirm which spool holds white (e.g., #5). Tap stop 1 and select 5 on the screen. You should see stop 1 now associated with #5.

• Expected outcome: The first stop displays the chosen number for the white spool.

2) Advance to the second stop and assign it - Example: yellow is second and lives at spool #9. Tap stop 2 and select 9.

• Expected outcome: Stop 2 shows #9.

3) Continue through all stops - The sample sequence is: white (#5), yellow (#9), white (#5), white (#5), yellow (#9), brown (#10), light brown (#8), black (#6). Enter them in that exact order: 5, 9, 5, 5, 9, 10, 8, 6.

- Expected outcome: The full list on-screen mirrors the run sheet, stop-for-stop, number-for-number.

Pro tip: If your run sheet repeats a color (like white three times), you must still assign the spool number at each repeated stop. Don’t skip repeat entries—they are separate stops in the sequence. magnetic embroidery hoops

Quick check: After the first three stops, compare the on-screen first three numbers against the run sheet. If they match, continue; if not, correct now.

Watch out: Do not rely on the color shown on the screen button (e.g., “blue” on #4). Those are fixed indicators and unrelated to your actual thread selection.

If-then guardrails

• If a color’s spool number changes (you moved white from #5 to #2), then update every future stop that uses white; your mapping must always reflect current spool positions.

• If you’re unsure which spool holds a color, trace the thread path from the rack to the needle and confirm the number before assigning.

Operation checklist

• Every stop has a number assigned

• The numbers match your spool-to-color map and run sheet order precisely

• You rechecked the first few stops for accuracy before completing

Quality checks: Confirm your sequence before you stitch Here’s what “good” looks like at each milestone: - After assigning the first two stops: The numbers match the run sheet’s first two colors exactly.

- Midway (after 4–5 stops): The screen shows a growing, orderly list that parallels the run sheet; no skipped or duplicated entries appear unless the run sheet repeats them.

- Final pass (after all stops): The full sequence on-screen equals the run sheet sequence line-for-line (e.g., 5, 9, 5, 5, 9, 10, 8, 6).

Quick check: Cross off each stop on your printed run sheet as soon as it’s assigned. You should have no unchecked stops when you finish. magnetic hoops for embroidery machines

Pro tip: Take a phone photo of the final on-screen sequence next to the run sheet before starting. It’s an easy reference if you pause a job and return later.

Results & handoff: Save your mapping and move on When you’ve entered all stops and verified them against the run sheet, your Ricoma EM 1010 is effectively programmed for that design’s color sequence. The outcome you’re aiming for is a complete list of assigned spool numbers—one per stop—matching your run sheet’s order.

Typical next move: Proceed to staging and hooping for your sample or production run. Keep the run sheet with your project so anyone in your workspace can confirm the mapping before pressing start. hooping station for embroidery

Troubleshooting & recovery: Fixing color mistakes fast Symptom: The wrong color stitched at a stop

• Likely cause: The stop was assigned to the wrong spool number.

• Fix: Re-open color assignments, compare against the run sheet, and correct the misassigned stop(s). Re-run from the appropriate point if your workflow allows.

Symptom: The screen button color doesn’t match the thread I loaded

• Likely cause: On-screen colors are fixed and not editable in the demonstrated workflow.

• Fix: Ignore the on-screen color swatches; confirm the physical spool number and assign by number only.

Symptom: I have more than 10 colors in a very large design

• Note: The demonstrated sequence covers mapping to the machine’s numbered spools and does not show handling more than 10 colors. If your design exceeds available spools, plan your assignments so you can pause and remap at logical breaks; always confirm against your run sheet when you resume. ricoma embroidery hoops

Symptom: My design seems too big for the hoop I selected

• Community insight: Resizing designs after the fact can distort stitch quality; pick a design sized for your hoop. Many designs are sold in multiple sizes (e.g., 4x4, 5x7, 6x6). Choose the correct size first, then complete your color mapping.

Quick isolation test

• Compare the run sheet’s next color to your on-screen next stop number and the physical spool holding that color. If all three don’t agree, fix the mismatch before you stitch.

From the comments: Extra tips and answers

• Where do I get a run sheet? Many users print it from their embroidery software and keep it with the project. This gives you a reliable reference during mapping and sewing.

• Can I change the on-screen button colors? The demonstrated workflow ignores screen colors and assigns by spool number. Although one commenter suggested it might be possible to change them, no method was provided.

• I’m brand new—any basic advice? Start simple: prepare your run sheet, load threads, and map colors by number only. Use short test stitch-outs to build confidence with the sequence. mighty hoops for ricoma

Pro tip: For repeated jobs with the same color palette, keep a small card that lists your standard palette locations (e.g., 1=green, 5=white, 6=black, 8=light brown, 9=yellow, 10=brown). Update it if you move spools. mighty hoop 5.5

Watch out: If you rethread a spool between runs, update your mapping before you hit start on the next project—old assignments can send the machine to the wrong color.

Closing thought Once you treat the EM 1010’s screen as a simple number keypad—rather than a color picker—the entire process becomes straightforward. Your run sheet tells you the “what,” your rack gives you the “where,” and your assignments connect the two. That’s all you need for clean, predictable color changes. magnetic hoops