Can someone please tell me how to use sticky stablizer and not get the sticky residue on the needle causing the threat to break over and over and over?

Goodness, I just saw this question, sorry to have missed it. 

Here are a couple of things that I have noticed.  These may or may not be the exact answers, but your issues (there are actually 2 of them) are some of my personal favorites/frustrations.

Starting with the sticky stabilizer -

• Adhesive stabilizer (AS) has a tendency to age very quickly.  I encourage you to buy as small a portion as you can use in a 6 month (approximate) size. 
  
• Any adhesive goes bad. 
  
• Some AS is just not good.  I have used some that was not even good for using as fly paper. 
  
• Most times I prefer to pin my project, then baste it before beginning. 
  
• AS tends to gum up your needle, sometimes, even the good ones will do that occasionally.

Then there is the breaking thread -I am not sure I am the best one to answer this one - I have this problem as well.  I am told -

• Change the needle, it could have a very small nick somewhere on it.
• You may be using a needle that is too small for the thread.  As a general rule, embroidery calls for #12 needle.
• Thread could be old, if you got it on sale, it is likely to have been on the shelf too long and the vendor needs to move it out.
• The thread could be just bad. See my blog on the care and feeding of thread.
• I really prefer Madeira threads but I do have other threads for various reasons.  Madeira works best for me but some other people swear by different brands.
• Bargain thread is not a bargain - usually.  There seems to be some up and comers who are making embroiderers look twice.  Your machine may prefer one thread to another.  Yes, Virginia, machines can be that tempermental.

I hope you get more responses to these questions.  There are certainly more tips to be entered on these issues.

Pat, The Avid Embroiderer