Embroidery can be hard

A bit ago I decided to knock off an Anthropologie cardigan, because I saw someone else doing it, and I like to copy. Not really. I just liked the sweater. So I went to the thrift store, and I didn't find a cardigan that I thought would work. Went to Walmart, and the same. But Walmart had women's 3XL sweatshirts on clearance for $3, and I thought, hmm. So I bought 3, took them home, and cut them up. Here's what I've got so far:

I cut it down the front and back, and took out quite a bit of fabric from each. Sewed the backs together with some shaping, and took in about a foot from each side. Ok, not really, but it was probably close. I took in the sides, and made the sleeves fitted. Cut off the ribbing, too. So now I have a sweatshirt cardigan. Then I knitted some 1x1 ribbing and sewed it to one cuff. I like it. I tried the embroidery, but it's hard. And I broke my yarn needle. I think I need a very large metal needle with a big, big eye. 

I only did 3 "v"s of embroidery before I broke the needle, and I'm pretty sure they took as long as knitting the cuff. I need a different strategy. I figure that I've got time, though, because it won't be cold enough to wear this here until probably November, unless we get a freak cold snap, or if the air conditioner at work goes haywire and I have to wear sweaters in the lab. Could happen.