Home › Problems? (Part 1) | Is It Me, The Thread, Or The Machine?
Problems? (Part 1) | Is It Me, The Thread, Or The Machine?
When I have problems using a particular thread, how can I tell if the problem is with the thread or with the machine?
Because there are many factors involved in sewing the perfect stitch, it is not always simple to find the cause when things don't go right. Here is a good place to star. Put the thread on a different machine. If you have another machine, try the thread on that one and see if it works. If you don't have another machine, try it on a friend's machine. If the thread runs fine on the other machine, then we know that the problem is with the first machine and not with the thread.
The first place to check is the needle. Make sure the needle is in good condition and is the right size. Remember, most decorative threads require a size 90/14 or larger. The topstitch needle is recommended.
The second place to check is the upper tension setting and tension area. When running decorative threads, the tension needs to be loosened. On a scale of 0 to 10 (with zero being no tension), loosen the tension all the way down between 1 and 2. If that is too loose, resulting in looping on the underside, ease back up slowly until you get the perfect stitch. Make sure the tension disk area is free of lint.
If you are running a metallic or a flat hologram thread, a smooth bobbin thread will work better than a linty bobbin thread. Cotton and spun poly threads are hairy or fuzzy. They can grab the top thread and that is OK for some top threads, but may not be OK for sensitive top threads. Hold a strand of thread up to the light and you can see which threads are more fuzzy. The small hairs come off in your machine as lint. All cotton and spun poly threads will have some degree of fuzz and cotton sheds more than poly. The higher the quality, the less fuzz. Filament polyester (not monofilament) threads are smooth and have no lint. Examples of smooth, lint-free filament threads are The Bottom Line, Rainbows, and Highlights, So Fine, Living Colors, Nature Colors, Art Studio Colors, and LAVA.
If a cotton or spun poly thread works well but a smooth filament polyester thread is breaking, the problem might be a burr. Smooth filament threads are more susceptible to needle burrs, lint buildup, snags, and rough spots in the thread path than are spun threads such as cotton and spun poly. Here's why: Remember when you had a rough fingernail that easily snagged nylons or other fabrics? It snags smooth fabrics such as nylon much easier than it snags on a cotton t-shirt. If a burr or a rough spot or a cluttered tension disk along the thread path snags a spun thread (cotton or spun poly), it will grab a piece of the thread and pull it out, creating a piece of lint, and the thread keeps on going, barely noticing that it lost a small piece of lint. However, on a smooth non-spun thread such as a filament poly or rayon, when a burr or rough spot or a cluttered tension disk snags a piece of the thread, there isn't a piece of lint to give and as a result, it may fray or break. You can save a lot of frustration by changing the needle every 6-8 hours of sewing time and by keeping your machine clean, and in good condition. Your sewing machine dealer can check for burrs.