If your machine has a thread cutter, some types can get caught between the blades of the cutter and render it inoperative. Metallic thread creates a different type of challenge to your machine. Using what your mother or grandmother used is not always a safe plan. Sadly many of the brands that previous generations sewed with have cut corners and quality to stay competitive. For any given thread brand, though, there will be some users who say their machine “hates” it, and others who claim it’s the only thread that their machine will sew with. You can usually rely on online opinions from Facebook, Pinterest, and other social networks. Many suppliers in Asia sell unbranded thread of varying quality, which online sellers can sell under their own label. Buying thread online may not always be a good choice. Chain and “big box” stores will usually sell the lowest priced threads, which are also low in quality. Most dealers that sell thread will carry good quality products. In general dealers will opt for replacement rather than disassembling and cleaning the case. At that point it will be necessary to either clean the clot from the bobbin tension, or replace the case. Eventually the bobbin tension screw will be turned all the way down and it cannot be tightened any more. Fixing this leads to tightening the bobbin tension, which does little to correct the problem. Little by little the tension is reduced until you see bobbin thread coming up during embroidery. In severe cases it may be so bad that there is no top tension, making it impossible to sew without creating a bird nest on the bottom.Ĭheap thread in the bobbin sheds fibers behind the tension spring in the bobbin case. This clump will prevent the discs from closing fully, resulting in loops on the bottom of the fabric. When used in the top of the machine it will pack up between the tension discs, forming a clump. As you sew this type of thread will shed fibers in one of two places. Cheap thread often has slubs, or thick places where the fibers were not twisted tightly enough. High quality thread will be smooth in appearance, with no “whiskers” visible when it’s held up to the light. This is a big mistake! There is a huge difference between thread that costs $7 per spool and thread priced at $1.99 per spool. Unfortunately a lot of people compromise on thread to compensate for the amount of money that they have spent on their machine. Thread quality varies widely, and so do the prices of it. Next to fabric, thread is probably the item most consumed in the sewing process.

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