Newbie Thread Question

I use Brother metallics........they never break and are very pretty sewn up......Just a world of difference from the other metallics I have tried.

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Hi Tia Mary, You also might try stringing out the thread away from the machine so it gives it a chance to relax before it hits the machine. I use Yenmet and even generic metallics. Hope this helps. Linda

-- Sugar & Spice Quilts by Linda E

HMMM -- where do you get the Brother threads? I have a Janome machine and I wonder if their brand would work better? Need to get some different types and see what works best in my machine :-)). Thanks & CiaoMeow >^;;^< . PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< Queen of Kitties Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their WHISKERS!! Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

I have a Janome and have been thinking about getting that thread gizmo that holds 5 or 6 spools. Do you think something like this would work as far as being away from the machine a bit? If not, I can just put the thread on the serger (sits right next to the sewing machine) and run it over to the sewing machine. I dont have any "good" metallics yet. All the machine emboridery I have done for the last two years has been florals and monograms. I have only used rayons and have a ton of Sulky for that. The metallic I have that worked the best (only broke once) is Coats & Clark and I have had it for umpty-million years! I bought it so long ago that you couldn't even find other metallics in the fabric stores and an embroidery machine was barely a gleam in my eyes -- LOL! I used the stuff to do decorative outline stitching designs on holiday table linens and it worked just fine for that. The other stuff I tried is from Dritz and it's the pits!!! Nasty stuff and I won't be using it for machine

*anything* again! Have to take it and put it in with my hand embroidery stash! I'll get a spool of the Sulky as it is readily available and see how that works. The embroidery card I have just gotten has designs for multiple holidays so I need to go to the store and buy some more rayons anyway :-)))! AHHH , any excuse for a Stash Enhancement eXperience -- LOL! CiaoMeow >^;;^< .

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< Queen of Kitties Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their WHISKERS!! Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

Hi again, Your thread may be dried out too. I have a thread spool holder on my Bernina 200 and it made a huge difference. With the metallics I still put them at a distance. Another thing you might try is to slow the motor down. I have heard that this reduces the friction. I don't use rayon except for the varigated colors. My Bernie doesn't much care for Rayon as a steady diet.

HTH, Linda

-- Sugar & Spice Quilts by Linda E

Hi, Just got this is my e-mail after reading your post to the group!

Dear Emma,

When I use Metallic thread, it will often rub off while going through the eye of the needle this leads to thin thread spot with out the glisten of the thread and often then will break. With Christmas coming soon, I have many designs that would look nice done in metallic thread but it is frustrating have to rethread and back track so often. This happens while using metallic needles as well. When using metallic thread are you suppose to change the tension or something else to make it not break?

Thank you,

M Baugh

Dear Margaret,

Sounds like you might just be using the wrong metallic thread. If you haven't tried YenMet metallic thread you've really missed the joy of using metallic thread. It's made a little different than other metallics. Most metallic threads are twisted around a core. Once the metallic fibers are shredded the only thing that gets sewn into your fabric is the core. YenMet is made with a nylon core and the metallic fibers are wrapped around the core. It is finished with a polyester coating so that it stays together much better. This is the only metallic thread I would recommend can be used on your serger and even in the bobbin. It's very good and very strong. You will soon lose your frustration over using metallics. Whenever I use YenMet, I rarely have to change the type of needle I'm using or the tension. I just put it on the machine and sew as usual. Give it a try. If your dealer doesn't carry it, you can order it from

Happy "Em"broidering

Emma snipped-for-privacy@oesd.com

I get them from a Brother dealer------not cheap but trouble free...........If the dealer is a long way from you perhaps they will mail them for you..........that's what I do to avoid a 40 minute drive.........

This might sound crazy, but for some threads I use a plastic tub - like a margarine tub - with a skewer poked through horizontally to hold the spool of thread. From there, I route the thread through a coffee mug handle, then to my machine. Rube Goldberg is alive and well! But for some threads this is the difference between being able to use them, and being driven crazy by thread crawling back up on itself, snarling and tangling and breaking. I'm sure there are products available (for over $100, most likely) that would accomplish the same thing, but this works for me.

I also stick a tiny bit of cotton ball on double-faced tape on the front of the machine just above the needle. I put Sewer's Aid on that - just a drop - and make sure the thread passes over it on the way to the needle. This way, the substance doesn't go through the tension and gunk it up.

Thanks to one and all for the WONDERFUL tips on working with metallics :-)). I am having so much fun with the new memory cards and I was a bit disappointed that I might not be able to use the metallics. With all of this wonderful advice and the great hints, I am sure I will manage to get all those Silver Bells stitched up in no time!!! CiaoMeow >^;;^< PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< Queen of Kitties Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their WHISKERS!! Nothing is complete without a few cat hairs!

You have gotten a lot of great advice already on using metallic threads, but I wanted to share a technique I use that works flawlessly even on the worst metallic threads.

This technique is very time consuming, so good thread is is probably the way to go on most designs, but this will help you use the offending thread up, instead of leaving it sitting on a shelf.

It's great to have one of those thread "stands" with the spindle for the spool and then the long arm to rest the thread across before it goes to the machine. I found that moving this away from the machine to let the thread "relax" before it got to the tension things just made things worse for me, rather than better. My problem was that the thread would come off the spool, and then "relax" enough to have some thread "double up" on itself just like yarn does when you hold an end tight in each hand, twist and then move your hands towards each other. This "doubling up" would always occur between the spool and the top of the "arm" that the thread went through, but the loop on the arm didn't straighten it out, it just passed right over it and straight into my machine. This is what was always making my thread break.

Now what I do is ad an extra layer of "tension" to the mix, but it's human tension, which makes it, as I said, very time consuming. Basically, I run the thread over my finger between the spool and the "arm" of the thread holder. Using both hands, I am able to make sure that the thread doesn't "relax" enough to double up on itself before it gets to the tension mechanisms in the machine. If I'm not right on top of it and can't keep the "doubling up" from happening, I'm right there and can stop the machine in time to unravel the thread myself, before it causes a break.

Before I adopted this strategy, the metallic threads I had were breaking every minute or two. Thanks to this new method, I haven't had a single metallic thread break on me since.

HTH ~LaffinMom

On my machine I have to increase the thread tension quite high when using metallics, like normal thread is tension setting 3, metallics are 5-6 I have had much better results with little or no breakage, maybe once during the stitchout. I have also noticed the intensity of the design might have something to do with it too, if the threads are too densely stitched. So I sometimes have to adjust the design before starting. Good luck.

Sometimes the problem isn't with the thread. I use all sorts -- But I use a metallic thread needle and it make sew smoothly and without catching.

Dru