I was looking through my users guide to my embroidery machine. It states to use "Embroidery Thread #50" for the top, and "#60 - #90 Synthetic Thread" for the bobbin. Can you tell me what the numbers mean, and what what brands you would suggest? I know from old sewing days that #50 thread was a cotton thread. Is this the same?
Thank you.
Beth,
The thread number refers to the weight of the thread, i.e. the higher the number, the thinner the thread. For embroidery, the bobbin should have #60 weight thread because you don't want a lot of bulky thread on the back of your fabric. It's easy to find both white and black #60 weight thread made specifically for embroidery by several different thread makers (I like OESD's). Most designs are digitized to use a #40 weight for the top thread. There are exceptions, but the design should tell you when a thicker thread (#30 weight) is needed.
There are many good quality polyester embroidery threads out there, ranging from $1.50 to $6.00 per spool. They have a lovely sheen to them and wear well. Rayon and metallics also exist, but don't usually wear as well if embroidered on something that is washed frequently, and some people have problems with finding the right needle that doesn't fray the thread during embroidering.
Happy Embroidering! Santis
Yes Santis explained it quite well. I did a quick search and found this link with a nice chart.
I've been using #40 for top and bottom on my PE-150 and have never had any problems. I do use large 5000m spools for the bobbin. And there is no reason not to use "cheaper" quality bobbin thread than "the good stuff" that will be seen in the design.
I "invented" a trick for doing bobbins: Rather than waiting for a bobbin to become exhausted in the middle of a design, necessitating all sorts of problems, unhooping, backing to the point where the bobbin ran out [or often having to go FORWARD thru an entire color because you run out near the end of that color and the machine will only back up so far thru a color ], and rather than changing out a bobbin BEFORE you run out and having to spend time taking the remaining thread off the bobbin, to only throw it away, what I do is this:
I always start with a new (freshly wound) bobbin, unless I'm doing a VERY small design. I "collect" all my partially used bobbins. I'm not big on wasting money on throw aways, so I get an additional psychic boost from not buying throw away pre-wound bobbins -- NOT THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THOSE, REALLY. I went on EBAY and bought a dozen Brother bobbins inexpensively to use for this. When I've exhausted my supply of wound bobbins I just take all these bobbins and reload them.
I DON'T take off the remaining thread on the bobbins (remember, I stop using them BEFORE they are exhausted). What I do is place the almost empty bobbin on the bobbin rewinder and then make a small single overhand knot to my big 5000m bobbin thread. I snip off the excess on the knot and start rewinding the bobbin. I do this with my entire collection of partially empty bobbins at a sitting, which doesn't really take much time at all. I'm sure it takes LESS time to do it this way than pulling off the remaining bobbin thread from a partially exhausted bobbin, and is surely less wasteful.
I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH THE KNOT IN THE BOBBIN THREAD CAUSING ANY FAILURES.
Cheers,
Bob
We've had good luck using Excel serger thread in bobbins for embroidery.
Wow! I would think you're playing with fire...but perhaps not. I'll bounce this idea off the boss and see what she says.
gwh
On another group I got this additional idea: Next to the post where you put the bobbin to rewind it there is an eccentric (oval or egg shaped) "feeler" that tells the machine when the bobbin has "enough" thread wound, to stop the rewinding motor. There is a single screw (on my PE-150) that allows adjustment of this stop clutch mechanism; right on top, very easy to do this. When you turn the "egg" you will be able to adjust the amount of thread wound on the bobbin. I am going to get a lot more thread wound on my bobbins now!!!!
Bob
Walt & Cheri Carroll wrote in message news:ONc4b.63068$ snipped-for-privacy@news1.calgary.shaw.ca...
What a great idea!! Thanks for sharing that. I'm always frustrated by how little my bobbins hold.
Julie
Just be careful not to adjust it to get too much. Then you can get an incredible mess. As Penny would say, "Ask me how I know."
:-)
DaveJ
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.