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Success: machine quilting with nylon thread!

Thanks to everyone who wrote to encourage me to keep trying with nylon thread. I had previously experienced constant problems with the thread breaking. I've changed two things, so I don't know which one made the difference:

  1. On advice from someone in this group, I switched to a smaller needle--am having success with a Schmetz size 10. (Had tried a 12 before.)
  2. I noted that Harriet Hargraves recommends putting the nylon thread on the table, near the machine, taping safety pins to the machine and running the thread through them. It occured to me that my Juki has a support rod you can pull way up, with two loops in it, to use when one is threading the bobbin. I decided to put the nylon thread right in the usual spot for thread, and to run the thread up through both of those loops before threading the needle. This gives the same effect-- the thread goes straight up, so doesn't tangle.

Whichever is working, or maybe both, I find this a winning combination, and am now having no problems at all. It even seems to look better--not so shiny, but I have ordered the Sew-Art International thread HH recommends, in smoke, to see if I like that even better. Thanks to everyone who answered my plea.

Reply to
barbhunt
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From personal experience, I would have to say having the nylon thread "further away" is the thing helping the most. I have a multiple spool thread stand attached to my machine and always use it for specialty threads. Stuff like rayon, nylon, tri-lobal poly, metallics, etc. seem to need more space between the spool and the machine so that they can sort of unwind or something. I do know that people without any sort of special thread holder set up go to all sorts of lengths to find a way to get the spool of specialty thread away from the machine -- like the set up Harriet Hargrave recommends. O think the easiest thing to do is put the spool of thread in a cup or something similar. Tape a paperclip to the side of the cup and use it as a thread guide. Set the cup at a level with the top of the sewing machine and thread the machine as you normally would. It works great -- I tried it before I got the special spool holder for my machine. Regardless of *why* it works, it just does and makes sewing with specialty threads. MUCH easier! CiaoMeow >^;;^<

PAX, Tia Mary >^;;^< (RCTQ Queen of Kitties) Angels can't show their wings on earth but nothing was ever said about their whiskers! Visit my Photo albums at

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Reply to
Tia Mary

I just put mine into a glass jar (tall one) , run it thru the normal threaders and have at it. Never have had the thread bounce outta the jar but I'm not speeding either. I did notice that with the Pfaff I had to tape a paper clip to the back edge of the machine to avoid the lid. Other than that, using the metallic needle, and going a bit slower I haven't encountered any of the aforementioned problems. Been using the glass jar ever since they first came out with the 'specialty threads' a few years ago.

HTH Butterfly

Reply to
Butterflywings

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