Hi Friends,
I love the look of metallic thread in my embroidery projects but gosh darn that stuff is wirey and has a mind of its own. I also have some thread with two colors twisted together. It is so pretty but it twists between the spool and my machine and will catch on all sorts of stuff. That leads to jammed machines, broken needles and ruined projects. Yes, truly all three of those things have happened to me just from using difficult thread.
I have a couple of tips to hopefully help out and cause less grief when using this beautiful thread.
- Don’t leave your machine’s side. Don’t go get a drink, run to the bathroom, nothing. Stay right there while it stitches and keep an eye on it.
- Thread it through a sewing needle and then thread it through a packing peanut. You can see it in the picture. This gets loops out before the loop goes into the machine. It cost me $139.oo one time when a loop got hooked up in my machine and jammed it up requiring a couple new parts. Ugh!
- The metal piece you see just above my thread is my bobbin tension when winding a bobbin. Brother machine inventors, if you are listening to me, that was NOT a smart place to have that as I have had thread, not just metallic thread catch on it and when it does, it pulls that thread tight and I end up with a broken needle. What you don’t see in the photo is I have a small square of Glad Press and Seal, you know the stuff you use to cover food in the refrigerator, and I put that square of Press and Seal over the metal tension disk to keep thread from catching on it.
- Cover your thread with a piece of thread netting. That also helps keep the thread coming off the spool smoother.
- Slow your machine speed down. Again, this helps the thread come off the spool smoother.
- Don’t leave your machine’s side. Oh wait, I said that before! Yes I did, because it is that important when working with difficult thread that you babysit your machine. If you don’t do any of the other tips, DO THIS ONE!!
Metallic thread gives your machine embroidery an incredible look so I don’t want to scare anyone away from using it. Just know that using it requires a little more attention and care.
Embroidery Blessings and remember…
Be Creative Daily!
Nancy
Some really great tips. I have a Singer which has its own foibles. I never though I would ever have to baby sit a sewing machine, but I do. Mine knows when I turn away
Would like to make, for XMas, a scarf made of Anti-Pill Fleece for each of the resident ladies at the nursing home where my Mom now resides. Already bought the fabric but I need them distinguishable in some easy manner, so I thought about using embroidery stitching around the seams. Have never embroidered on my sewing machine and certainly never on fleece fabric. What “shiny” thread, not metallic at this late date. do you recommend? Should I use the same thread on the bobbin, if not, what thread should I use? One more huge favor, can you please send your response to my email address, I have a brand new laptop and don’t know if I can get back to this site. I am having a difficult time getting around this new laptop. Thank You
Be sure to use water soluble stalizer on the top of your fleece. The difference is worth the cost of the stabilizer.
Good point Maria. Thank you.
Nancy
Hi! What do you mean packing peanut??
Hi Adriana,
A packing peanut is a small piece of styrofoam. You can see it in the photo. Sometimes when you open a box that has something fragile packed in it, it is surrounded by these small pieces of styrofoam.
Hope this helps!
Nancy
I embroidered ‘mom’ on a fleece lap blanket and loved how the embroidery came out. I had a heart design with the word mom in it, I filled the heart so that it matted down the fleece, and cut out the word mom out of the heart. The result was a pretty textured heart with the word standing out in unaltered fleece. I used thread the same color as the fleece so only the texture was seen. Looked pretty.
I just read your comment and thanks for the information. I have a Brother embroidery machine and have shied away from using metallic or slick thread as I don’t want the frustration of ripping off stitches.. I’m going to try your method. Thanks again.
Never thought of threading it through a packing peanut, but at this point I will try. God knows I have tried everything else.
Hi can you tell me what is a packing peanut ??? Many thanks Mandy
Hi Mandy,
A packing peanut is a small piece of styrofoam. Sometimes when you receive something in the mail, it will be surrounded in hundreds of packing peanuts to help keep the item cushioned.
I tried this & it worked like a charm. I shared your blog on one of the ITH embroidery FB pages. It had almost 100 likes. So, everybody else loved the hints.
Thank you so much Cheryl for sharing. I truly appreciate it!! Hugs to you! ~ Nancy
What do you mean “thread it through a packing peanut?”
Hi Euna,
Take a threaded needle and stick the needle through the packing peanut to get the thread to go through it.
I hope this makes sense,
Nancy
There are 2 types of those packing peanuts that I know of.. one is made of cornstarch and is water soluble. Is this the one your using or the other one ?
Hi Carol,
The packing peanut I’m using here is made of Styrofoam.
Thanks for asking,
Nancy
I am having trouble with my regular thread fraying and getting bunched up in my machine. I am constantly having broken thread and having to retread and start again. Have any suggestions?
Hi Annette,
I have a few suggestions. First, have your machine cleaned thoroughly, especially between the tension disks. Second, when it is being serviced, have the service technician check it for any burs that may have formed. Burs will catch the thread and cause fraying. Third, make sure you are using a good quality thread. I hope this helps and good luck!
Nancy
May I add, if you’re using thicker stabilizer or doing appliqué you might have to go up a needle size or two. I’d been having trouble with my BabyLock Ellisimo for ever. Had it serviced, tried everything, bought new thread, etc. I was about ready to sell it. Then someone suggested the needle. Working beautifully now! It’s a cheap fix, that sometimes works!
Thank you Jamie for sharing this. Just a simple needle size change can make the difference.
Hugs!
Nancy
I find a top stitch needle works well. also fill the bobbin with the same top thread, and like you say slow the machine down. Many thanks for your blog.
Needle size is important. If your thread is shredding, change the needle and go up one size. Use the correct needle for the fabric you are sewing. Do this before you take the machine for service. A needle only costs about $1.00.
Thank you Susan, so true to have the right needle size. We forget that something so small can make a HUGE difference.
Hugs,
Nancy
Hi thanks for all the advice on here its brillent but could I add a comment please.
I tried everything on my brother embroidery machine to solve the metallic thread nightmare. At the point of heaving said machine through the window, I went to my sewing machine shop. Told him I TRIED THAT and that and that and then he said muffy what needle are you using ? I gave him a look that said ” do you think I am an idiot ?”
” I am using a metallic smetz one of course ” he replied chuck it out because it will never work. They should not be sold because they spread the thread ” I did not believe him I have to say. He handed me a top stitch needle and said now you try. So put it in the machine applied fabric with smug look to say watch the thread snap or shred. It did neither , it worked. I had a net over the thread on an upright seperate thread holder on the table. Threaded machine with the thread going through the bobbin winder tensioner, then normal threading. Now no problems at all. Whilst I was there I went to pick up some two tone colour thread but the colours I wanted were not there. He handed me a packet of new needles made by smetz. A single needle with 2 eyes. I thought I really must go get my eyes tested I can see 2 eye holes loll. Inserted the two colours I wanted through the one needle and hey ho I had the multi colour thread I wanted. Has anyone else used these needles ? Muffy
Hi Muffy,
Wow that is some great advice on metallic thread. Thank you so much for sharing that. As for a single needle with 2 eyes, I have NOT tried it. I have used a twin needle before but only a couple of times. Next time I go to the store I will have to pick up a double eye single needle. It would be fun to play around with.
Again, thanks for taking the time to fill us in on another great tip for working with metallic thread.
Hugs to you!
Nancy
I have not been embroidering long, maybe a year, but had that very same problem when I started out and couldn’t figure out for the life of Me why it would do it sometimes, then not other times, but what it was the whole time, I was just putting the spool on backwards and every time I did that the thread broke,got jammed, or the machine just started eating the fabric. If Your machine is like Mine the spool has to have the thread out to You then pulled toward the machine, not at the back side pulled toward the machine.
Like I said, I’m new, but I truly hope this helps.
Thanks Lisa for a great tip. Some embroidery threads you purchase are wound meaning as they come off the spool some come from the left and some come from the right. I think this is why some people will say their machine likes one thread better than others.
Hugs,
Nancy
Thank you
I see the packing peanut but I don’t see tha sewing needle
Hi Denise,
You thread a regular sewing needle just to get the thread through the packing peanut, but then you remove the sewing needle so you can go ahead and finish threading the machine. I hope this makes sense.
Nancy
Thanks for all your info and now I understand the needle threading bit👍
NOW it makes sense. Thank you.
I have a question. I have an Innovis2500d embroidery machine. It still embroiders, lately it seems that the pressor foot doesn’t drop far enough down near the hooped fabric. The stitches don’t seem as precise and pretty as before. I just had the machine serviced a few months ago. It has not been used much since then. Is there a way to reset that or will it cost me another sevrce charge?
Hi Joan,
Gosh, I don’t know how to make an adjustment like that on the machine. If you had your machine in recently, your service person should have recorded the stitches or time use of your machine. Perhaps they won’t charge you since it has been such a short time since its last service and since you haven’t used it much.
Wishing you luck with this and I hope you get it fixed soon,
Nancy
My Viking has an adjustment for presser foot pressure. The pressure can be increased or decreased for different fabrics or embroidering. Perhaps Joan Hammontree has an adjustment like that on her machine that has gotten changed.
That’s a great thought Sue. Many machines have that feature. Thanks for the idea!
Nancy
Joan, it is possible that during servicing, your settings were returned to their default settings. I have an Ellisimo, and on my machine, there is an icon at the bottom left of the screen which looks like a sheet of lined paper with one corner folded down. When I tap that, my settings pop up, and on the bottom of the first page, on my machine, (you can scroll through the pages), there is a setting for Embroidery Foot Height. You change the height by tapping the plus or minus signs.
I am certain you have something similar on your machine, since I believe yours is the equivalent of the BabyLock Ellageo.
Good luck!
Hi Joan, you could try adjusting the presser foot tension on your machine and that should lower the foot some. Also check your manuel or contact Brother.
Thanks Helen for adding this tip to our collection.
Blessings,
Nancy
Hi! My machine does that same thing when I stop using it. I usually have to make the design a couple of times. Like five times 😢😢after the my machine starts making the design nice again. Not sure if this would help you.
Some speciality threads feed better when they are vertical due to the way they wound.
Hi Donna,
That is so true. Thanks for adding another great tip!
Nancy
Slowing down the machine works well along with putting the thread on a stand that is two feet from the machine. Thread has enough time to relax. In addition I use a metallic needle and haven’t encountered any more problems.
Hi Linnell,
Yes! Great suggestions! Thanks for sharing them.
Nancy
What is a packing peanut please?
Hi Janette,
A packing peanut is a small piece of Styrofoam about 1″. They come indifferent shapes but some of them look like peanuts. They are used when boxing up a fragile item, you put packing peanuts around the item to keep it from breaking during shipping.
Thanks for asking!
Nancy
you should join our group on facebook called Furtura Embroidery group. Really is a good group. Ladies just starting out sewing, quilting and embroidering or ladies with lots of yrs of sewing. Lots of help and u can put pics of your finished project or if u r having a problem, take a pic and post it. It’s a good site and enjoy talking with people who have machines.
How does one get connected with this group?
Hi Barbara,
I don’t know if Kay will see this, but you should just be able to go to facebook and as along as you have an account there, do a search for Futura Embroidery Group and click join. It may take a day or so to get approved to join. As an FYI, I’m not a member of this group, just trying to help you out here.
Hugs,
Nancy
I’ve seen the picture with peanut & wonder how you keep it in place? Is that meant for metealic threads & have other threads been used.?Do you feel it’s action of the styrofoam, straightening it or some static that’s picked up?
Hi Sandra, It stays in place due to the thread running through it. There really isn’t a need to use it for other threads. Metallic thread can get an unruly twist to it which can wreck havoc with your machine as it can twist in the machine itself. It does not collect static, it is just another way to straighten out metallic thread. You’ve probably heard of people placing their spools of metallic thread on the floor and then running it up from the floor and through the machine, or even running it around the door handle to the room before threading the machine, that is just to straighten out those twists in the thread.
Hope this helps!
Nancy
Omg thank you for the info …..having sewn for years I just got a brother embrodery machine, I was so excited I bought myself this glitzy shiny thread ….by the time I finally gave up I had that thread all over my sewing room from top of ceiling fan to bottom of chair I just closed the door and left….so now I am ready to try it again with your great idea….thank you sooooooo much
Well, Well, Well, the more we live, the more we learn, thanks this is very interesting, and
looks very helpful, will try it.
thanks for all the tips. I love the look of metallic thread but hate using it. I tried putting the thread in the freezer, a lot of other things and still have issues. You have a few things that I will try. Can you give me the name of thread, or are you allowed? I used C and C and also another one from Sul. Both of these brands still did break. Any help? thanks
The thread in the photo is from Sulky and I still have to stitch with it slowly, but try BFC-stash for thread. I have not tried their metallic thread yet, but LOVE their regular poly thread. Next time I order from them I’m getting some metallic thread.
Hugs,
Nancy
Wow! So many great tips! Thank you! I have a Babylock Ellisimo Gold I I which I bought used. I have had so much trouble with it and was about ready to trade it in. The thread constantly shreds and breaks. I took it back to the shop to have it checked out. The tech couldn’t find anything wrong with it. He stitched out a design that was built into the machine and it did fine. Most of the designs I’ve tried are ones I’ve downloaded. I bought new thread from the shop, plus their brand of tear-away stabilizer but the thread still shreds and breaks. I want to hit it with a hammer. I’m going to try your tips–larger needle, topstitching needle, threading through bobbin tension. Thread net. I have a question about temporary adhesive sprays. My machine wont tolerate it at all yet they talk about using it on the instructional videos. Ive tried different brands and also tried the tacky stabilizer. Thread shredded and broke immediately. Do you have any suggestions for securing applique fabrics when you only hoop the stabilizer?
Hi Brenda,
You are so welcome for the tips. I truly hope they help.
As for spray stabilizers, I NEVER use them. I know some people do and with great results. I just don’t want that around my machine. I figure spray gets in the air and can then work its way into the machine.
If you’ve seen my videos, you will see I most often use painters tape. I use the painters tape if it is something I’m going to stitch and then cut around the applique portion. If it is something that has already been cut to exact size then I just use a children’s glue stick and it works well on most fabrics.
Hope this helps!
Nancy
I just found this site today (October 9). Regarding spray adhesive. The shop where I purchased my Babylock Ellisimo Gold recommends Sulky KK2000 spray adhesive. I have used several cans since I bought my machine and have had no problems with it.
All the tips were so helpful,THANK YOU!
I will be using most of the solutions. Didn’t know what the net was for that came with my BROTHER, there is so much to learn with these new models.
So glad the ideas helped!
Nancy
I have a brothers PE770. I have often wondered how to slow down the machine?? If anyone has any ideas please help! I am new to all of this. When I google I get sucked into new designs I “NEED” to buy. lol thanks!!
Hi Leigh,
I don’t have the PE770, I have the 1250D. For my machine I go into settings. I have to scroll through several pages in the settings but then I will get to speed. It gives me a choice of two different settings of stitches per minute 350 or 600. I just choose the slower of the two.
Hope this helps!
Nancy
I see the packing needle looks like it stays on the machine while you are sewing but I don’t have a place to put it on mine. I have a brother SE425
Naomi, maybe you could put in on the spindle next to the spool, and then add a small spool cap?
Wonderful discussion! Lots of great ideas, but hearing all the frustrations makes me wonder how many call the dealer/ shop where they purchased their machine. Most shops offer owner’s lessons/ free classes, but are willing to help with suggestions when something is going wrong. They really don’t want you to be unhappy with your machine! While every make & model has it’s own idiosyncrasies, certain things should be the same.
One more suggestion about fussy threads like metallic. The crinkly or flat ones DO develop a twist while making the turns through the machine, needle & bobbin side. Lower your speed & give the “Thread Pilot” a try. I think it’s worth it’s weight in gold! The needle DOES make a big difference. I haven’t heard of the double-eye needle, but will look for asap.
I will have to check out Thread Pilot. Thanks for the great suggestions Karen!
thank you so much for sharing your hints and tips with us. As I have a Brother Embroidery Inoves 2200 I value all the help I can get. I am working on a cover for it that has applique on the front and stitching in the centre of petals with metallic thread. A bit of a pain to work with but got there. I love my sewing and try lots of things.
Thank you Bev for writing. We share a love of stitching. 🙂 I’m sure your cover will turn out beautiful.
Hugs,
Nancy
I also reduce the top tension and use Dritz Sewer’s Aid to lube the eye of the needle. I also reduce the speed and use Superior needles. Still some trouble with breakage so I will try the bigger size. Great discussion!
Great additional tips Vickie!! Thank you for adding to this discussion.
Hugs,
Nancy
I’ve been using invisible thread in my bobbin and the metallic on top is this ok to do? I also do it with the two tone thread.
Hi Christie, You can use invisible thread, but I personally don’t. It can be kind of wirey and I only use it when necessary such as when stitching in the ditch for quilting and I don’t want the thread to show. I just use white embroidery thread that is made for use in the bobbin. It is lighter in weight than your top thread. Unless I want the thread to match both sides like a free standing lace project. For free standing lace, I wind the bobbin with exactly the same color as the top thread. I hope this makes sense!
Nancy
Great idea! Thank you. Geez I thought I was the only nut case who babysits their machine only with mine it’s every single embroidery project cause yep that machine knows when your back is turned ! Lol
The packing peanut tip is truly brilliant. I am about to attempt my first machine metallic thread sewing and was deliberately avoiding starting, like I do with the ironing! Am feeling more confident I won’t destroy my machine now. Thank you!
Can’t thank you enough for such wonderful tips!
I am so glad I came across your site, so many good tips, and a few laughs about babysitting the machine, I have to do this too!. I have just ordered my first double eyed needles, pack of 5 from Amazon, I’m looking forward to giving them a try. Many thanks again.
So glad you found me Linda!
Nancy
I wonder if the same thing helps sewing with a twin needle. Because the two threads keep coiling around each other before reaching the needle and after a while the threads pull the two needles into each other. I get back to you after a trial.
Chantal try not putting one of the threads around the last “hook” immediately above the needle. So … one thread goes through the hook, the other doesn’t – it just kind of flaps around but it will still stitch okay. Also, slow down the speed.
Nancy, thank you for your tips. Personally, I find the greater distance between the thread and the first thread guide, the more chance the metallic thread has to get kinks – I don’t find the kinks come out over the distance at all. Just makes ’em worse. So I like the look of your set-up with the thread going straight into the packing peanut and then into the guide. My first thought however was that the tension created by going through the peanut would be too great. Surely the peanut would be gripping the thread? Obviously not, since it works so well for you. I always have problems using thread nets – they grip the thread too tightly and won’t let it wind off. Maybe I’m just not using them correctly. (Unashamed hint for a follow-up blog post!)
Regarding the needle – I was given a great tip by a sewing friend for stitching with metallic thread – a Size 90 Stretch needle. Anyone having issues with shredding – give this one a try. Works for me. BTW I have a Husqvarna Ruby machine.
Thanks Pam,
And I like the idea on a thread net blog post. 🙂 I don’t use them either – only because I’ve lost mine! Ugh!!
There is virtually no tension on the thread going through the peanut. It just glides right through. Will try the Size 90 Stretch needle next time.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Nancy
What is holding the peanut in place?
Hi Pam, It is held there by the thread going through it. That is all.
Nancy
Makes sense. If I am every fortunate enough to have an embroidery machine I will remember these tips.
Nancy you mentioned your videos. Where will I find those? You tube? I found this blog very informative. Thanks!
Thank you so much Susan.
Here is the link to my YouTube channel.
Have a great day!