When Threads Break...

Quality Thread

If you want a good result – use a good thread. Mettler Polysheen is a great thread that is smooth and durable, whilst still having a great sheen. It’s durability assists with running the thread through your machine smoothly and with few problems.

Tension

If your tension is too tight or too loose, it can affect the way the thread goes through the needle, causing breakages. Look at your design and see if there are pulls around the edges of the design (white bobbin fill showing through) – telling you that your tension is too tight, or loops on the top of the embroidery – telling you that the tension is too loose. Before you change the tension dial, check that the thread is correctly wound through the gauges, re-test, then alter your tension dial.

Needle

Experts tell us that our needles should be replaced every 6-8 hours of sewing. Most embroiders only replace needles when they break. The standard should probably be somewhere between the two extremes. If your thread is breaking, 8 out of 10 times it will be because the needle needs replacing. Just because we cannot feel the burr on the needle, doesn’t mean it isn’t there – replace and watch the difference it will make!

Design

Sometimes it can be the design. Has your design been re-sized (if the stitches are too close together it can affect the stitch out and cause bunch ups that will break threads and needles) – is the design properly stabilised? A good rule of thumb is that if the same problem occurs more than once in the same place (new stitch out) then it is possibly the design, and the creator should be contacted.

So – to sum up, use great thread (such as Mettler Polysheen), thread properly, check your tension and needle, make sure the design hasn’t been altered, and your embroidery should turn out perfectly.