How To Thread Your Sewing Machine Needle
by Kelsi Watts
- Place a spool of sewing thread on your machine
- Pull the thread out and wind it around your bobbin
- Put the bobbin on your machine's bobbin pin
- Engage the bobbin winder by pressing the peddle
- Cut and wrap the spool thread around the guide
- Pull the thread down around the catch
- Wrap the thread around the takeup lever
- Lastly, thread the needle and drop in your bobbin
Engage your thread guide to keep thread in place
The thread guide on your home sewing machine is a small metal hook-shaped ring typically located on the upper needle assembly. By running thread through the thread guide it is kept in place during the sewing process.
Engage the thread guide to keep the thread moving smoothly between the spool and needle and to avoid frustrating tangles.
How to spot good bobbin thread
Good bobbin thread is as strong as any sewing machine top thread. Go ahead and compare their tensile strength by seeing how easily they break. Pull the bobbin thread tight and scratch it lightly to see if it frays. Good bobbin thread should not be any more breakable than standard high quality thread.
When to use cone thread
The term 'cone thread' simply means a larger spool holding more thread than your average spool of thread. It's called cone thread because of the shape of the spool which is cone-shaped (wider on one end).
The two main benefits of cone thread are a) the ease with which the thread comes off the narrow end of the cone and b) how much additional thread it contains for larger sewing projects.
Spotting a good quality sewing thread
Sewing machines require good quality sewing thread to work optimally. You can spot good quality thread by giving it a good pull and by lightly scratching at it with a fingernail. If the thread breaks or frays you may want to use a higher quality thread with your sewing machine to avoid frustrating thread breaks.
Cone thread use on your sewing machine
Cone thread as it's most often referred to is just regular sewing thread on a larger spool. You can use 'cone thread' on your home sewing machine though it's likely you will first need to add an attachment to make it work properly.
Cones of thread are larger than regular spools of thread and may not fit on your standard spool holder.
You can use any thread in a bobbin
Quality of thread makes a difference, however, any thread can be used to fill a bobbin. I highly recommend using only the best quality bobbin thread you have available but in a pinch you can use any thread in your sewing machine bobbin with good results.
Bobbin thread does not need to be the same color
When your top thread tension is properly set on your sewing machine the bobbin thread will not be visible in the finished product. For that reason your bobbin thread does not need to be the same color as your top thread. To be safe avoid using high contrast color combinations, however, typically any bobbin thread color will work.
Simple trick for testing thread quality
Hold a length of thread between your thumb and finger and press against the thread lightly with your thumbnail. Pull the thread gently and let your nail lightly 'scratch' the thread. A high quality thread will remain tightly bound but a low quality thread will develop small, broken and loose fibers that point outwards.
Thread to use for Overlocker machines
For great results on your overlocker machine use good quality, branded, lint free thread. Overlocker thread comes on spools which are larger than traditional sewing machine spools and they are designed to stand upright on the machine.
The reason you want a branded thread with the company name marked on the spool is because you'll know the company stands behind the quality of their product.
