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Frequently
Asked Questions METALLIC THREAD &
THE SEWING MACHINE
Use for Embellishments and Quilting
-
-
By
Sharla R. Hicks ©1999 Exotic
threads and sewing machines are often a tempermental combination with breakage
and fraying problems. Sharla Hicks has outlined the following techniques to make
the metallic threads and fragile threads used in machine quilting and machine
applique more managable. Breakage or Fraying Problems? In the order
of importance, I do the following to make machine quilting with Exotic threads
more manageable. Occasional breakage is to be expected, even under the best of
circumstances! NOTE: What is UNREASONABLE BREAKAGE? Unreasonable
breakage is breakage that makes you want to scream--tear your hair out--and throw
the sewing machine out the door after about 10 minutes of working with exotics
threads that just will not sssttttoooopppp breaking! The following should help
you manage that uncontrollable urge of trashing a perfectly good sewing machine. Hint
1: Selecting the correct needle is imperative! In many cases a Large
Eyed Sewing Machine Needle reduces the friction on Metallic Threads resulting
in less breakage -- not all breakage will be gone, expect occasional breakage
to continue. Consider using a Top Stitch Needle, size 90 (14) or 100 (16).
Also check out the new needles available designed specifically for machine
embroidery that have a special grove and larger eye. If you can not find any of
these needles, use a Jean needle, size 100 (16). If unreasonable breakage
persists (not occasional breakage), go to Hint 2. Hint
2: If unreasonable breakage continues after completing Hint 1, loosen
the Top Tension down a half step at a time until the breakage is reduced.
When using the darning foot (freehand work), expect more breakage
(not a lot more, but some). When using a Walking Foot or a Standard Embroidery
Foot that fits the sewing machine a more stable tension is created, therefore,
expect much less breakage. If unreasonable breakage persists (not occasional
breakage), go to Hint 3. Hint 3: If
unreasonable breakage continues after completing Hints 1 and 2, setup a bead of
silicon on the surface of the sewing machine thread guides. (Note: This does not
eliminate occasional breakage, but it helps greatly.) Cut a crochet thread
(or similar heavy thread) 12" to 18" long. Run a bead of Sewer's Aide
or Needle Lube on the center 3-4". Use the lubricated section of thread like
dental floss and floss all threading points on the top of the sewing machine,
this includes the tension disc. REAPPLY whenever unreasonable breakage starts
up again. If unreasonable breakage persists (not occasional breakage),
go to Hint 4. Hint 4: If unreasonable
breakage continues after completing Hints 1 and 2 and 3, use the following technique.
Some machines are more sensitive than others and require the same thread on the
top and in the bobbin or require using a more stable thread in the bobbin. To
see which works best, experiment with regular, nylon, lingerie or metallic thread
in the bobbin. My last choice is metallic in the bobbin because of the expense.
If unreasonable breakage persists (not occasional breakage), go to the
next section.
Use the following Method
for
Metallic Threads that are Very Fragile! Hint
1: Very fragile Metallic Threads break less when wound on the
bobbin and used in the bobbin case. To have the metallic appear on the
front, consider the following simple yet effective method: Use a large print on
the back of the quilt and trace the outlines. This gives a wonderful overall design
on the front of the quilt in metallic. Hint 2:
When the Metallic Thread is on the bobbin, students always say to me,
"How can I follow the quilting pattern, it’s on the front?" To
transfer a quilting pattern from the FRONT of the Quilt to the BACK of the quilt,
use the following two-step method: Step 1: Using Nylon
thread on the top and in the bobbin, stitch over the quilting design on the front
of the quilt with a stitch length setting of 2 (10-12 for American made machines). Step
2: Then, change to the Metallic Bobbin and from the BACK of the quilt, stitch
over the previously sewn nylon lines. The nylon will blend with
the Metallic Thread and not show. Or, if you missed the nylon line, just pull
it out. (Note: Short stitch lengths are harder to pull out so follow the recommendation
in Step 1 above. ) To create textures with Metallic Threads
experiment with different designs using the darning foot and freehand designs.
Try hearts, flowers, zigzags, swirls, spirals, or any other pattern you can think
up, even try writing your name or little hidden messages over and over to create
the quilting pattern. Hints On "How
To" Wind a Metallic Thread Bobbin
Some threads can present problems when winding a bobbin.
Here are some tips on how to deal with various types of metallic thread:
- Elastic Thread (full bobbin): Evenly hand wind with
tension on the elastic thread as you are winding it on the bobbin.
- Fragile
Metallic (1/2-to full bobbin--these are often very thin threads and bobbins
fill more thread than regular thread, so 1/2 bobbin is often enough): Slowly and
carefully wind the bobbin - sometimes hand guiding the filling of
the bobbin on the sewing machine is necessary – you will probably have to
try several different threading techniques to find the one that works. If you
are unable to get a clean machine wound bobbin, hand wind.
- Thin
Yarn (full bobbin; example, needle punch yarn): Evenly hand
wind the bobbin firmly.
- Pearl Crown Rayon (full bobbin): --
Wind carefully on the machine, but you may have to hand wind.
- DMC
30 Crochet Thread: Wind carefully on the machine, but you may have to hand
wind.
- Ribbon Floss (full bobbin): Some people are successful
winding this thread on the machine. If not, evenly hand wind the
bobbin.
- Decor (full bobbin): Use the Machine first. This
usually causes little problems but if it does, hand wind.
- Heavy Metallic
Thread (full bobbin): Wind carefully on the machine, but you may have
to hand wind.
- Clear Nylon Thread (1/2 bobbin--don't cheat, you'll
be sorry, especially on the larger bobbins! A 1/2 bobbin of thin nylon is much
more than a bobbin of regular thread!): Wind slowly and carefully
on the machine. Winding the bobbin too fast can break the bobbin, expand the bobbin
so it does not fit properly, or embed the thread back into itself, rendering the
thread on the bobbin useless!
FAQ: Quilting Topics by Sharla Hicks
- ARTICLE: Metallic thread:
Use in Embellishments and Quilting by Sharla Hicks. Hints and tips on using
the sewing machine and appropriate needle sizes for different metallic threads.
-
FAQ: Computer Quilting Topics by Sharla Hicks and other authors 
-
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