How do you UNTHREAD your machine?

[Dawn S.]

I once heard that all top thread should be snipped near the spool, and pulled out through the needle or just above it. It supposedly is not good for the machine for the thread to be pulled out from the top. So, I want to do what is best for my machine. I tried to research this online, and really didn't find much.

With the price if thread going up (my Aurifil spool went up to $14.75 recently, from $12) all those snips for every thread change can add up! And, there are times when I loose the thread end because it has pulled up into never-neverland where everything is totally inaccessible, so I have no choice but to pull it out through the top.

I want to do what is best for this new sewing machine. I do cringe every time I have to pull the thread out through the top. Sooooooo, I was just wondering if it really makes a difference over time, which way you pull your thread. Can it leave lint inside because it is pulled backwards? Does it wear a groove because it is pulled backwards? Has an instructor or a service technician said anything either way? Thanks in advance for any comments or information on this!!!

Dawn

[wendy w.]

Dawn I've heard this advice as well and I think it's because there is often fluff collected at the top of the needle which would get taken up into the tension disks by pulling from above. So I reckon that if you clean your thread before pulling it from the top the risk is negated. I try and remember to take it out from underneath but I usually forget.. I agree some threads are too precious to cut long lengths off.

[wendy w.]

On industrial machines we are taught to cut the thread near the cone/spool and then to knot the next colour onto the end and pull it through, much quicker than rethreading the machine every time. However at home on my Janome lock stitch do I do this - nope, I pull the thread back and wind it on the spool regardless. Haven't notice a problem yet that I can think of. (But I do do this for my overlocker/serger, cos it is much easier than rethreading the machine).

[Rita C.]

I was told to cut the thread at the top before it goes through the tension discs and to pull the thread from the needle end - but it's important to pull thread towards the back of the machine otherwise you can bend the needle. What I do is to take the thread out of the needle and then pull it towards the back. I think it is because you can mess up the tension discs if you pull the thread up at the top. I agree with you about the cost of thread Dawn, it seems so wasteful as it is usually about 16-18 inches worth of thread that is pulled out. I can't believe you have to pay that much for a spool of Aurifil thread. That's more expensive than here! I pay anywhere from €7.50 to €9.50 which is between $8 and $10. Hard to believe it's almost a euro to a dollar now.

[Geneva C.]

Darn! I wish you hadn't posted about this. Here I was happily unthreading my machine from the top, winding the thread onto the spool. Now I need to feel guilty when I do this. Maybe I should eat some chocolate whenever I unthread my machine. That way I can feel guilty about that, instead of the thread issue. At least I'd get some benefit from all those guilty feelings!

geneva

[Dawn S.]

Rita, the spools I was referring to are not the smallest, but the next size up. I cannot tell from looking on the end how many yards are on them, but that is probably because they are universal, AND made in Italy. You are either referring to the smaller spool, or they are less expensive because they do not need to be shipped across an ocean. Once I sign out of TQS, I can toggle over to Aurifil and see how many yards are on a spool. (It reads GR30, MT1300 for my MAKO 50/2 weight. I think the MT1300 is the amount on the spool, but I have no clue what MT means. Meters of thread?)

Dawn

[Dawn S.]

Geneva :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Wendy, yeah, I'm kind of liking and understanding that linty reasoning! Very good point! Even though I use good thread, there is still always a bit of lint around the top of the needle area.

Hmmmm, Rosemary.........I'm knot sure (pun intended) I'd care to feed a knot through my tension discs. Maybe industrial machines are different, I really don't have a clue about those, but will probably knot try that with my new machine. Besides, it takes like 2 seconds to thread it, including the threading of the needle.

Dawn

[Rita C.]

Yes Dawn, that's the same size - 1300 metre spools. But I must say I really love the Aurifil thread and so do all my machines. :cheer:

[Nancy R.]

The Bernina service people definitely say to cut the thread before the tension disks and pull it out through the front. But I've always pulled it up through the top and wound it back on the spool and have never had a problem with either of my machines. I got the sense that it wasn't a lint issue, but that the thread would do some damage to the tension disks, but I never asked the details since I'm pretty stubborn about continuing to do things my way. :whistle:

[Nancy R.]

Yep as per Bernina serve pull down thru the tensions disks, cleans and pulls along any fuzz or loose thread.

[Lorna B.]

Once when I came back to my sewing machine after a day or two break and went to remove the spool, but didn't realize it was still threaded. It did do something to the insides. Had to take her in to get it sorted. I have noticed that if foot is down there is tension on the thread and you can't pull from the top. So I am not sure if that happened that time. Otherwise, I often still gently pull from the top to remove in order to save thread. Sometimes I will cut at spool and remove from bottom.

[wendy w.]

Straight after reading this my top thread got jammed, first time ever and broke off pulling it through from bottom and then top. Luckily released it from up and down army thing when side removed. Scared of reading any more topics :lol:

[wendy w.]

If you want Dawn, I will buy for you some threads will send it via the mail, will write on the envelope gift as well value of 7 $ so they will not charge you extra money.
this way you will enjoy the price in Europe (you will pay my sister that lives in the NY) .

Or if you want you can visit Europe....enjoy the quilt world here, and buy a lot of threads

becky
The Netherlands

[wendy w.]

Well, I had no clue about this! Yikes. I have noticed linty stuff up in the inside....no wonder! I guess I'll start unthreading the right way now.....drat.

(I keep reminding myself that thread is at least a good deal less expensive for me here than it was in Brazil!)

[Catherine S.]

I guess I am set in my ways too. (And thrifty!) I make sure the presser foot is up and pull thread back up to the top and rewind on spool. I think I have seen my Bernina dealer do this also. I will ask her the next time I see her. She is also a repair service tech so she should know which is best. On my longarm, I do like Rosemary, cut the thread at the spool and tie on the new thread and pull it through. That is what was taught by the Gammill Co.