donna13350

I am finally getting the hang of stippling, and I am having a ball...but my top thread keeps breaking. This is not a tension issue, because my stitches, front and back, look very, very good. The thread just gets frayed down by the eye of the needle, and if I don't stop and pull fresh thread through, it breaks anyway...don't ask me what needle I'm using now because I've tried all that I have and lost track! I tried a universal, a 90/14 and a 70/09....thread always frays with any of them. I am plugging along, but I know this has to be easier than all of these stops and starts! Any help will be appreciated!! Thanks, Donna

crafty_linda_b

Donna maybe you got a bad spool of thread?? someone said once to keep the thread in the freezer..don't know if this helps or not. I am sure someone else can advise you better than I can on that subject...I can imagine that must be maddening to have the thread keep breaking...
happy stitchin' crafty_linda_b

Nanamoms

Try the "large eye" needles by Organ. I use them with my embroidery machine. They come in sharps and ballpoints in most common sizes. Best thing I've found. The larger eye cuts down on the friction of the thread going thru the needle. I also use the large eye with my regular sewing machine. Can see to thread it better when my self threader doesn't thread it! There is also the titanium coated Organ needle which is suppose to last longer and cut down on friction too but I haven't tried them. They're a little bit more expensive but suppose to last a long time and not break as easily.

If you want the sites where I order them, just PM me!

donna13350

Crafty Linda...I should have mentioned that I'm pretty sure it's not the thread, either, it's a child's quilt and I am quilting each block a different color...
Nanamoms....pm on it's way...thank you!

ckcowl

are you using a domestic machine? try an embroidery or topstitch needle- or even a quilting needle- they all have eyes that are round(er) and then you need to match the size(weight) of the thread to the size needle you are using.
there are some 'sharps' that have larger eyes too. it sounds as if it is the eye size/shape that is fraying your thread

quilticing

It's the needle

watterstide

do you think,maybe there is burr some place along the threading sequence?

donna13350

Is there a chart somewhere that I can look at that will tell me what size needle to use with what type thread?
When you say "embroidery" or "topstitch" needle...is there a size? Or is that what it would be called?
Yes..domestic machine...singer...Thank you all for the help!

donna13350

I kind of "flossed the thread back and forth through the tension guages to see if there was a burr, and everything seems fine, so it is most likely that I am using the wrong needle.

sewcrafty

Here's a chart of needles:

http://www.schmetzneedles.com/Schmetz_Sales_Guide.pdf

http://www.schmetzneedles.com/pdf/ABC_Brochure.pdf

I've recently gotten to love using topstitching needles. When you read the chart it seems like they're the best of all worlds.

Here's a thread guide that maybe can be useful also:
http://www.schmetzneedles.com/sizingguide.html