JanRN, How is the thread spooling off the spool? Is it horizontal or vertical. I think Lori S may have the solution. If you keep the thread upright (Vertical) it create more tension and then it might snap the thread(shred). Whenever I have thread problems and I can't figure it out why--I will thread the machine keeping my thread in a babyfood jar at the base of the machine then up around the spool pin-place a thread cover on the spool pin to keep the thread from going up and off the pin--then continue threading as you normally would for the machine. There is less tension and curl to the thread this way.