Yes do look for a burr on the spool, that seems to happen a lot lately....and sometimes the thread gets caught in the little slit that is cut into the spool for the tail end, so I try to find that end and put it down first so the thread does not get caught in it coming off the spool.....and yes sometimes its just bad all around....so it cost you a couple bucks, give it a toss and start over....and NEVER apologize for what you use, be it Coats Clark thread or Walmart fabric....it is the craft that this is all about, not the Quilt Police, that need to keep quiet.....