I just set the cone on the table at the end of my sewing machine (close to my machine) and bring the thread up the end of the sewing machine and across the top and thread it the regular way. On the top of my machine I just bring the thread on one side of the post and that holds it from falling off. I never have had any problems with it comming off the top of the cone this way. I do this alot with big projects that take alot of thread.