Use a metallic needle and put several lines of Sewer's Aid lenghwise on the spool from top to bottom. It is a slick substance that helps the thread slide through the needle better.

Absolutly try the Sewer's Aid from Joanns....its in a small bottle and rather inexpensive, run a thin line of the liquid across your spool. I had problems just exactly like you are stating and the sewers aid solved them. And of course you need a metallic needle.

I have been told by my repair person to NEVER put something on the thread and then run it thru a machine. Very hard on machines. Go to a sewing machine store for needles of all kinds. There are so many out there now.

Obviously no one read my previous post. knitsew, you are right. Sewers Aid is a silicone lubricant. It will infiltrate down into the bobbin system of your machine. All of the newer machines are self-lubricating. If you have an electronic machine (computerized) the sewers aid will interfere with the various sensors in the machine. It can eventually migrate onto the boards of the machine and RUIN it.

I am making a Christmas tree skirt out of polyester satin and I wanted to put embroidery designs all around in gold & silver metallic. I put a new metlallic needle in my machine (Bernina series 8 - 830) threaded it with new superior metallic thread & (drum roll please). No matter what speed, which way the thread came off the spool, the location of the needle (moved it to right & left), or the tension settings, I kept having breakage. Same results with Sulky & Guttermann metallic thread. So after messing with this for the better part of 3 days, I gave up and am using silver & gold rayon sulky thread. So far, no breakage and I am on 6 out of 12.
So no metallic on this 60" round Christmas skirt. I may purchase some of the yenmet thread on my next project. I'll let you know what happens. Oh, the skirt is going to be beautiful & it doesn't miss the metallic thread.

I try to stay away from metallic threads, however, when I do use them I set the machine to a very slow pace and it doesn't seem to break the thread as bad. On my embroidery machine I have different speed settings and on my sewing machine I have 1/2 speed. Hope this suggestion helps and good luck.

I bought a new machine a few years ago and the sales lady told me not to use the sewers aid as they don't know what it will do to the inside of the machine.

metallic needle and put your thread about 3 feet away on a spindle it loosens and then sews better, How did I learn? I had the same nightmare!!

A topstitch needle is the same as a metallic needle. Ask Joann's if they have that.
The idea is that the thread should be as relaxed as possible. First, I tell the thread to relax :-), then I try to relax myself. You need as little friction as possible--I don't have the thread run through the guides that are just above the needle--just let it come straight down to the needle--this reduces the friction some, as does the larger eye needle.

When I use metallic thread, I don't 'thread' that hook above the needle and found that to be my solution. Good luck.