Metallic thread nightmare!!
 

I have just finished a very simple table runner for my DIL for Christmas. The fabric has gold thru out so I figured oh I would use gold thread. I am using a decorative stitch that kinda looks like a snowflake, and I am about ready to jump off a bridge. About every 3rd snowflake the thread breaks. Just the gold thread. I have rethreaded til I am blue in the face. Is there a trick to using this, I am sure I have used it before, but never experienced a problem like this. Its almost as if its shredding. Any suggestions?

Thanks so much!!!

New needle? right size needle?

They make needles especially for metallics. I forget how they are different (I think it is the eye so that the thread doesn't shred) but that would be the first thing I would try. They are readily available wherever machine meedles are sold.

Was the thread old - or a decent brand? I'm not pushing any particular brand - but I watched a Bernina 830 go top speed with intensive Christmas Lace ornaments. I watched that machine for a half hour at least. Thread never broke. I bought the brand, think it was YMNET, used it for the same ornaments in my Pfaff 2170. No breaks. I acquired some silver thread from Babylock that behaved the same way. Both were larger spools. I've had trouble with Sulky. Especially old spools.

The other thing would be to make sure the spool of thread is upright and winding off the spool in the right direction. Use a thread net too if it's needed. Most machines have some kind of adapter for a vertical spool. Brother and Babylock had adapters that went over the bobbin winder, Pfaff has an upright spool holder that fits into a hole in the top of the machine.

I watched a video from Bob of Superior Threads and he talks about metallic thread. It may be helpful. It was on YouTube.

Shredding sure makes it sound like a needle problem to me.

metallics are always tricky. i've found that it works better to put it in the bobbin and sew upside down.

Definitely make sure that you're using a needle intended for metallic thread. Along with the usual brands that have needles listed for metallics, there's another brand that I believe are called "MetaFil" and can be used for both metallics and invisible thread.

Metallic needles have a teflon coated elongated eye, a larger scarf and a larger grove...all to prevent the shredding and/or breakage of metallic thread.

Quilting is not as hard on metallic thread as embroidery. That being said....I have a girlfriend that loves to add metallic thread to her embroidery. She will only use Yenmet. Her projects & embroidery are drop-dead gorgeous. She never has thread breakage. I don't know if she uses it only in the top or both top & bottom. This website has great info on the Yenmet metallic thread. http://www.threadetc.com/yenmet.html