Thread wrapping round needle?
 

Recently I have noticed that the thread I tend to use for piecing often wraps itself round the needle 2-3 times as I sew and I have to stop and rethread fairly regularly.

What might be the causes of if and how could I stop it?

thread is on a cone with cone stand. It is cotton thread but not sure of its weight.
Needle has been replaced - currently using size 12

I don't know what type of machine you have, or the threading procedure you follow, but on one of my older machines this happens when the thread I'm using slips out of the little 'keeper slot' (not sure of the correct name) just above the needle. Especially when the thread is fine and the upper tension is a bit loose.

Initially, I was wondering if it was on the wrong spool, like a horizontal spool when it should be on a vertical spool, but you said it's on a vertical cone stand, so I wouldn't think that's the problem....can't say this has ever happened to me.

I don't know why - this happens often with my Brother but I keep sewing, it doesn't make any difference. If I sew something thick, like the seams in jeans the thread will wrap the needle and catch underneath, so then I have to stop and fix it.

Could it possibly be a defective spool of thread?

Yes - it doesn’t seem to make a difference most of the time but if I am going through seam intersections it sometimes catches.

SusieQ - I suppose it could be defective as it was a spool I acquired from someone having a clear out. What would be defective about it though?

Try changing the position of the thread stand. I sometimes move the stand farther away from machine. It sounds like the thread is twisting as it comes down to the needle. The thread path should travel in a soft curve like a backwards C shape.

Did you try using another spool of thread on the stand?

Sounds like maybe your spring for the tension is not working properly. All it does is help to keep the thread a bit snugger around the needle as the uptake lever is going up to pull the thread back up from from the hook going around the bobbin thread.

I had this happen with my Long Arm. There was some lint and once in a while that spring would not spring back like it should and that caused enough looseness in the thread as the needle was going up and down that the thread would wrap around the needle. And since I was going over seams regularly, it was breaking often so I was motivated to get it figured out and started watching carefully.

You may want to change needle type and/or size to see if it still happens.

I think I’ve solved it! I moved the spool stand and I haven’t had it happen since. I didn’t really give much thought to where the stand was in relation to my machine but I will now - thanks! Who knew something so simple could have such an impact!