Jan, you are so smart. I can always count on your visuals for better understanding. Keep em coming.

very interesting, thanks for the link.

I haven't heard this about positioning the thread on the sewing machine, however, it's a moot point for me as my spindle is horizontal, unless I'm using cone thread where it's vertical on my thread stand. Didn't know it mattered.

I've been sewing for years and never knew this.

Now I know why my needle comes unthreaded after using the cutter - the thread is twisted so tight that when I engage the cutting mechanism, it releases the tension, right back up out of the needle!

I only use cones - so ALL of my thread should be used VERTICAL. (I use the cone spool.) Why, then are do all the machines COME WITH HORIZONTAL SPOOL HOLDERS???? (I've never seen a cross wound small spool of thread!)

Thanks, Jan. I learn something new every time I open up my forum here--and you, Girlfriend, for showing me why my automatic cutters don't always work properly when I use them.

This is what I do. Then I mark the spool so I don't have to check every time.

Onebyone - thanks for the video link. That really helps!

Jan in VA - your visuals always help - thanks for them! I have printed it out to post by my sewing machine.

Great information Jan...thank you :)

Judy in Phx, AZ

Only one of my machines has a horizontal spool pin, all of the others have a vertical spool pin. I sew mostly with older/antique machines.
Sharon

The spool doesn't strictly need to be horizontal, it's the way a lot of people think about it though because of the way machines have been built for the last few decades.

Generally speaking, and this is what the Superior thread therapy links will teach you too:

Cross wound thread is meant to come off the top of the spool or cone, like serger thread comes off. If the spool pin is horizontal, this just naturally happens. If this spool turns with the thread, it introduces an extra twist to the thread which can cause some tension issues.

Stack wound thread is meant to turn off the spool with the spool turning. It CAN come off the top, but often will misbehave as well.

Older thread usually came all stack wound, slowly most thread manufacturers have switched to crosswound but few people have said anything about what the change means.

On older machines, drop a cross wound spool or cone into a tea or coffee cup behind your machine then thread around the spool pin and normally from there.

Gutermann and Mettler thread is all cross wound even the 100m (110ish yard?) spools. So is Aurifil, Robison Anton, and Glide. Those are just the ones I have here to check. Bob from Superior threads will say in the video that the reason machines come with horizontal spool holders is because the machine manufacturers don't talk with the thread manufacturers and vice versa. ;)

I was thinking about this the other day (no not your machines ;) My own) The spool pin that some machines have at the base of the machine for winding bobbins would be OK for holding some of the smaller CW spools, like the aurifil, gutermann, Mettler, and possible the RA and Glide threads too. Just thread up and around the back of the regular spool pin and continue threading normally.

I use a thread stand, similar to the one that Superior sells which works for horizontal and vertical seating positions and can manage all the thread types and has good weight to it so it doesn't hop around.