I cannot keep my top tread from breaking. As soon as I put the foot down the tension is so tight the tread breaks. Help

Check the entire thread path - a bit of lint can cause it to bind. What kind of machine are you on? If you just pull the thread through, is it moving freely? Does it happen with a different spool of thread? Some machines are just fussy.

Also - are you doing piecing or machine quilting?

Had the same thing happen to me this weekend while quilting. Checked tensions, re-threaded machine (several times) changed needles, cleaned machine....finally figured out that the material itself was the cause. Even after washing and drying the material, it seemed to have a slight 'rubber-like' feel to it. It was causing just enough friction to wear the thread thin and break it. It was the 'licensed' Transformers material. Worked through it, despite breaking 3 needles.

Also check that you have the bobbin inserted correctly, with the thread as it comes off the bobbin going in the right direction.

Did you do anything before this started happening? Insert a new bobbin, start a different spool of thread, etc.? Or did it happen in the middle of a project. Knowing that would narrow down the possibilities.

I use my mothers sewing machine - it is pretty much all plastic . .I had something threaded in the wrong direction, right of the pigs tail vs left (there might be a term for what I call pigs tail but I don't know it! :-) )which made the thread go into one of the small creases in the plastic - it was making me crazy - such a small thing . .

Happy to hear you got it figured out...it is usually something small that we overlook :wink: