I just got myself a wonderful new machine! I wanted a machine that could do lots of special stitches for machine applique and for easy quilting. This one is great. The one thing is that it holds the spools upright. All of my threads are meant to be laying horizontal to the machine.

Seems to me I've seen spool holders sold that sit behind the machine on the sewing table...does anyone know about that and where I could get one?

seems to me I've seen them at Joanne's

I am stil looking, but here is a pin adapter

http://www.clotilde.com/detail.html?prod_id=11958

getting closer

http://www.paulsmetalpetals.com/

Better price :wink:

http://store.quilting-warehouse.com/081365.html

best price yet - one of the gals who did a tutorial on setting up her machine for FMQ also showed a spool holder that she made...purchased a piece of wire at hardware store specifically designed as part of the flushing mechanism inside your toilet tank...wire with loop on end. She simply used good masking tape to tape it to the top of her machine with the loop end extending toward the back - put her spool of thread into a coffee cup large enough to not touch the sides of the spool, put the thread thru the loop in the "flusher wire" and then thru the rest of her machine's threading track...cost her all of about 1$, if that. The thread stand at Joanns is $15 or more even with coupon. When she didn't need the custom threading system, she took the wire and taped it to the end of her machine!

This thread holder can be used horizontally or vertically.

http://www.shoppersrule.com/pc/SP-AS...SWS/index.html

My machine has two horizontal spool holders and an optional third spool that is vertical. There are spool holders that can be off the machine. I've also used a mason jar to hold big spools behind my machine and thread it through the guides and tension. The mason jar worked better on a mechanical than computerized but in a pinch I bet you can get creative. I've seen some really interesting spool holders sold by Nancy's Notions (the artsy ones) and wished I were that creative.

I bought that pretty one from Connecting Threads.

I bought a cast iron based cone thread holder at Big Horn Quilts. It cost a bit more to ship, but the total for the holder and shipping was about $15. I have read that the plastic based ones move too much and I don't have a place to permanently attach it to in order to prevent that.

I bought one from a local dealer. They sell a nice metal one. I also bought one cheaper at LongCreekMills. I was placing an order there anyway for some Stiffy and picked up a second one to use with my embroidery machine... It's also a nice, metal one.

My local Hancock's and Hobby Lobby sell a spool stand/mast and it is really cheap. It's solid plastic. I would not waste my time on it.

You can also make your own if you are inclined. If you do a google search on how to make a spool stand, there are lots of ideas. A friend of mine uses a coffee mug & a suction cup hook on the side of her machine since she didn't want to spend the $10 to buy one at the local store... It works well enough for her :)