.? about using a thread like aurifil on a featerweight
 

Hi,
I am very hopeful that I can explain my problem and that someone can help me out. When I try to use a thread like aurifil, the spool moves around like crazy and my stitching suffers. What's my solution? Do I need to use a thread stand?
Thanks for your help,
lots2do

Sorry for mis spelling featherweight...typing on a mini Ipad

I use a thread stand for any thread. I never use the thread holder on my machines. Just easier.
love Aurifil!
sandy

If it's cross wound where the thread is wound on a diagonal then the thread is meant to come off from the end of the spool instead of unwinding from the side. A thread stand will allow the thread to come off the end. Stack wound threads are wound on the spool in nice neat parallel rows and unwind from the side of the spool. Your machine's spool pin was designed for stack wound thread.
I've read where some people have just put the spool of thread in a cup or jar so it can't escape and let the thread unwind that way too.
A friend gave me some big cones of thread. I much prefer using them with a stand over the little spools of thread you can buy in most places.
Rodney

I have found the cross wound tapered side cones work great from the thread stands, but the cross wound spools with parallel sides such as the C&C quilting thread, Gutermann, and others work better if mounted on the machine on one of my widgets.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502428[/ATTACH]
When using it on a thread stand it comes off the spool too easy and the tension suffers.

Also I've found that when using a thread stand, if you use a widget on the spool pin that guides the thread in the same path it would be if the spool was mounted on the machine, that helps a lot more.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502429[/ATTACH]

Or one of these replacement spool pins you can get from Sew-Classic.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502433[/ATTACH]
Although I don't know if you can get these for FeatherWeights.

If the spool of thread is normal size with a smaller hole in it, there are springs that slide down over the spool pin to slow down the spin of the spool. Sew-Classic has those too.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]502436[/ATTACH]
Here's a pic of the spring on the right spool pin of my wife's 319K. The cup on the left spool pin was made because the spool kept spinning allowing the thread to fall under it and wrap around the pin then break.

Joe

Or, you could wind a second bobbin of Aurifil and use that on top. Mini stack-wound spool! That is what I've done on my FW so far. I can get away with using the cross-wound spools on my full size machines (with vertical spool pins), even if they do dance around a bit, but didn't think it was a good idea on the FW.

I have a Deely Bob. I got mine on Ebay years ago for using the big C&C spools.
http://deelybob.com/product.sc?productId=1

Now they have a size for just about every thread.

Cari

That Deely Bob is nice looking. But mine are a LOT cheaper LOL.

And now I realize my ideas wasn't as original as I thought :( .


Joe

I've seen other home made versions but I like yours the best. When I got mine I only paid a few bucks for it, it didn't even cross my mind to try and make one.

Cari

I made my own thread stand. And I use a hook with a suction cup on it on the top of my machine as a "thread guide". it works.

lol I too made my own thread stand. I used a tallish tree ornament stand I bought at a thrift store for fifty cents and an old mason jar to keep the thread from skittering everywhere.

I use a straw from McDonalds...fits over the spindle and the the Aurifil fits over it... when it looked funny (colored stripes) I cut it off shorter with the batting scissors. Real high tech gal, I am.

When I use the cones that have the large center I use a bit of craft foam rolled up to fill it so it doesn't wabble on the spool pin.

I use an empty pen barrel(the cheap ones), put it on the spool pin and then slide the spool onto it. Problem fixed!

purplefiend,

Nice fix. I like the machine too, one like it is on my gotta have (someday) list.


Joe

Plastic drinking straw over the tread holder works wonders ��

How smart all of you are. I usually just put up with the aggravation of the spool running wild and wrapping around the spool pin, breaking the thread, re-threading and going back to my sewing, etc. Now, I am going to find one of those McD's straws that hide in my silverware drawer and fix that little matter.....

This was just discussed on the Facebook Featherweight page. It was suggested that you cut a straw long enough to fit inside your spool of thread and then put it on the post. April1930s also sells a thread stand that fits inside an oil hole on your Featherweight to make it easier to use as well as the spool pin spring. http://april1930s.corecommerce.com/c...&search=thread

A friend of mine lays her cone on its side behind the machine. I would think that would play havoc with the tension, but she does this all the time. Also, just putting the cone into a cup wound make the tension really tight when the thread is coming from the back of the cone. I would think it would need a thread stand so that the thread comes off the top of the cone.

I use any brand of thread that is right for the application on my featherweights. I have several different options on my website (www.thequiltgal.com) for assisting in this regard. The wooden thread stand is my favorite because it is just slightly heavier than the plastic version (which I found somewhere on line and did not work well for me). I also have the springs to go on the thread pin that assists when the spool is too big and flops around. Also I have some others due in after the first of the year to add to my website. Depending upon the size of the spool, different solutions are needed.

When you put a spool or cone into a cup you need to somehow rig a thread guide for it. One of my favorite things to use is one of those little black binder clips. I clip it sideways onto the vertical spool pin and run the thread through the flip part of it. Another way is to tape a paper clip to the back of your machine.

Cari

found on Martha Stewart site. Have not tired it yet so can not say how well it works

Says to put spool in heavy mug and thread as usual. (Looks like they put the thread on/near the spool pin)

I would think every time the thread came off the very bottom of the cone, there would be a tug on the thread as it tries to get out of the cup. With the spool pins at the back of the machine, I would thing this set-up would be OK, buy why not ditch the cup. Set the cone right on the table. Then the thread would be free. I have my cone set on a slant so that the thread comes off the top.

If your spool pin is at the top of the machine, I think you would need some sort of guide right above the cone so that the thread could come off the top of the cone.

I think this would actually work since the thread is directed upwards, back towards the original spool pin and so it gets tugged upwards. Better than more or less sideways if it was on the pin itself.

Thank you all so much for your helpful responses. I am looking forward to smoother sailing and sewing with one of my favorite threads!
Happy stitching,
lots2do