Quilting Problems With the Top Thread Breaking
When sewing a quilt, one of the most frustrating things can be getting your sewing machine to cooperate with the plans. Whether you have a long arm quilting machine or a standard sewing machine, having to re-start your stitching over again because the top thread breaks regularly can be a true hassle. Learn how to troubleshoot your sewing machine and solve this common sewing problem on your own.
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Start Over
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Even if you have threaded your sewing machine a hundred times before, sometimes the simple fix to a broken thread problem is to re-thread the machine. Maybe your thread is caught up on the notch in the spool, or maybe it's getting hooked up on the handle of your machine. It could be that the bobbin thread is tangled and pulling too hard on the top thread where they connect. In any of these cases, removing the bobbin and top thread from your machine, inspecting and re-threading them could be all the solution you need.
Thread Tension
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The tension on your sewing machine has to do with how tightly or loosely your machine pulls in the thread and makes the stitches. To fix the tension problem with breaking top thread, try lowering the number on your thread tension dial or gauge on your sewing machine. Consult your individual machine manual if you aren't certain where this dial is located; in most cases it will be adjacent to the thread guide on the front left of your machine.
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Thread Compatibility
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Sometimes if you're in a hurry or if color coordination isn't an issue, you might just keep your bobbin full of one kind of thread and put a different kind in the top of your machine. While this might seem like a solution to save you the time of threading a new bobbin every time you sew, it can actually create problems with your stitching. If the top thread is a polyester blend, for instance, and the bobbin thread is 100% cotton, the two will feed into your machine at different rates and make slightly different stitches. This can result in tangling or breaking thread. To repair the problem, wind the bobbin full of the same exact thread you are using in the top of your machine, with the same content and weight; it does not have to be the same color.
Needle Issues
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It could be that your thread isn't the problem at all, but rather that it's the needle. Maybe your needle is dull, so it's not gliding through the fabric as smoothly as it should. Maybe it has become slightly dislodged, so it isn't being held in place in the proper position in the sewing machine. It could even be that your needle plate is damaged or nicked, so it's causing the thread to snag as it passes through the fabric. Check your sewing machine's needle plate and sand it down with emery cloth if necessary to remove any nicks or burrs. Replace the needle with a new one and begin sewing again to see if the problem is fixed.
Larger Issues
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If none of the above solutions solves your problem and your thread is still breaking, there could be a larger problem occurring with your sewing machine. Perhaps the actual tension mechanisms are malfunctioning or some other issue is happening with the machine itself. In this case, you may need to take it in to a sewing machine repair shop for servicing.
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References
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