Thread Unravels In The Middle Of A Stitch

[Andrew Chee]

Hello all. I have an intermittent problem with my thread unraveling in the middle of a line of stitches. Doesn't always happen. Just once in a while. It happens on all my machines. I usually use eithe 69 thread on a size 18 needle or a size 138 thread in a 22 needle.

Usually when this happens, is it a problem of the needle being too small for the thread? I don't know how to diagnose this problem since it only happens sometimes. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.

Andrew

[Wizcrafts]

Badly bonded thread? Hook point splitting the top thread as it picks it up?

[Andrew Chee]

Not sure if its a thread problem cause several cones of thread have this same problem. Maybe he needle tip splitting the thread? If so, any remedy for that?

Also, this is generally not an issue of needle size/ Esther thickness?

Andrew

[gottaknow]

If you're using the same thread on multiple machines, it's likely the thread. Here's a pretty decent explanation of thread behavior that I've attached as a pic. Unless all your machines hooks are dull or poorly adjusted, I'd look at your thread first.

Regards, Eric

[Sylvia]

I've not had this problem on an industrial machine but I have experienced it on an antique Singer. It turned out that the needle plate was the culprit. Through years of use the plate had been stabbed so many times that it actually had a knife edge and hairline crack that was fraying and cutting the thread. I would have you examine the entire sewing area for burrs and such. (needle, needle throat plate, bobbin, bobbin case, shuttle, etc.)

[Anne Bonnys Locker]

I delivered a machine to a customer a while back and to my embarrassment it did much the same thing. It was early evening and the delivery was after a long weekend sales trip so I was very tired. When I got the machine home and looked at it a day later there was a tiny little imperfection in the shuttle hook that I could barely feel.

As Sylvia says, look all through the thread path. Some machines that have long been used with bonded nylon may even have a groove worn in one of the thread guides or tension assembly. Take-up lever should be looked at carefully too.

I've not had this problem on an industrial machine but I have experienced it on an antique Singer. It turned out that the needle plate was the culprit. Through years of use the plate had been stabbed so many times that it actually had a knife edge and hairline crack that was fraying and cutting the thread. I would have you examine the entire sewing area for burrs and such. (needle, needle throat plate, bobbin, bobbin case, shuttle, etc.)

[CowboyBob]

The thread guide @ the needlebar will geta groove in it,Try running some thread through the front of it & pull it back & forth to see if it shreds.