Thread manufacturers, please listen!
I’m in the midst of a wholecloth trapunontoed quilt, hellbent on finishing sometime this century. If you’re working in both wholecloth and trapunto, your entire world is thread and tension. So maybe I’m just a wee bit a little hyper-focused. But I do know my thread. I am working with two high-quality threads, no complaints there. But dang, the way thread manufacturers design their spools makes a difference!
There are two things that that thread manufacturers need to fix:
Problem #1: Please don’t cover the hole with your label!
It prevents the spool from spinning freely. If you just jam the spool onto the spindle, that sticky label gets jammed in also, which keeps the spool from spinning without a hitch:
These are the two threads that make up the entire surface of my wholecloth quilt. The label covers the loading hole so I have to peel off that label or this will happen:
See how the label got smashed into the hole? I used this thread on another project and my tension was waaaay too tight on top until I figured out that the problem was that the label got jammed into the hole and kept the spool from spinning freely. Superior has fixed this problem since then and punches out the hole on all of their spools. Why don’t all manufacturers do this?
This is what we need:
Just punch the hole out – problem solved!
Problem #2: Cut a thread slot in all cones to corral the thread ends.
It annoys the heck out of me when I get a cone and there is no thread slot cut. I have to cut one myself with my seam ripper and it does not hold the thread end well:
That mini-cone of Invisifil did not come with a slot cut so I had to engineer my own. It does not hold well. Yes, I know I can net it or use the plastic tape, but I am switching out threads all the time and don’t want to have to do that. Just cut the hole for me please:
Superior’s Fantastico comes with the slot already cut. It holds the thread tightly yet yields it easily when I want to sew/quilt. How hard is it to add the cut?
A couple of notes:
-Think that I’m the only one this annoys? I wrote about the hole-in-the-label thing in 2012 and I got 30,000 hits in one day! This was before my book and all of that. It resonated and got instantly reposted, even Diane Gaudynski reposted it. Quilters care about these things.
-It surely could have been coincidental, but Superior began to print their labels with the hole cut out. Perhaps they were listening?
-Let me be clear, I love both the Wonderfil Invisifil and the Quilters Select Perfect Cotton Plus. The 100 wt poly Invisifil practically disappears in my quilt, leaving line and shadow which is exactly what I want. The Quilters Select is a fairly new thread – a 60 wt poly-core with cotton wrap. It is strong and lean – great for piecing (better accuracy with a stronger thread than all-cotton) and superb for bindings (does not snap if you tug too hard). The dyes are vibrant too.
-Remember, how you mount your thread on your machine makes a difference. Both of these spools are cross-wound and need to be mounted so that the spool does not spin and the thread comes off the top of the spool.
-Most of you know this, but on many spools the top or bottom pops off. The space between the top or bottom of the spool can be used to secure the thread ends.
Thread manufacturers I hope you’re listening. These are not big fixes but they solve problems and make quilting a wee bit easier. Don’t you want that for your customers? Thank you in advance (she said hopefully)!
Rant over.
I’ll link up with Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday!
I hear you! I too hate the labels on my DM. I haven’t had a problem with my Gammill at all., But, it doesn’t like Invisifil at all. First thread I’ve used or tried to anyway, that it just kept snapping no matter what I tried differently.
The thread notch is a pain, too. I have some Superior with and some with out! Then there’s the giant spindle hole on Invisifil and nowhere to put the thread end!
I think Superior does listen to customers woes. Wish every company that manufactures stuff would respond to consumers valid concerns!
Good luck with the quilt. I’m sure it will be lovely! I made a two sided wholecloth, king sized, and decided to skip the trapunto bec. I wanted to finish before I died. :-)
I’ll bet the Suprior’s without a thread notch are old – I have some of those too. I can see where Invisifil may not work well on a long arm. I think you’re smarter than me for avoiding trapunto!
I’d also like to see the thread info (color name/number, weight, etc) on the label (with the hole punched). If I need more, I know exactly what to get.
YES! Superior does a good job with that. I’ve found that generally the higher the quality of thread the more information they put on the label.
OMG! YES! These are *musts* for all of us — they not only make life easier, but they give better results and keep our hair from being torn out in frustration.
Good to know you feel the same. Sometimes I wonder if I’m off the deep end!
I agree with everything you said. Thank you, Jenny, for saying it again!
You are welcome TerryAnn!
You are right on, once again! Thank you. Even those of us who do not quilt miles and miles of threat in each quilt appreciate your thread securing and spindle free of gunk comments!
Yes! When you quilt a lot these little things make an impact.
Nice rant! I was told by my tailoring teacher that spools of thread should always be loaded so that the thread comes off the top end of the spool. I can tell on some brands, because there’s writing on the side. She also told me that when I was hand sewing, thread the needle with the end of the thread that’s already been cut; don’t cut it and thread the end you just cut. It will tangle more.
Yes as to the hand sewing one. But on the machine, straight-wound spools need to come off the side not the top.
You are absolutely correct, Jenny. The reason for the specific direction of thread coming off the spool is, on straight wound spools like common sewing and DM spools, if the thread is wound off the end of the spool it twists as it comes off and will distort the stitches and break during use.
On cross wound thread it flows off without testing because of the cross winding. It can also come off straight from the side without a problem.
it’s unfortunate the some domestic machines are not designed to correctly control the flow of thread off the spool without putting a separate vertical spindle on the machine, sometimes right on the bobbin winder spindle, which is very inconvenient.
Unfortunately, this problem with spindles also exists on at least one longarm.
Correct Marlette! Shocked that a longarm would have this problem.
Bless your heart, Jenny. I hope your wholecloth quilt is moving along more smoothly today. All of this frustration and troubleshooting is going to have a huge payoff when you step back and look at that magnificent finished quilt!
Seriously, this one truly may not survive.
Not a rant all very good ideas.
Thanks Rachel!
Amen!
Hope they are listening!
Extremely valid points. I can’t thank you enough for staying the obvious. Now only if the thread makers listen.
Yes – let’s hope so Lorraine!
Hmmm…I’ve been pleased with the punched-out holes on the Superior spools (Superior’s King Tut is my go-to for landscape work), but never paid attention to notches. Checked a few spools just now; noticed only one notch on one. Never had a problem with the tops popping off on Superior — though it did happen on some Sulky spools and on one YLI silk thread spool. Very annoying!
I also use Superior on cones, and so have no problem with the size of the holes top and bottom…and none of the ones I have, have notches. Never bothered me one way or the other.
I don’t like the Aurifil ‘put-up’ — the spools are too tall for the drawer in my sewing table where I keep my thread selection, and I’m never sure whether to mount the spools vertically or horizontally, despite how they’re wound!
My newer Superior cones have notches but not my old ones. Never had the tops pop off – now that would be annoying! The easiest way to remember how to mount the spools is “old fashioned spool, old fashioned way”. When we were little, thread was only straight wound and machines had only the upright holder. That’s how I remember it.
I wouldn’t call it a rant as much as a ‘CALL OUT’. None of these are new to the ‘industry’, but more about the bottom line. I have some cotton thread, that I didn’t realize was not color labeled and need more but have hesitated to order because I don’t want to have to either order twice or deal with sending the incorrect ones back. Sewing machine manufacturers could also do us a favor by giving options for either spool of thread, as well.
For Domestic machines **thread that is stack wound (layered evenly all the way up/down on the spool) should be placed upright on the verticle spindle, thread that is cross wound (crosses over itself on the spool) should be placed on the horizontal spindle, flat or metallic thread should be place in a mug/cup with a high thread guide to the machine, to hopefully come off without kinks.
Longarm and thread is another whole kettle of fish!
Just a few details on the thread stuff: cross-wound spools can be placed on the upright spindle if the thread comes off the top like on Janomes and others. Also, metallic threads obey the same rules as to cross-wound or straight-wound. If you put a straight-wound metallic in a cup and it comes off the top you are in trouble! I have done my own accidental research:-) Thank you for reading and commenting Beth! Love the Louisville area btw – gorgeous and so green!
Once again, Jenny, you expressed so well, crucial details that make all the difference. How about you take on the manufacturers of sewing machines next. Drives me crazy having to mount spools off machine. I was considering getting a new machine recently and was disappointed to see that machines haven’t caught up to spool options.
Gwyned, so much to conquer, so little time! I have a list of machine tings to fix – shall we start now?
Amen to all of that!! I frequently have snarls because those little bits of thread label gum up the thread feed
Phillipa I think that thread manufacturers are coming round. It occurred to me that this is the type of thing I could talk to thread execs in person at Market.
Thanks, Jenny, for your thoughtful post. My suggestion for keeping thread from unwinding during storage is to use a soft elastic ponytail holder. I purchased some at the dollar store and they work great. WonderFil does sell vinyl clings to keep thread corralled on the spool. Apparently, the clings can be kept on when sewing with the thread—I just happened to read that on their website the other day.
Hi Mrs. Plum, I know I can do all those other things as a workaround but dang, why don’t they just manufacture them the right way in the first place?
I have a problem with the thread catching in the slot. I try to make the cut bigger and wider but I still have problems with it getting caught and coming to a full stop. :(
Sigh, I have occasionally had that problem too. I just flip the spool to avoid the slot. I much prefer spools with tops or bottoms that corral the thread end.
Thanks, Jenny…
Your work is superb and so beautifully executed every time. I have been touring the SAQA Trunk Show “E” and every time I lay out the small educational display of 57 quilts, YOURS is a first to be picked up to examine and enjoy close up by the exhibit viewers. Perhaps it is the simplicity and beautiful curves of the black lines of stitch against white, but the comments always run to “how does she do this beautifully perfect stitching?”. Your article here has a lot of tips that can help me answer that question for the visitors!
Bethany in Kinsgton, ON
Thank you Bethany – that made my day! I had to go look it up – I forgot what I made. Thank you for touring the Trunk Show and being an evangelist for SAQA!
Oh Jenny. You make me laugh. You’ll either finish this quilt this century or die trying. :) I agree with your thread spool comments. I love Invisifil too. I use it in the bobbin on my SD quilter. I have found nothing that works better. When you finish your whole cloth quilt I do hope you will blog the history of this project. I would be interested to hear your troubleshooting story start to finish. Thank you for your blog. It always makes my day.
Thank you for that thoughtful comment Donna. I will probably need more than one post to sum it all up! I am determined to get this thing done and I hope the quilt does not show the battle.
Yes! and Yes! It is frustrating to deal with spools that don’t provide a way to manage the thread when it’s not on the machine. What are they thinking????
Could be that they’re not thinking?
I totally agree!! How do we send all these replies to the thread manufacturers?? As well as making the spools spin incorrectly, when the labels are punctured you often lose the information needed about the thread itself! thanks for putting this front and center.
Wait unil you see this week’s post Jan! They heard us!