Taking Care of Your Thread Embroidery Project

Thread is one of those things that we depend heavily on but typically ignore until it causes a crisis, such as excessive thread breaks and/or shreds. Such problems may be the result of a defective cone, but it’s far more likely that the quality issues are the result of improper handling and storage.

The most important aspect of thread care is proper storage. Most embroiderers use the same system for managing their thread inventory: any available space. Walk in to almost any shop and you will see various cones piled up in every available location - countertops, shelves, desks, the back of a machine, etc. This is the worst possible way to handle your valuable thread as it can lead to the following situations:

Thread Dents

(What the heck is that?) When a cone falls onto the floor, the point of impact can “dent” the thread, resulting in a weak spot (or spots) that can ultimately lead to problems as the thread travels toward the needle. If you are one of those people that consider your machine to be the ideal storage location for unused cones, then you are at high risk for causing thread dents, as your cones will “walk” across the machine table due to the vibration of sewing and ultimately end up on the floor.

Discoloring & Fading

Threads, especially rayon, will fade when exposed to sunlight for extended periods of time. If your threads are stored on a window sill or anywhere that sunlight can strike them full force, you risk fading and discoloring. And if a cone sits unused for an extended period of time in direct sunlight, the fading will be more pronounced on the side where the sun hits it. This can cause a really neat special effect during sewing. In the case of red, think candy-cane appearance! Probably not very desirable…

Lint Buildup

If your thread is sitting out, exposed to the elements of your shop’s environment, chances are that dust and lint are building up on it at a rapid clip. Over time, such a buildup can sink down into the threads. When the thread travels through the upper thread path, it will take the crud with it, dispensing it along the way onto critical surfaces (such as tensioners) that need to remain clean and smooth. The end result will be inconsistent upper thread tension and possible thread breaks.

Brittleness

In addition to discoloring and fading, excessive exposure to sunlight can dry out the thread and lead to brittleness in the fibers. Obviously, this will weaken the thread and lead to excessive thread breaks.

Storage Tips

So now that you know the results of improper thread storage, it’s time to focus on how to prevent such problems. The key is to store your threads the right way each and every day.

The best storage system is one that keeps the threads in a secure location, out of sunlight and free from dust and lint. In addition, it should be in a cool environment. If you are a small shop with only a hundred cones of thread or so, then a large plastic container with a snap-on lid will probably work just fine. Avoid the clear-plastic models if they are stored in sunlight.

For larger shops running multi-head machines, thread storage becomes a bit more complex.

Consider a large cabinet with shelves and pull-out bins, either plastic or cardboard. Such bins should not be mechanically connected to the shelves, so that they can be fully removed from the cabinet for easy access. Usually such systems are available in a wide range of sizes. If you have a six head machine, then you want to find bins that can hold at least six cones of thread each. Thus, you can store all of one color in one bin and label it on the outside for easy reference.

Of course, if you don’t put the threads away promptly after using, then any thread storage system you invest in probably won’t help very much. Thus, it’s imperative that you periodically collect and store cones that are otherwise lying around the shop taking up space.

Such a storage system not only protects your threads, it also increases your efficiency, as all threads are stored together and labeled for quick identification. This makes it easy to find what you need quickly and efficiently. It also makes for easy inventory management, as you can clearly see how much thread of any particular color is available through visual observation.

Take care of your threads and they will take care of you. Abuse them and you will pay for it with production inefficiencies.