I'm having problems stitching an embroidery with a Madeira metallic silver thread. I have tried different needles (metallic 12 and 14, Schmetz gold 90, and others). I have lowered the speed to the minimum speed available. I have lowered the tension from 2.8 to 2.6, and this has improved stitching only a little. I had absolutely no problems stitching with metallic gold from Robison-Anton. Unfortunately I did not find a metallic silver thread from Robison-Anton. Any suggestion? Thank you!

RA does indeed make Silver metallic thread, as well as pewter & Aluminium.
Soft Expressions was the cheapest I could find so I have added the link below.
Hope this helps. Meganne

2 comments

by lidiad 14 Nov 2011

Thank you, Meganne. I was in a hurry to get the metallic silver thread that I bought a few small spools from Spotlight. My usual supplier does not buy the R.A. metallic thread anymore because they are outrageously dear, their current shop price is $27/spool. They sell another cheaper brand but they run out of them.
Thank you for your help!

by lidiad 14 Nov 2011

Thank you for your help.

Thank you!Very interesting, in a deep-freezer I did not try ;^)

Thanks to all of you! It's so nice to receive so many suggestions. I have tried with a piece of net over the spool but without success. What was bothering me was: why is the metallic gold thread soft and the silver is rough? No matter what I did, the situation did not change much. Then I read a tutorial from Anna Bove that suggested to put the spool in the freezer for several minutes "to cool down". I tried and when I took it out, I noticed that the thread has become soft! I put it immediately in the machine and it stitched beatifully!

1 comment

by lidiad 13 Nov 2011

Correction: the last word is "beautifully"!
At least this is what happened today. I will use the same thread tomorrow again, to finish the project I have started yesterday, keeping the fingers crossed...

I always put my thread in a glass and ut the glass on the floor, I go this tip from a cutie and it helps me, I see a lot of cuties say put thread a long way off, same idea, give it a try.

1 comment

by lidiad 13 Nov 2011

Thank you!

I do not use metallic thread as I only do quilt in the hoop quilt blocks but I learned a lot by ready what the cuties have written here so if and when I do use it I will know what to do. Thanks for asking the question so I could learn all the secrets.

1 comment

by lidiad 13 Nov 2011

Thank you, Juanita!

I generally do not have trouble with metallic thread - as I have used the same brand for most things - however I found a great deal on some twisted mettallic that I thought would be great for the holiday and I have been using it - with and without success. I usually put my thread on a stand and a net around it - the net helps to hold it to the spool - so that it doesn't unwind so severly and the stand keeps it at a distance to keep it tight and it doesn't unwind and twirl around. Now these new spools are small and it seems so silly to put them on this big thread stand - so I put them in the location on the machine - with a small semi-tight net around them - this works for the most part - but the metallic is rather flimsy on this twisted thread and I noticed that I was getting some breakage - so I have limited by use of this thread with my FSL - it is too much work - so I will use this thread for some special projects that I have on the back burner that will need some top decorative stitching and I am sure it will work wonderfully that way. Good luck and I do hope that all the comments have helped you in a small way.

1 comment

by lidiad 13 Nov 2011

Thank you, Shirlene!

I'm afraid I have found there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to metallic thread.

Some metallic thread runs better if it is further away from your machine, such as on a thread stand, as suggested.

Some metallic thread runs better if the spool is placed horizontally on your machine,
and some run better if allowed to unravel at their own pace on a vertical machine spool holder.

It all depends on the particular thread and how it has been wound onto its spool.

Having said that, I do find if prefer to use a 90/14 Metallic needle, slow the machine right down and loosen the top tension by two points.

Sometimes I will even run the thread through a foam packing bead, before threading through the machine, to help smooth the kinks out.

I will check around for RA Silver thread for you.
hugs and roses, Meganne

1 comment

by lidiad 13 Nov 2011

Thank you, Meganne!

Sometimes if you change the direction of your spool it helps. If your machine has the spool horozontial try putting it on vertically and vice versa. I think it has something to do with how the thread is put on at the factory.

1 comment

by lidiad 12 Nov 2011

This is interesting. I can put the spool in either way, I will try! Thank you!

Having the metalic thread away from the machine really helps. My husband made me a wonderful stand, with a weight at the bottom so it does not tip. Good luck.

1 images:[1]

2 comments

by lidiad 12 Nov 2011

Thank you for the picture! I will show it to my hubby!

by justonlyme 12 Nov 2011

Lucky you. If I asked my hubby to make something like that, I would be greeted with a totally blank look before he went back to what he was doing.

I put the thread true a piece a soap the marking soap and dos help me thread is by Coats@Clark from Walmart.try .Maria

1 comment

by lidiad 12 Nov 2011

Thank you, Maria.

Use the metallic in the bobbin also, generally works for me, also use the stand that Alice suggests.

1 comment

by lidiad 12 Nov 2011

I will try it, thank you!

Get yourself a thread stand that will allow the metalic to relax a little before it gets to the machine.
Here is a blog post that I wrote, it might help.

5 comments

by fannyfurkin 12 Nov 2011

here is the thread stand I am talking about. http://lindeegembroidery.com/echi...

by terriweistra 12 Nov 2011

Thanks for the tip!! I have a great stand my hubby made me, am going to go and give it a try with metallic thread now :)

by obaachan 12 Nov 2011

Thank you Alice !

by lidiad 12 Nov 2011

Thank you, Alice. I will try with a stand I have used with my old Janome. It isn't strong or heavy but I will try anyway. The silver thread isn't smooth, it's rough. The gold one is smooth.

by bibee 13 Nov 2011

My husband made me a stand about 3 weeks before he passed in sept. My thread would always break or wrap around the spool holder. And I use it all the time.