Hi everyone, it's ME again! lol. I lurk and browse, and post when I have questions. I can't really help anyone with anything, as I'm too new to all of this to know much.

Sounds to me as though you need some good supplies for your machine. Here is a link to a company in Canada,( which should help out with the shipping cost). I use this company for my thread, stabilizer, etc. I wind my own bobbins, my machine seems to like them better than any prewound ones and when embroidering on denim I use a #14 or #16 needle. My last word of advise...use correct stabilizer, thread, bobbins and needle...you'll never be sorry. http://www.marathonthreads.ca/thr...

I have two different Brother embroidery machines and denim is my fave fabric to embroider. I don't use any special needle other than they are top-stitching needles (longer eyes than most needles).

Please do use the correct size bobbin in your machine. Brother has two different sizes - mine are 9mm your machine takes the larger 11.5mm. You need to use 60wt bobbin thread (Brother brand has the grey label), and although this may cost you a little more, your machine will love it.

As for supplies, I'm in Australia (a remote area to boot!) and I buy all my stabilsers from America, from Designs By Sick. Even with the postage cost, it still works out a ton cheaper for me to buy this way. Perhaps you could check them out. They also sell Brother (colour) coded thread packs for a lot cheaper than Brother which have had great reviews.

I've used el-cheapo regular sewing thread as top thread (the cheaper stuff is thicker than Gutermaan (sp), although, of course both Brother machines love the Brother branded thread and stitch like a dream with it (but costly...so reserved for special items). I've since found a supplier who brands their own thread, within my state, so that worked out well (after 3 years of searching tho lol). Don't make the mistake of buying a ton of thread without trying a spool first - Brother machines are known for their attitudes to thread lol.

Metallic threads can be finicky to embroider with and most will suggest a longer run-path to your machine before it enters the thread path. For example in a coffee mug on the floor, so that it has a chance to unravel and not tangle in the thread path. I personally use the mug behind my machine, but I do as a Cutie suggested (whose name I sadly cannot remember)... that is to put your thread into a mug behind the machine and then sew it through a packing peanut before threading the machine. Sounds odd .. works.

No-one has mentioned density (as of when I write this)... sometimes the "fault" is with the design, not with the threads etc. Occasionally a design will be very dense. You may hear the needle thump-thump-thumping instead of tick-tick-ticking its way through the design...the threaded needle will also tend to pull the fabric up quite a way before releasing it again. Same goes for the metallic thread - esp if it's the outline and it's stitching over the design: density. you can try (in your machine's settings) to enlarge the design slightly and see if this fixes the stitching. Sometimes this is the magical ah-ha moment when all else has fails.

I'm by no means an expert, but have been where you are (and ready to throw my machines out of a window). Persevere, it's worth it :) hth

You don't say that you are using embroidery thread, 40wt, on top. If you aren't, be sure to get some when you can.Use a bigger needle as was already suggested. It doesn't matter what color bobbin thread you are using unless it's going to show. Bobbin thread is thinner than embroidery thread, however some give off more lint than others. I use serger thread in my bobbin, but it is linty. If the bobbin and top thread don't seem to be stitching correctly, it sounds to me that you may need fix the tension. On embroidery, the top thread should be showing on the backside of the fabric. About 1/3 bobbin thread and 2/3 embroidery thread.

If you are hooping the denim without stabilizer, make sure the denim is tight and flat in the hoop. You might try starching it a lot with some spray starch so it stays flatter and doesn't stretch so much. Be sure to let the starch get absorbed by the fabric before you iron it. If it hasn't gotten absorbed and sits on top of the fabric, it'll scorch your iron and then you'll have to clean your iron off. Denim has a lot of stretch with it, so I'd use a stabilizer even though it is a heavier fabric. If you use an iron-on stabilizer, you won't need to starch the fabric as the iron-on stabilizer will keep the denim from stretching. I assume you are using a temporary fabric spray glue when you use the dryer sheets for stabilizer. Depending on the weight of the denim, the dryer sheets may not be strong enough to support the design. You may have to use two.

This link will take you to a site with tons of good info that will help you.
Be sure to post again, if you still need help!

2 comments

by MrsMVP 02 Mar 2015

I'm honestly not sure if it is embroidery thread, or what weight it is. I bought the best stuff that wal-mart had, which was guterman thread, and it says it is 100% polyester. I don't know if it is specifically for embroidery or not, so Im not sure if it would have a weight? Like I said I am sooo new to this, I still have a LOT to learn! Thanks for the link, and for the info! I keep forgetting about spray starch, and it's super easy to make my own if I want to!. :)

by pennyhal2 03 Mar 2015

Guterman has both sewing thread and embroidery thread. However, not all stores carry both. Look on the end of your spools and read what the tag there says. Sometimes I need a magnifying glass to read it. It should say what weight (wt) it is. 40 wt is embroidery thread.

Sulky also makes an embroidery thread if they carry that brand too.

Hi MrsMVP,

I have a Brother Quattro and of course you can only use Brother bobbins in Brother machines. I do use a very fine bobbin thread which is Brother's own thread and have bought a 60wt bobbin thread from an Australian company called Creek Creations which works really well in the machine.

The Brother bobbin is deeper than ordinary bobbins eg. I cannot use the Brother bobbin in my Husqvarna and vice versa. The Brother bobbin is 1cm wide and the Husqvarna is .08cm wide. I once tried using a Husqvarna bobbin in the Brother and boy what a mess - massive bird nest!!!!!!!!!!! So now I have all the Brother bobbins in one bobbin holder and the Husqvarna ones in another holder.

With regard to the needle size - I'd use a 14 or a 16 for denim and depending on the density of the design try to reduce it and slow down the machine.

I hope you can work out what is happening. Love Chris


P.S. Check on the internet for things that you need seeing as you cannot obtain items in your small township.

1 comment

by MrsMVP 02 Mar 2015

Thank you for replying. :) I compared the prewound bobbins to the brother, and they look exactly the same, but I doubt that my naked eye could see a small difference, so that helps, thank you! :)

I'm wondering about the design you are using. It may be that it is not suitable for the weight of fabric you are stitching it on.
Is your machine happy stitching other designs?

The problems you are having may not be so much as with your bobbin or thread but with the needle. Since denim is a fairly stable fabric, the use of a dryer sheet here likely is not a problem. Depending upon the weight of the denim and the density of the design an 80/12 or 90/14 sharp needle should suffice. Slow down the machine and use a metallic needle when embroidering with metallic threads.

When affixing the denim applique material to the knit fabric a ball point needle will be necessary to avoid cutting the fibers in the tee which create little holes. Be sure to properly stabilize the tee and avoid stretching it when hooping or stitching the applique.

I purchase Organ needles from Sharp Sewing Supplies on eBay.

I think you are brave and kudos to you for your efforts. I don't know what country you are in. I have been in areas of the USA where I did not have easy access to embroidery supplies. I never went without though, thanks to the internet. I managed to get all of my supplies, from threads, to bobbins to stabilizersand everything else from a place located in Maryland. If you are located in the states you will never need to go without supplies. I will try to give you the address, but if I don't succeed just Google Allstitch embroiderry supplies. They are a reputable company. I have used them for years without a bad experience. Word of warning, you get free shipping if you order $150 or more in supplies. If you can afford that this is a great place for you. The only items they sell are for embroidery. Please check them out.

1 comment

by MrsMVP 02 Mar 2015

I live in Newfoundland, Canada, which is an island on the east coast. The furthest possible island on the east coast actually, lol. If something says free shipping in the US, it is never free to us here, and it usually runs us about $60 or more, if it is a fairly small parcel, so that is sort of out of the question too. I am looking around for some decent Canadian suppliers, if not, I will just order through wal-mart.ca if they have anything. LOL.

I only use prewound bobbins in my Bernina and have never had a problem.

I have never used a pre-wound bobbin in my machines & I've been embroidering for 11 years. Unless I'm doing FSL or towels, my main bobbin thread is the coats & clark bobbin.

You can purchase embroidery stabilizers on line from Wal-mart and have it delivered to your local wal-mart for free shipping.

http://www.walmart.com/search/?qu...

1 comment

by mrskiki 02 Mar 2015

Also JoAnn Fabrics online.

Thank you to you two ladies. My machine is a Brother HE240, but it is the same as the US model of SE400. The ONLY difference is the model number, and colour of the accents.

I have embroidered some other things successfully, depending on the density of the design. The more stuff that is in it, the less chances of it turning out, but that could be due to my not using the proper bobbins/thread, backing, etc. I am going to throw all the non brother bobbins away, and use amazon.ca for purchasing a huge lot for a good price, they are the SA156 model, so they should be ok. They are not Brother, but the model number of them is precisely correct. I will try again later and see what happens, when I use a size 14 needle! Wish me luck haha.

1 comment

by asterixsew 01 Mar 2015

Throwing decent bobbins away... could you not rewind them onto a empty bobbin? I rewind the end of my pre wound bobbins to get 100% use from them. Also many of us live in the middle of nowhere but get supplies via the internet. Working with metallic thread is not always straight forwards and I slow my machine down to do so

Hi there and welcome to the wonderful addictive hobby of embroidering! :)
I myself am new to this but I can totally understand how it feels when we dont get the necessary supplies easily! (BTW even my machine isnt from around here....it was flown in from another country. .LOL :)
I have a janome mc350e. ..which model of brother is yours??
well I have been lucky I guess that janome doesnt really demand the branded stuff and just works with what I get around here!
Tell me have you embroidered other stuff successfully???
Or is this your first project?
Well at least I can tell you this much that maybe a size 14 would be better for denim....(I do have a sewing experience)
and dont think it needs to say 'denim'!
Good luck and I am sure your problems will be resolved soon!!!

hi there i have foud out the hard way that only to use the bobbins that fit your make of machine and nothing else and that make life much easier and i do have a bernina and my machine also do not take well to prewind bobbins i use use gutterman thread aswell as bobbin thread good luck and enjoy your machine