lorra wrote:
Good idea Lorra!
Barb

I would save the longer threads to use in hand sewing, maybe for basting, button sewing etc. They would already be cut a good length.

Well, great minds do think alike! When I realized how much thread it was I put a ziplock baggie next to my machine and have already collected a nice group of shiny threads. I was thinking of doing some Christmas ornaments with the threads sandwiched between layers of solvy! I also had already removed the front cover from the machine and safely put it away so I can get to the broken thread more easily.

Judith, I was thinking about getting a couple of jars, for similar projects. (One for dark threads, one for light.) TQS Ritzy sent me an ATC a few years ago, and the surface was the threads from one of her previous projects. She captured them between the black background fabric, and a fine black netting. She did FMQ to hold it all together. It's pretty clever!

I measured my cut tails, and was also surprised! Mine are just over 20"! Wow! Another project could be to use them with fabric snippets on inchies or a larger project like the wonderful quilts Noriko Endo makes. The threads, added to the snippets, would add another layer of texture, which could look really cool!

Oh, and I have a friend who saves the tails all year long, and then sets them out in the spring, for the birds to snatch and weave into their nests.

Dawn

Here's an idea. Moderation in all things. My Janome dealer cautioned me with these same instructions saying one of her customers pulled the thread from the top and backward through the tension mechanism and damaged the tension assembly. Now I have thought long and hard about this and I don't believe that is possible unless you are pulling with excessive force on a very strong heavy weight thread with the pressor foot down and the tension engaged. I pull my thread backward through the machine but I first look for lint on the thread at the top of the needle assembly, I make sure the tension is entirely disengaged, and only then do I gently pull it back through the machine. I really don't think I am living dangerously. Have a good day everyone. Be kind and gentle to those machines we all love so much.

I don't blame you for being bothered by cutting off long lengths of thread. Here's an idea. You could put a small container near your machine to put all the longer threads in, and when you get enough, use them in a project. One sewing store owner I knew kept a small container by each machine just for these excess thread lengths. When they got enough, they used them to make things like artistic scarves. I think they sandwiched the threads between water-soluble stabilizer - like Solvy - and stitched all over it to hold the threads together, and then washed away the stabilizer. They were beautiful. She was very artistic.

The biggest shocker I had was when I measured how much thread was wasted by cutting and pulling through the needle - 31 inches! I don't know why that bothers me, but it does. I guess it is the price I pay for having a longer and higher neck. Oh well, it gives me a reason to shop for thread more often!

I use thread nets a lot. They help.

Well, I took the machine to the dealer and asked them to help me trouble shoot it (again, a novel approach!). We played with it a while and, although it never shredded the thread, we did notice a bird's nest on the bobbin side. The ladies at the shop put a thread net on and the stitch quality improved and no more bird's nests. I haven't gotten it back on the quilting frame yet as I had an embroidery project to complete first, but will let you know how it goes. I have never used a thread net, even though I got them with both the 180 and the 200. Does anyone else use them? I am learning a lot with this machine!

bhalbard wrote:
Brenda,
My 830 dealer said some people leave the front plate off all the time, to make it easy to see if the thread has gotten out of the little thingy. It is surprising how often this happens. It is the first thing I check when I have a tension problem. I only put the front plate on when I take it to the dealer. I cut a piece of template plastic to cover the opening just to keep dust out, and make it easy to check to see if the upper thread has slipped out of the "thingy." I taped the plastic template to the top of the machine with painter's tape, just like a hinge, and just flip it up when I want to check the upper thread.
I don't have a problem with thread shredding with my 830, but I did have a thread shredding problem with my Janome. It was caused by rough places on the the throat plate where needles had hit the opening in the throat plate. I bought a small round file and filed the opening smooth. That solved it.
Do you have another throat plate you can try?
I know you are frustrated. You might have to take it to your dealer to check the parts you can't see. Let us know how it goes.

Judith

Brenda, I'm so sorry you are having shredding thread problems. Since, you have changed needles, and types of thread and are still having problems, I'm wondering if there is a rough spot or bur somewhere internal to the machine. I heard a Bernina service guy say he had taking out a customer's 830 bobbin case, and it was all pitted. Some of the 830s unfortunately got some bad parts. (An unreputable supplier, I guess. My husband deals with this every day for the company he works for!) Has it been sewing just fine up until now? I hope it decides to play nicely for you this afternoon! Good luck!

Dawn

I have always pulled back and rewound the thread onto the spool even though I have had Bernina's for almost 40 years! I did just get a new (to me) Bernina 830 and, although I tried to cut and pull from the needle sometimes I just couldn't find the end of the thread so out the backside it came. Then, the thread started shredding and I was not really happy! What to do? I actually decided to look at the manual (gasp, horror, really?). It showed how to take the front plate off the machine and look for the thread. I wish I had taken a picture of the take up lever!!! There was probably a foot of shredded thread wrapped around the little hooky thing that the thread runs through. I removed it and am much happier with my stitch quality, but the thread is still shredding after changing needles 3 times and changing thread 2 times. I am going to get a third type of thread to try when I wake up this afternoon. Anyway, I guess I will force myself to learn to pull the thread through the needle from now on! Oh yeah, I have never had tension issues with my 40 year old Bernina or my 180 or 200 and have always pulled the thread backwards.

I think it depends on the machine whether you can do this or not. The newer high-tech machines do things a little differently. I usually snip and pull as instructed, but I have sometimes pulled the thread back from my Bernina 830, but very slowly and after I lift the presser foot to make sure the tension disks are not engaged. My Bernina 350 and 1230 do not appear to be affected in the same way with the tension discs when the presser foot is down, and I pull my thread out the old fashioned way on those two machines. It also probably makes a difference the weight of thread you use. If you are using a heavier thread, you really probably should not pull it backwards, but clip and pull forward. I know several people who have damaged their higher tech machines by doing it the old fashioned way...so as I said...depends on the machine.

I agree with Marilyn!
Barb:-)