Random question - why do some machines sew fine with cheap thread?

[lucysmam]

And others chew it up, and spit it out?

I tried replacing a reel on my overlocker with a cheap reel of thread yesterday & it does NOT like it...neither does my sewing machine. But Dp's mum's machine will happily use whatever thread she has to hand

I don't know
I have the same trouble with my embroidery machine, I can even buy the same make of thread and certain colours just won't sew.

I haven't had that problem yet. Sure it's only a matter of time though.

What machine do you have? Is it actually a needle problem? My husqvarna will tolerate any thread so long as the needle is changed at regular intervals.

It's a very cheap Netto special but no, it's not the needle. The machine starts making a funny 'ting ting ting' when it wants replacing. & I replace the overlocker needle regularly too (that doesn't make any odd warning sounds though).

Thinking about it, dp's mum only changes needle if it breaks

Ha! This one had me puzzled for a while last week too. Have some thread in all colours of the rainbow of which dark blue, red, brown and yellow are fine, but the machine just hated the black and charcoal.

Some machines are just better at tolerating the fluffiness that you often get with cheap or older threads.
It can also be the tension as older or cheaper threads are more likely to drag and break.
I only use two specific brands of quality thread as having used a few different machines I have found cheap thread problems with all of the machines to different degrees. I get incredibly frustrated with thread constantly breaking so I save my sanity by spending extra on the thread. Janome machines have seemed better at tolerating different thread types.
I am totally confused about why different colours of thread would make a difference- perhaps something to do with the amount do dye that has been used?

I have an old Toyota machine that I use for repairing horse rugs and outside things - sews with anything, so does my Singer 99.

My Bernina is gutermann/mettler only and disliked a white gutermann recently, it was an odd off white colour, not sure if it was a different type from the regular gutermann, it had been in my box for years, I suspect it was pure cotton thread.

I reckon it must be the calibration of the tension system on some machines or even just the finish on the parts used where the thread passes through it.

Very frustrating though and for my own sanity I only buy gutermann, even though it adds £2 to the cost of a project.

Interesting about the fluffiness, last time I tried a cheap white reel in the sewing machine it sort of dragged it's way through the needle, leaving a ring of fluff and then snapped.

I only tried it to see if I could save myself a bit of cash but will stick to what I know they like in future, it was not fun re threading my overlocker when it threw a hissy fit & all it's threads snapped.

Super maybe it is the dye with some - I remember reading a thread on here a couple of years ago about pegs. The purple ones were more likely to snap first because of the dye used for them according to a poster who seemed to know what they were talking about

lavender the old thread might have been guttermann but old thread deteriorates and causes the same issues as cheap thread.

You are probably right Super. I have built up my sewing collection over 30 years and some of it is probably ancient. I seem to have about 200 reels of thread in various used states so perhaps I just chose a very old one.

I don't bother changing the needle in my machine unless my project calls for a different type but it is easy to forget that some threads need different needles too - I am guilty of not changing my needle to match my thread because I use the same thread most of the time.

See if I dont change my needle my thread snaps regularly so I can have cheap thread but need new needles more often. Saying that I quite like the routine of changing out a needle for a new project.

I find that decent thread and a new needle for a fabric type work for me - I only buy 2 packet of needles a year if I am honest and have done so for ever! The availability of Gutermann threads makes it easy to buy the exact colour I need.