Taming slippery threads

I love using all different kinds of threads and, when making postcards or quilting I especially love shiny specialty threads.

I have lots of cones of these acrylic threads. They are great in my serger to edge postcards but the thread is so slippery that it is always pooling under the cone. Inevitably the thread gets caught there and breaks or totally messes up the tension.

A lot of people like to use thread nets on thread like this but I have never had good luck with thread nets. In my experience they really mess with the tension. A long time ago someone shared a better method of dealing with these cones and I wanted to share it with you.

A bowl of rice! I keep this little plastic container of rice near my serger and simply set the come into the rice. The thread still falls but it can't get caught under the cone and it feeds to the machine perfectly. How simple (and cheap) is that?

Here's my serger set up with 2 bowls of rice and 2 cones of thread. When not in use I put the lids on the containers. The rice doesn't go bad. I've had one of those containers in here at least 10 years.

Comments

[Stephanie]

What a cheap and terrific idea! Loves those greens.

[Teresa in Music City]

Wow - what a great idea! I'd have never thought of that. I have the same problem with the invisible threads that I use for machine applique. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

[shannon]

who would of thunk...thanks for sharing.

now to figure out how to get the bowl to stay on the long arm :) drill a hole and push in the cut off top of an empty cone...??

i'll try it and see

[Ruth Lane]

Great idea!

[quiltdivajulie]

Excellent hint!!!!! Thanks for sharing!

[elle]

Brilliant!!! Sometimes we just over think things and get too techy!

[Suzanne]

How smart of you....thanks for sharing with us!

[Virtual Quilter]

Simple is the best!

[LindaKs]

What a great tip!! Thanks!!

[Lora]

Brilliant!

[Georgia]

I use a magnetic pin holder......why not use a second pin holder with rice in it.......