Most of us sewists don’t think too much about how thread is manufactured or even how it’s wound on the spool to be sold. But, as it turns out, just like with the construction of the thread, the weight of the thread and finishes on thread, how it is wound on the spool can actually affect your sewing.

Understanding the difference between cross-wound thread and straight-wound thread can potentially save you a lot of headaches at your sewing machine. Let’s dive into everything you need to know about thread winding patterns and how they affect your sewing success.

Types of Thread Winding

There are two main types of thread winding you’ll encounter: cross-wound (or criss-cross) and straight (or stacked, or parallel) wound thread. And strangely, the type of winding might matter when you’re sewing. More on how it matters further down, so keep reading.

How to Identify Thread Winding Patterns

Look at your thread spool from the side. If you see diagonal lines crossing each other, you’ve got cross-wound thread. If you see neat, horizontal parallel lines, that’s straight-wound thread.

So, when I talk “high speed” I’m talking even faster than your typical home sewing machine. A home sewing machine will make about 600-800 stitches per minute. That means that the needle will go up and down 600 to 800 times in a minute (check your manual). Whereas a serger or overlock will do around 1500 – 1800 stitches per minute. Industrial grade sewing machines can hit over 3000 stitches per minute. Sergers/overlocks and industrial machines are considered “high speed”.

Proper Thread Feeding Methods

So, why does it matter what way your thread is wound? Well, if you load a thread on the “wrong” type of thread holder to thread your machine, you may experience problems. They can manifest as tension issues that you just can’t fix, or even have your thread breaking all the time.

Above, I said that it “may” cause problems. Which means, there is a chance it won’t. I think some machines are just more sensitive than others.

So, let’s look at the two ways to “feed” thread (or how it is pulled off the spool or cone) and which way works best with which winding type and why.

Thread Feeding Methods

If you sew enough or have seen different machines, you will notice that the thread will either sit vertically or horizontally on a thread pin.

Horizontal thread holders will usually have an end cap to keep the spool on the pin. This will also not let the spool rotate. This forces the thread to be pulled off the end of the spool. (Or cone, but often a cone won’t fit in the space of a horizontal spool pin.)

Vertical thread pins will either be alone or they will have a metal hook above them that you need to loop your thread through before threading your machine.

The vertical thread pin without the loop will allow you to pull the thread off the spool sideways, unwinding it like a roll of toilet paper. And the spool will rotate on the pin.

The vertical pin with the metal loop allows you to set your cone on the pin and pull the thread off the end or top of the cone.

So, either you are pulling the thread off the side of the spool, or you are pulling the thread off the end (or top) of the spool (or cone).

Side-Feed Technique for Stacked Thread

Straight-wound thread works best when it unwinds from the side of the spool. Use a vertical spool pin on the top of your machine and pull straight from the pin to the guides to thread your machine (do not pull through a loop above the spool pin). Unwinding it this way allows the thread to come off the spool in its natural state (untwisted). And that is what you want.

End-Feed Technique for Cross-wound Thread

Cross-wound thread should always be positioned so that the thread comes off the end of the spool or the top of the cone. These spools can be put on your horizontal spool pin and held in place with a cap. Cones that don’t fit in a horizontal spool holder should be placed on a vertical pin and looped through the hook above it before being threaded into your machine. Unwinding your cross-wound thread this way allows the thread to come off without twists or added tension. And that is the goal.

Impact on Thread Tension and Performance

In addition to the twist I’m going to talk about in the next section, consider how fast you sew. A stationary spool (or cone) that is cross-wound and the thread pulled off the end is able to handle much higher sewing speeds. Straight wound thread that has to rotate on a spool pin may need a slower sewing speed to prevent extra tangling and tension in the thread. Just think about the drag of the spool against the pin, which will add tension. But in addition, I’ve had my thread wind itself on the pin beneath the spool, causing all sorts of issues as well. And that is on my “regular” sewing machine, not an industrial.

Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting

Now that you know that straight-wound thread should be pulled off the side of the spool (with the spool rotating), and cross-wound thread should be pulled off the end of the spool or cone (with the spool or cone stationary), let’s take a look at why that works best and what might be happening if you don’t thread your machine this way. And I’ll hit on some other tips and tricks to reduce your risk of thread-threading-related issues.

Thread Twisting and Knotting

If your thread keeps twisting up or creating tiny knots, make sure you’re using the correct feeding method for your thread type. Sometimes, simply repositioning the spool can solve the problem. (I’ll tackle tips for when you don’t have the proper pin arrangement for your spool winding type.

Let’s look at what’s actually happening to your thread if you are using the wrong feed method. If you pull straight-wound thread off the end of the spool, it adds a twist to the thread that you do not want. You can see this if you pull toilet paper off the end of the roll, rather than pulling it straight out.

And while you can’t see it easily, the same thing happens to cross-wound thread if you pull it off the side, letting the spool rotate. If you pull enough length off and really watch it when you let go, you should see it untwist.

As you unwind your thread incorrectly and add all those extra twists to it, you can start to see a variety of issues pop up.

1. You might just notice that it feels like the tension is too high. Maybe stitches become uneven (top thread pulling the bobbin thread up).
2. You might notice the thread twisting back on itself when the tension is released (When the needle is down and the take-up lever is down) during the stitch-making process. This is when the top thread has to go around the bobbin to twist with the bobbin thread to make the stitch.
3. You might notice the thread knotting up on itself (all those extra twists can eventually form knots).
4. You might notice your thread breaking even if the tension is set ok and it’s not getting hung up on anything.

Adjusting the tension won’t ease the problem.

And what is more of a giveaway is if these problems start to happen after a few stitches have been made. It’ll take time before all those extra twists build up to cause problems. So, you might be able to do shorter seams that have no issues, or have no issues when you first thread the machine, but then start seeing problems.

This is incredibly frustrating because “It was fine just a bit ago”, and having nothing change while sewing seems like an insurmountable task to troubleshoot. Start by looking at your thread feeding.

Tension Problems

I kind of alluded to this in the last section. But a lot of problems that this extra twisting causes look like tension issues, or even needle issues. You could see uneven tension, like loops on the top or bottom of the fabric. You could even see skipped stitches. If you feel like you have to change your tension as you sew, this could be because the twisting is building up in the top thread and the thread is technically changing its characteristics.

Thread Spool Pin Tricks

Your machine may only come with a horizontal or a vertical spool pin. My circa 1975 Machine only has vertical spool pins. Back in the day, cross-wound threads probably weren’t as common.

Many modern machines come with a horizontal spool pin as the primary spool pin. Some may have an adapter to use for a vertical spool pin. My machine has a special spot to put the vertical spool pin, but some have a little attachment that you put on the bobbin winder on the top of the machine.

So, what happens if you need the orientation that you don’t have?

If you only have a horizontal spool pin and you need a vertical one to pull straight-wound thread off the side of the spool, here are a few hacks.

• You can get clever and fasten a chopstick (or something that is a small enough size that your thread spool can rotate freely on) to the back of your machine. You may want to rig some kind of platform for the spool to sit on. (I got in a discussion on TikTok about this, and the person showed me how they had made a pin like this to do the job.
• You can set your spool in a small dish and then feed it up and over a hook of some sort.

If you only have a vertical one and need to pull cross-wound thread off the end of the spool or top of the cone, here are a couple of options.

• You can place your cone or spool vertically in a jar or something and pull the thread out of the top of the jar. This will work OK, but really, you’ll need something to hook the thread over to reduce the friction of the thread against the back or side of your machine.
• You can buy an adapter for your machine if you only need to use small spools or small cones of thread. Here’s one I found on Amazon, but I don’t know how well it really works. So do due diligence before buying.
• For large cones, you can buy a thread stand (this will also work for small spools) and provide the hook if you need one for a straight wound thread in a dish. Make sure to get a heavy base so it doesn’t flop around a bunch (Unless you want to mount it to your table… which is a no-go if your sewing table is also your dining table. Probably.)

I have also seen an adapter on Amazon that allows for both types of thread feeding. But it looks really flimsy and too lightweight. And it is over $30 US. So, unless you are going to be able to mount it to a surface, it seems too pricey. But I haven’t used it, so my opinion is just based on photos and other reviews.

And last, I have a serger that sits near my sewing machine. I just use its thread holder if I need to use a large cone of thread and string the thread the extra 2 feet to my sewing machine.

Conclusion

The way your thread is wound might never have crossed your mind as a detail to consider. But it can make a huge difference in your sewing experience. Back in the day, I thought Gutermann (cross-wound) thread was low quality cause it kept breaking on me. But I was feeding it straight off the spool. I have heard people complain about Coats & Clark thread, which is straight-wound. And perhaps, they are feeding it off the end of the default horizontal spool pin on their machine.

You can make either work. Knowing that the difference makes a difference is key to troubleshooting issues and having a smooth, stress-free (well, almost) sewing experience.