How to Thread a Sewing Machine

“You crawl before you walk, you walk before you run.”

You thread before you sew.

I tell people that sewing is just a collection of techniques strung together and the more techniques you collect the better you get. The first technique to add to your tool belt is setting up your machine to sew. First you wind your bobbin then you thread your machine.

The threads simply need to go through a series of checkpoints. Take the time to look at your user manual for the specific details for your sewing machine. In both the written and video instructions, I am using a Brother sewing machine as an example. There will be little variations between brands and models of sewing machine.

Lower Threading (from the bobbin):

1. Turn off your machine. Raise needle and foot. Remove the drop-in bobbin cover.
2. Place the bobbin into place with the thread turning the correct direction. *Counter clockwise for my Brother sewing machine.
3. Hold the bobbin in place with one finger and with the other hand hold the thread tail. Pull the thread through the guide, making sure it goes under the tension- adjusting spring. *detail shot in video
4. Pull it through the rest of the guide and to the thread cutter.
5. Put the cover back into position.

Upper (from the spool of thread):

1. Place the spool of thread onto the spool pin. Cap the spool pin with a cap that is bigger than the spool.
2. Pull the thread under the thread guide and thread guide cover.
3. Pull thread toward you and down through the upper tension disks.
4. Loop under and back up to the thread take-up lever. Guide it through the thread take-up lever.
5. The pull down to the needle bar thread guide. Hook it behind the guide.
6. Thread the needle either by eye or using the needle threader.

Draw up the lower thread. To do this hold the tail of the upper thread. Turn the hand wheel, the upper thread will go down and around the bobbin, and as the needle comes up the upper thread will pull the bobbin thread up. Pull threads to where the tails are even in length, about 3 inches long. Place them behind the presser foot.

BONUS in the video… How to thread a twin/double needle!

Remember, learning is a process. The more you practice, the faster you will get. Threading your sewing machine will become built into your muscle memory and you won’t even have to think about it. One more tool in your tool belt!