How to Thread A Brother Sewing Machine

Threading a brother sewing machine can be a bit confusing if you are not familiar with the machine’s threading mechanism. You not only have to guide the thread through a series of hooks but also have to ensure that thread is automatically guided through the eye of the needle. However, you only need to learn how to do it once and you will be doing it without much thought afterwards. 

How to Thread A Brother Sewing Machine

Turn the sewing machine off and lift the presser foot. Next, remove the spool cap at the top of your machine to insert the new thread and put the spool cap back on. Guide the needle through the hooking mechanism on the top and the back to the front of the machine head before finally using the needle threader mechanism to pass the thread through the eye of the needle.

Perhaps it would be easier if you approached the task through a simple step by step process. Threading a brother machine might seem a bit daunting at first but you will find it quite easy to do once you get the full picture and do it a couple of times.

Step 1. Lift The Presser Foot on Your Brother Sewing Machine

To start, turn off your machine and lift the presser foot. The presser foot is the hand-operated hook-like mechanism above the needle that you would normally use to lift the needle off the fabric while sewing. Lifting the presser foot while threading allows the thread to fall between the tension disks when you are threading the needle part.

Step 2. Attach Your New Spool/Thread

Assuming you have a new spool of thread to replace a depleted one, this next step is simply swapping the old one with the new. All brother machines have a spool pin at the top secured by a spool cap. Just slide the spool cap out and remove any depleted spool. Next, slide your new spool into the spool pin to the end and replace the spool cap to secure the spool. 

Pull a strand of thread long enough to loop through all the hooks provided in the sewing machine head. A meter or so is enough for threading a standard brother machine. You can make a good estimate based on the length of your machine’s hooking mechanism, although it’s always advisable to leave a good allowance.

 Step 3. Thread the Machine – Hooking Mechanism

This step involves guiding the thread you just pulled through a series of hooks on the machine head. Luckily, all Brother sewing machines have a diagram printed at the top to help you when threading. Hook the thread horizontally at the top following the printed guidelines at the top.

Next, you will need to guide your thread through a very specific path on the back and front of the head. Move the free thread around the back hooking it on the top hook and then bring it to the front on the left side with a vertical opening known as the thread guide. Move it up around the upper tension control and the thread take-up lever and then down on the same path to the needle level.

Step 4. Thread the Sewing Machine Needle

This is perhaps the trickiest but most important part. You have attached a new spool and guided the thread through the upper section of the sewing machine. Now you remain with the final part that will end in catching the thread through the eye of the thread.

Step 4.1:  Start by passing the thread you are now holding behind the needle thread guide. The needle thread guide is the part that looks like a finger elongated to the right side of the needle base. It’s located at the top of the needle. You should pass the thread behind it from the right and bring it forward to the front through the left.

Step 4.2:  Next, locate the up/down button on your Brother machine and push the down button first followed by the up button. This will make the needle go down and then come up assuming you had put it in the default “up position” at the beginning so that it lines up with the threader hook for the next step.

Step 4.3:  Now, push the needle threader lever on the left of the needle (mostly plastic) and hold it in position with your left finger as you hook the thread to the guide. The guide is a hook-like mechanism held by a cylindrical rod passing through the needle threader. 

Step 4.4:  Push the thread lever to the right to secure the thread to the guide but do not release it just yet. This will also cause the end of the needle threader to rotate anticlockwise towards you. At this point, a small hook within the needle threader will pass through the needle eye ready to help you pass the thread through it.

Step 4.5:  To finish the threading process, you’ll need to pass the thread you are holding with your right hand below the lever while still holding the thread lever with your left hand. Gently release the thread lever while loosely holding the thread to allow the hook to pull some of it through the eye of the needle in a loop. 

Check the direction of the loop and pull your thread through the eye until the tail goes through to the other side of the eye. At this point, you will have completed the threading process and ready to start sewing. Finish the job by releasing the presser foot to start using the thread. Of course, you’ll still need to ensure that the bobbin is properly set and ready to serve the bottom thread to create a complete stitch.

Things to Be Aware of When Threading Your Machine

Hooking mechanism- Ensure that you follow all the steps printed at the top of the machine when hooking your thread and guiding it to the needle. Missing one hook will cause problems later when you start sewing. 

Replacing the spool cap– Don’t forget to put the spool cap back after replacing the thread otherwise the whole spool will spin out of the pin once it starts spinning.

Lifting the presser foot– Ensure that you lift the presser foot before you start threading the machine. 

The thread lever– Don’t forget to hold the thread lever in place until the end when you are ready to release the hook for the thread to pass through the eye of the needle. Also, keep an eye on the direction of the loop that went through the eye of the needle so that you don’t end up pulling the whole loop out and have to repeat the whole process. 

Setting the tension– You don’t have to worry about setting the thread tension at this point. Brother machines have a different mechanism that allows you to alter the tension at any time after threading.

How Do You Thread the Upper Thread on A Brother Sewing Machine?

Threading the upper part of a Brother is quite easy. You only need to put a new spool, secure it and follow the printed guidelines on the top of the head to hook the thread through three or four hooking points. You will then bring it up and around the thread take-up lever before proceeding to the bottom part of the sewing machine and threading the needle.

What Thread Is Best for Brother Sewing Machine?

Most Brother machines can work with a wide variety of threads including silks, cotton, polyesters, rayon among others. The type of thread you will use depends on the job you are currently doing and not the machine. For instance, you may need cotton or silk thread varieties for embroidery jobs.

Jessica

Jessica

I'm Jessica Flores, a professional fashion designer and an expert seamstress. Crafting has always been a deep-seated passion of mine, one that has flourished and evolved over the years. I've dedicated considerable time to both studying and practicing in the realm of fashion and sewing, amassing a wealth of experience and skills. It brings me great joy to share these insights and experiences with you all, hoping to inspire and foster a similar passion for the art of sewing.

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