Marathon Threads Canada

· Embroidery Thread in a variety of colours, in a variety of types including Rayon, Polyester, Variegated, and Metallic

· Incredible Tape to control the tangling and unwinding of thread during storage and to control thread flow during stitching

· Needles designed for machine embroidery- size 11/75 or 12/80 for most projects

· Clippers to clip beginning threads and jump stitches M-102 Double-Curved 3.5” Embroidery Scissors or M-519 Spring Action Snipper

· Stabilizers: At least one each of Cutaway, Tearaway, and Water-Soluble. Specialized stabilizers for added convenience.

· Reference Materials: Creative Beginnings in Machine Embroidery by Patty Albin is easy to read, with good illustrations.

The purpose of using a stabilizer is to support the embroidery on the fabric and to prevent distortion. Usually the stabilizer is placed under the fabric during the embroidery process, and the excess is cut away, torn away, or treated with water or heat to completely remove it; therefore, stabilizers are available as cutaway, tearaway, water soluble, or heat-away. Some stabilizers are available with a heat-sensitive fusible backing, water-sensitive fusing, or with a tearaway backing to expose a sticky surface. Fusibles can be used to add stability to stretchy or fine fabrics before hooping. Stabilizers are also available in different weights, from lightweight to medium to heavy.

The weight of the stabilizer should be similar to the weight of the fabric, but you should also consider the stretch of the fabric, the density of the embroidery, and the way the embroidered article will be used and cared for. Thicker and more stable fabrics can support the embroidery stitches and require only a lightweight tearaway stabilizer and some require no stabilizer. Softer, thinner, or stretchy fabrics require cutaway stabilizer to support the embroidery stitches and to make the embroidery more attractive, durable, and washable. More dense embroidery requires a heavier stabilizer. Topping films should be used when the fabric has a pile or nap to avoid fabric threads from appearing within the embroidery. (Changing from a satin stitch to a fill stitch also controls the base fabric from migrating into the embroidery).

In some cases, hooping the fabric is not the best choice. Thick or stiff fabrics may be difficult to hoop. Some fabrics with a nap e.g. velvet may be damaged by the hoop. Stretchy fabrics recover their original size after being stretched in the hoop making the design ripple and not sit flat. In all these cases, you can hoop the stabilizer and lay the fabric on top before embroidering. Double-sided adhesive tape (our item #949 and #950) can be used for many of these applications, or you can use very careful placement of pins outside of the design area.

For a good reference book on all your embroidery needs, we recommend our item #1705 Creative Beginnings in Machine Embroidery by Patty Albin. This book gives a great overview of what supplies are needed and tips on how to use many things like scissors, needles, stabilizers...

Cutaway Stabilizers give permanent support to the fabric and embroidery. They cushion the design adding dimension and durability. Choose the best weight to provide the amount of support required. Dense embroidery requires a heavier stabilizer. Stretchy or thin fabrics require very stable support from the stabilizer; therefore, consider using a fusible stabilizer, a sticky-back stabilizer, or a spray fabric adhesive to attach non-fusible the stabilizer to the fabric before hooping. Trim cutaway stabilizers close to the stitching or leave 1/8 to 1/4 inch around the embroidery to support the outline. Cutaway stabilizers are usually more comfortable against the skin compared to tearaway stabilizers, so consider using them on garments and baby clothes.

Marathon Threads Canada carries several weights of cutaway, and also carries fusibles:

C-62 Medium Weight Cutaway- Our softest cutaway. Suitable for garments and baby clothes.

C-71A. Heavy Weight Cutaway Brought in due to customer demand. Similar to our old style CM-22-A! Soft feel for fleece, blankets, or heavy woven fabrics! Excellent for designs with denser stitching.

NoShow Nylon Mesh (available in fusible and non-fusible) was specifically developed for left-chest logo applications and to minimize stabilizer show-through on fabrics. Ideal for lightweight knits or sheer fabrics, and the fusible version can be used to cover scratchy stitches on the back of finished embroidery.

SF-1 Fusible Cutaway is a non-woven, lightweight fusible. It supports the fabric during stitching. Adds stability to stretchy or fine fabrics before hooping. Reheat with an iron before gently lifting the stabilizer from the fabric for trimming excess.

Tearaway Stabilizers are used on fabrics that require support during the embroidery stitching, but they don’t need support after the design has been stitched. Excess can be gently torn away close to the stitching. All of our tearaway stabilizers tear away easily in all directions.

-or lay the fabric over the hooped stabilizer and hold in position with double-sided tape.

Marathon Threads Canada carries four weights of regular tearaway: HX35, EM-40, EM-80 (twice the thickness of EM-40), and HX90 and two specialized tearaways, RinsAway and Press N Tear/Peel & Stick.

RinsAway- Performs like a regular tearaway, except any remaining stabilizer will wash away after several launderings. Use it when you don’t want any stabilizer remaining on the back of the fabric.

Press N Tear / Peel & Stick is a tearaway with a paper release backing and pressure sensitive adhesive. It eliminates the need for double-sided tape to hold small or bulky items to the hooped stabilizer. It also makes it easier to place small items in the correct position in the hoop e.g. when embroidering a delicate embroidery on a baby collar. Just hoop your Press N Tear, peel back the paper and stick your item down to it. Carefully peel back the excess stabilizer and tear away as usual.

Water-Soluble Stabilizers are used as a topping film to control the pile on fabrics such as toweling, fleece, or velvet while embroidering. It allows the fibers of the fabric to be pressed flat for a nice clean design. Another stabilizer (cutaway, tearaway, or another layer of water-soluble stabilizer) is used under the fabric. Freestanding lace designs can be embroidered on one or more layers of water-soluble stabilizer, and all the stabilizer will disappear in water.

H₂0 GONE /WASH-AWAY is a fabric-like stabilizer that completely dissolves in water leaving no residue. Its unique fiber construction makes it suitable for lace, appliqués, and emblems. Soft fabric feel. Hoop with the article. Wash in warm water or machine wash on delicate.

Water Soluble 70^oC is a fabric-like non-woven stabilizer that dissolves when stirred in 70^o C (hot to boiling) water.

Embossed Cold Water Soluble Topping Film is suitable for toweling or items with a pile or nap. The stitching cuts through the stabilizer, and some of the stabilizer will fall away by itself. You can gently tear away any remaining stabilizer or it will disappear with a spray of water or in the laundry. When the stabilizer is cut by the stitching it cuts down on finishing time. This is an advantage when embroidering monograms on towels, because the stabilizer controls the terry threads during stitching but falls from inside or between the letters e.g. O. If you use a tougher stabilizer, you may have to use tweezers or water to remove it.

Solublon is Marathon’s strongest water-soluble topping film. It’s strong enough to be used as a backing stabilizer or for making free-standing lace (use multiple layers if necessary). Sturdy during stitching but dissolves in water. Its strength gives improved registration for finishing outline and details.

Wet‘n’Set is a tearaway or cutaway stabilizer with a water-activated adhesive. Convenient for small items or items that can be damaged by the hoop. Hoop the stabilizer, moisten, and lay your item on top. Your item sticks. You can use a sponge or a very light spray of water. Available in tearaway or cutaway. Moisten again to reposition or remove.

Hot Melt Film (Melt Away) iron-away stabilizer- Sticks to your non-teflon iron after embroidering. Great for freestanding lace, patches, appliqué, sweatshirts, toweling, etc. You can embroider directly on it. Use when you want the stabilizer to completely disappear after embroidering but you don’t want to wet the fabric. This item replaces our Trick Film.

Double-Sided Adhesive Tape- Great to attach small or hard to hoop items to the hooped stabilizer. No hoop marks!!! No pin holes!!!

Marathon Threads Canada carries several types of needles. Having a sharp needle is one of the most important factors in machine embroidery. Note that the embroidery needle has a more elongated eye than a regular sewing needle. Marathon Threads Canada carries Organ home embroidery needles 15x1 with a flat shank or industrial DBxK5 with a round shank in a variety types and sizes in both sharp and ball point. Increase needle size for heavier fabrics. 75/11 or 80/12 are suitable for most light-weight fabrics. 90/14 is better for heavy fabrics such as denim and canvas.

Sharps- Sharp needles actually pierce the fabric. Sharp needles have to remain sharp to produce clean designs and prevent damage to fabrics. Replace your needles often.

Ball Point- Ball point needles pass between fabric fibers reducing the chance of marking or damaging the fabric. Use a ball point needle for knits to prevent runs or holes.

Metallic- Organ 15x1 ST needle as it has an oversized eye that reduces stress and tension on the thread.

Quilting- Organ HLx5 is an industrial grade chrome needle. It has the flat shank for home machines. Suitable for quilting projects with multiple layers. Available in a variety of sizes.

Cover Stitching- The Organ ELx705 needle has a slightly longer scarf, a light ball point and 2 grooves and is made specifically for cover stitching.

Organ 15x1BP SP is a special version of the 15x1 needle made for stretch or elastic materials and tightly woven knits. This needle will work on any home serger that uses a flat shank needle.

Marathon Threads Canada stocks embroidery needles made specifically for the following machines:
- Organ HAx130 EBBR needle was developed for use in the Babylock EMP6 (also known as Babylock EMB6) and Brother PR-600C.
- Organ DBxK5-Z1 round shank needle fits industrial embroidery machines and also fits Janome MB-4 and Melco EP-4 machines.

Needle Guide: Reduce thread breakage, stitching problems, and needle breakage by choosing the needle type and size for the fabric and project. Change needles often for best results, ideally every 100,000 stitches.

Sharp Needles:

#65/9S- Extra fine fabrics such as five silks, heirloom linens, lame, organdy or similar

#70/10S- Fine fabrics such as bridal satin, satin, Georgette, silk, crepe, voile, linen and batiste

#75/11S- Medium to fine weight wovens, including cotton and poly/cotton blends or similar fabrics

#80/12S- Medium to heavy weight fabrics such as chambray or similar fabrics

#90/14S- Heavy woven fabrics such as canvas or denim

Ball Point Needles:

#65/9BP- Extra fine knits such as light weight ribbing, silk knits, delicate stretch fabrics or similar

#70/10BP- Fine knits such as light weight jersey or similar

#75/11BP- Medium to fine weight fabrics such as pique or jersey

#80/12BP- Medium to heavy weight fabrics such as interlock knits and fleece knits

#90/14BP- Heavy weight knits such as velour knits or heavy fleece

Hint: The lower the number, the smaller the needle size.

Marathon Embroidery Thread: We are told that Marathon threads sew out with better coverage than some other embroidery threads.
To estimate your thread consumption: On average, app. 6.5 yards of thread would be used per 1000 embroidery stitches. This varies depending on stitch length, fabric thickness, and tension for both the bobbin and the needle.

Marathon Viscose Rayon embroidery thread has natural fiber properties and produces beautiful lustrous designs. Rayon can be a little more sensitive to bleaching agents compared to polyester threads, but they may run through the embroidery machine cleaner and rayon produces an embroidery with a lovely sheen.

Marathon Polyester embroidery thread is spun from synthetic fibers. It has more resistance to damage from chemicals compared to rayon e.g. bleach. Marathon's manufacturing process produces a quality thread with a much higher sheen and luster compared to some other polyester embroidery threads. Marathon Threads Canada customers tell us they can hardly tell the difference between embroideries stitched out in Marathon Polyester compared to those stitched with Marathon Rayon. They tell us Marathon Rayon threads retain colour and appearance well after wearing and washing, but you can expect the polyester to perform even better.

Marathon Metallic embroidery threads are available in 13 colours including golds and silvers. Metallics can accent or enhance a beautiful design and give it that special finishing touch. Marathon metallic thread is a high quality thread that feels and acts like any other embroidery thread. It runs through the machine smoothly. It doesn’t twist back on itself causing breakage. Use a special needle designed for metallic threads. Marathon’s 15x1 ST needle has an oversized eye to reduce stress and tension on the thread. It was designed to accommodate metallic or heavy top-stitching threads for embroidery and decorative stitching.

Marathon 100% Rayon Variegated Embroidery threads come in two types: Ombre and Multi. Ombre has different shades of the same colour varying from light to dark. Multi has a striped or multi-colored effect using 2, 3 or 4 different colours. The variegated threads add extra texture or colour variation to your designs.

Bobbin Thread and Pre-Wound Bobbins: Wind your own bobbins using Marathon’s 60/2 weight 100% polyester bobbin thread available in 11 colours or buy the pre-wound bobbins. The size L pre-wound bobbins come in polyester or nylon, some available in black and white. The polyester bobbins are available without sides, with paper sides, or with plastic sides. Most Singer, Kenmore, and Janome machines use a thicker bobbin, so ask for the plastic sided Size A bobbins.

Marathon Threads Canada makes it easy for the beginner embroiderer to choose a variety of threads. Choose from our many Rayon or Polyester Starter Kits that contain 50 different colours of Marathon threads. You can buy the kits individually or think of buying two kits that were designed to compliment each other, meaning there are few or no repeats between them. Kit #1 was designed to go with Kit #2, Kit #3 with Kit #8, and Kit #6 with Kit #7.

Rayon and Polyester Shade Cards: Marathon Threads can be ordered individually. The Rayon and Polyester Shade cards contain real-thread samples for accurate colour selection. The Metallic colours appear on both the Rayon and Polyester Shade Cards, and the Variegated colours appear on the Rayon Shade Card.

Variegated Thread Kit: Starter Kit #5 contains 14 Ombre and 6 Multi-coloured spools (1,000 mtr each).

Rayon and Polyester Mini Spool Sets: Marathon offers plastic storage cases with pull out drawers with 200 mtr spools of embroidery thread. The Rayon set contains 317 solid coloured Rayon spools plus 20 Variegated spools, and the Polyester set contains 306 spools Polyester.

Sewing and Serger Threads:

100% Polyester Cotton-Look Threads for Serging & Sewing:

This cotton-look thread has double silicone, does not shrink, retains shape, recovers stretch and exhibits excellent resistance to chemicals. Available in beautiful matte finish colours. 5,000 mtr. (5,500 yd.) cones. Our cotton-look shade card contains real-thread samples for accurate colour selection. You can also see the colours in our catalog and on Marathon Threads Canada website.

-40/3 Weight Polyester Sewing Thread- Cotton-look 100% polyester thread. Available in 28 colours, look for the *.

-50/2 Weight Polyester Serging and Sewing Thread- Cotton-look 100% polyester. Available in 47 colours.

-35 weight (heavier) 100% Cotton Thread for quilting and sewing- This long-staple cotton thread is great for handwork or machines. This strong 3-ply thread can also be used for long-arm quilting and industrial machines as well. The mercerizing process leaves less fluff and lint in your machines enabling them to run cleaner. Ideal weight for decorative stitching projects, embroidery or quilting!

Available in both 1,000 mtr. (1,100 yd.) and 2,000 mtr. (2,200 yd.) cones.
-Lighter weight 100% Cotton Thread for quilting and sewing - Marathon Threads Canada stocks 100% lighter-weight cotton thread for quilting, general sewing, serging, or embroidery. Since it is mercerized, a smoother, high quality thread is manufactured causing less wear and tear on the machine. This beautiful thread is available in both 1,500 mtr. (1,650 yd.) and 3,000 mtr. (3,300 yd.) cones.

Serger and Sewing Thread Kits: Marathon has collected 24 spools of the serger or sewing threads into kits. Each spool contains 500 mtrs. Available in 40/3 or 50/2 weights.

- Marathon Threads Canada carries both pre-wound bobbins (Size A/class 15 and Size L) and cones of bobbin thread.

- Pre-wound bobbins are wound much more uniformly on the core compared to winding your own bobbins. They hold more thread and run more evenly through the machine. Marathon’s Pre-wound Bobbins come in polyester without sides (on a plastic core), with cardboard sides, or with plastic sides and in black or white. Marathon also carries Nylon Pre-wound bobbins, which are sideless and coreless.

- The Size A, class 15 plastic sided pre-wound bobbin fits most Singer, Janome & Kenmore machines. It is a slightly thicker bobbin than the Size L to fit the larger bobbin case of these machines. The Size L pre-wound bobbin fits most other machine, including industrial machines.
- Bobbin Thread: If you prefer to wind your own bobbins, Marathon Threads Canada carries a 100% Polyester 10,000 mtr cone, in black, white, and 9 colours.

Creative Beginnings in Machine Embroidery by Patty Albin is an excellent resource for both the new and experienced embroiderer. Detailed instructions and clear photos cover the basics from equipment to supplies to embroidering tips. Don’t be overwhelmed! Patty makes embroidering easy to attempt.

Question: I want to use my Marathon threads but the design lists thread colours from another company. According to the charts, there is no exact match in Marathon Threads. How do I match the threads?

Suggestion: Everyone has their favourite colours that they use over and over again. These colours match the colours of the items they choose to embroider. The digitizing company has probably stitched their sample on plain white fabric. If you use the exact colours but change the colour of the background fabric, the result will be different. It might be better to choose colours that look best on your background colour. Try to match the colour as closely as possible to the value of the given colours. Lay the spools on your item to see how they compliment each other. Keep track of the new colour choices for repeated embroidering. It is not unusual to change the colours if the same design is to be stitched on a different fabric colour.

Customer: My machine caused a small hole in the fabric in the center of my design. Can I repair it and continue stitching? I was stitching a design with several colours and a large stitch count. The thread caught behind the machine, pulling the threads of the fabric making a small hole.

Suggestion: If the design will stitch over the small hole and cover it completely, you can add a patch of the stabilizer on the back. An alternative method is to add a small patch of water-soluble stabilizer over the hole. It will support the stitching during the embroidering. Clip the threads on the top and back. Reverse the embroidery about 10 stitches from the break. Stitch past the affected area. Stop and remove the hoop from the machine. Trim the stabilizer patch(es). Return the hoop to the machine and complete the embroidery.

Thread Breaks - Causes: incorrect needle, burrs in needle eye, hook or throat plate, machine threaded incorrectly, incorrect needle bar height, tension adjustment needed, bent needle, machine needs lubrication, lint buildup, incorrect digitizing causing design to be too dense in an area, need for a silicon spray due to friction caused by thick fabrics or fabrics with treatments, pooling of thread which causes portions of the spool to wind off improperly - use Incredible Tape to prevent this
Needle Breakage - Causes: timing needs adjusting for needle & hook point, needle in machine incorrectly, bent/dull needle,
Thread Pileups on back of fabric - Causes: tension adjustment needed, machine incorrectly threaded
Stitching not following pattern outline - Causes: bent needles, loose hoop in frame
Flat stitching - Causes: tension tightness, topping film necessary on fabrics with a pile
Looping - Causes: tension adjustment needed for tight fabric weaves, digitized with too many stitches
Pigtailing - Cause: Top tension too tight
Skipped stitches - Causes: wrong bobbin timing, incorrect needle size
Puckering - Causes: tension too tight, backing not hooped the same tension as fabric, fabric hooped too tightly, needles not sharp enough, density of design too thick and needs to be increased in size slightly.

If you have a tip we've not included here or you have a question we can answer, please contact us below and we will do our best to answer the question. We hope these suggestions gave you some good pointers on how to produce a great design.

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