How to Thread a Singer Sewing Machine: An Easy Beginner's Guide

Professional tailor & fashion designer Andrea Beaulieu shares her tips for threading and adjusting your Singer's tension

Co-authored by Andrea Moore Beaulieu and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: January 13, 2026 Fact Checked

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Singer sewing machines have to be threaded in a specific way. Otherwise, you may end up with a thread jam in your stitches, or you may not be able to make stitches at all! But not to worry, we've got you covered. Keep reading for a simple step-by-step tutorial for threading a Singer sewing machine, with expert tips from professional tailor and fashion designer Andrea Beaulieu.

How do you thread a Singer sewing machine?

A diagram of a Singer sewing machine, with numbers indicating where to guide the thread.

Professional tailor and fashion designer Andrea Beaulieu says to follow the user manual for threading your sewing machine, since every machine is slightly different. Here are the basic steps:

Raise the pressure foot and place a spool of thread on the spool pin.
Tuck the thread into the first thread guide.
Slide the thread under the pre-tension spring.
Guide the thread down the threading canal, around the U-turn, then back up.
Move the thread from the right side of the take-up lever to the left side.
Pull the thread down again and thread the needle.

1

Turn off the sewing machine.

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Switch it to the OFF position. If the machine remains on and you accidentally apply pressure to the foot control while trying to thread the machine, you could seriously injure your fingers!

Meet the wikiHow Expert

Andrea Beaulieu is a professional tailor and fashion designer with over 20 years of experience. She specializes in pattern-making, draping, and garment construction.

2

Raise the needle and lift the presser foot.

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Rotate it toward you to move the needle up. Stop turning when the take-up lever on the top of the machine is at its highest point. Next, locate the presser foot lever on the back of your machine and push it up to raise the presser foot lifter.^{[1]
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3

Attach a spool of thread.

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The horizontal spool pin is located on the top of your sewing machine. Slide the whole spool of thread onto the pin, then snap the spool cap on the end to hold it in place.^{[2]
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4

Wind the bobbin (optional).

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If you don’t have a pre-wound bobbin already, wind a bobbin now. After placing a spool of thread onto the spool pin, move the bobbin winder pin to the far left. Insert the end of the thread through the hole in the rim of the bobbin and place the bobbin onto the winder pin. Push the bobbin pin back to the right. Then, apply gentle pressure to the foot pedal to begin winding the bobbin.^{[3]
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- Apply steady pressure to the pedal until the thread is nearly even with the rim of the bobbin.

5

Insert the bobbin.

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Open the bobbin case under the needle plate. Look for a button or tab and press it to open the lid of the bobbin case. Set the bobbin into the case, with the thread pointing in the direction of the arrows on the case. Then, close the bobbin case lid.^{[4]
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- For example, if the arrows indicate that the thread should go along the left side of the bobbin and then up, then place the bobbin into the case with the thread going in this direction.

6

Tuck the thread into the top thread guide.

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The thread guide is located on top of the Singer, left of the spool. Grasp the end of the thread on the spool and pull it across the top of the sewing machine. Tuck the thread into the slot under the thread guide.^{[5]
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- If you're not sure what the thread guides on your Singer look like, check the diagram of your sewing machine in the user manual.

7

Slide the thread under the pre-tension spring.

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Stretch about 6 in (15 cm) of thread to the left of the first thread guide, then slide it under the pre-tension spring. The tail end of the thread should dangle to the spring's left.^{[6]
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8

Guide the thread through the threading canal.

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Pull the end of the thread through the U-shaped threading canal. The threading canal is a groove on the side of your sewing machine, to the left of the pre-tension spring. Guide the thread through the right side of the groove, around the bottom, and back up the left side, through the tension mechanism.^{[7]
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- Make sure that the thread is straight and taut in the threading canal.

9

Wrap the thread around the take-up lever.

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The take-up lever is a silver piece at the top of the threading canal. Guide the end of the thread from the right side of the take-up lever to the left side. Then pull it down the canal toward the needle.^{[8]
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- The take-up lever helps control the tension on your machine and the height of the needle.

10

Slide the thread into the bottom thread guide.

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When you reach the bottom of the canal, insert the thread through the thread guide above the needle. The guide should be located right where the blunt end of the needle attaches to your sewing machine.^{[9]
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11

Thread the eye of the needle.

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Pull the end of the thread about 6 in (15 cm) past the needle. If the end of the thread is frayed, stiffen it using water, saliva, or beeswax.^{[10]
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12

Draw up the bobbin thread.

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Hold the end of the needle thread straight to the left. Rotate the handwheel toward you to lower the needle, then rotate it back up. As you do so, pull lightly on the needle thread. This will draw the bobbin thread out from under the needle plate. Gently tug at the 2 threads and tuck them under the presser foot.^{[11]
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- If the thread doesn't come up, run back through the previous steps, making sure you followed them exactly. You can also double-check the instructions in your user manual.
- If your thread looks knotted or gets too loose on the bottom of your fabric, Beaulieu suggests adjusting the upper tension. If it's knotting at the top, adjust the bobbin.^{[12]
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  Andrea Moore Beaulieu
  Professional Tailor & Fashion Designer
  
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- Remember to have patience with yourself! It's okay if you try several times to thread your Singer. Practice makes perfect!

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Question

How do you thread a sewing machine by yourself?

Alterations Express
Alteration, Tailoring, and Dry Cleaning Specialists
Alterations Express is a salon-style alteration and tailoring house with walk-in service, spacious dressing rooms, fitting specialists, and an extraordinary team of tailors and seamstresses at 13 storefront locations. With over 70 years of experience, they specialize in guiding individuals through a professional fitting, evaluating an alteration project on the spot, express alterations, and immediately providing pricing for any alteration. Alterations Express has been featured on multiple websites such as TheKnot.com.

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Expert Answer

Read the instructions and watch a video tutorial for your sewing machine model. Take plenty of time to study the video so you understand where everything is supposed to go.

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Question

How can a beginner thread a sewing machine?

Andrea Moore Beaulieu
Professional Tailor
Andrea Moore Beaulieu is a Professional Tailor, Fashion Designer, and the Owner of MOORE, a Brooklyn, New York based storefront and apparel workshop for gender-neutral, contemporary streetwear as well as custom-tailored products. Andrea has over 20 years in the fashion design and marketing industries and specializes in pattern making, draping, and the construction of garments. She holds a BS in Fashion Design and Merchandising from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Andrea Moore Beaulieu

Professional Tailor

Expert Answer

If you still have the manual for your machine, read through it so you know how everything properly works and where your thread should go.

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I am new to sewing with a machine. I have a Singer 3337, and I am having a lot of trouble with threads breaking. What can I do?

Community Answer

It sounds like the tension is set too high, or maybe the thread is old. Make sure you are using nylon, not cotton, as cotton thread breaks very easily.

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