This paper proposes a novel threshold control approach for creating multi-scroll chaotic attractors. The general jerk circuit is used as an example to show the working principle of this method. The controlled jerk circuit can emerge various limit cycles and n-scroll chaotic attractors by adjusting the upper threshold, lower threshold, and the width of inner saturated plateau. The dynamical mechanism of the threshold control is then further explored by analyzing the system dynamical behaviors. In particular, this method is effective and simple to implement since we only need monitor a single state variable and reset it if it exceeds the thresholds. It indicates the potential engineering applications for various chaos-based information systems.