loops on backing

[Lisa Crowley]

I am feeling very frustrated about this problem. It seems to happen very rarely (once/row) that I get a single loop of top thread coming through to the back when quilting. It looks like my tension is fine, no eyelashes or loops otherwise. Does anyone have any advice as to what might be happening here?

thanks

[quiltmonkey]

Your top tension is too loose. Try turning the tension knob 1/2 turn tighter and see if that fixes it. If it doesn't turn another 1/2 turn, or 1/4 turn.

I find these little loopie thingies tend to occur more often with the cotton thread or thicker threads. You just have to tweak the top a little.

[Deb2bie]

Exactly right Shana!!!

[Deb2bie]

Shana, sent u a U2U about Alaska!!!

[DawnCavanaugh]

Lisa,

Here are a couple of "mechanical" things to check when you get a random single loop of top thread on the back:

1. Watch the check spring wire next to the tension disks. When you pull thread through the needle, the wire should come down to about 9:00. If it sneaks lower, it doesn't always spring back enough to tighten each formed stitch. To adjust it, insert a flat blade screwdriver into the slot you see in the middle of your tension knob. Turn the screwdriver clockwise and change the position of the slot about "5 minute" on a clock from wherever it was. It will be hard to turn, and is only used for small adjustments. If a larger adjustment is needed, we'd want to remove the tension assembly and start fresh with the check spring adjustment.

2. Check for "hook shaft collar play". Over time, the bushing that lives just behind the hook shaft collar starts to wear enough to allow the whole hook shaft to drift slightly forward or backward. When that happens, occasionally the hook assembly moves just enough to pinch your top thread between the hook assembly and the hook retaining finger. I would be happy to email you that document on how to do that if you send your email address to me.

3. Look the hook assembly over carefully for burrs. Loops of top thread can also be caused by a burr snagging the top thread just long enough to cause the loop, before the stitch forms. If the burr is bad enough, the thread will break.

4. Check the 3-hole thread guide just before the tension disks and make sure it still aims from "8:00 to 2:00" when thinking about the hands on a clock. If it slips lower toward 7:00, then the thread doesn't stay trapped in the tension disks all the time.

5. If you are using a thread with a waxy feel (Bottom Line, for example) a little build up can occur on the disks. Grab the disks themselves and rotate them (not the tension knob, but the disks between which your thread runs) to a new position. Turning the disks will not change your tension, but it will change where the thread rubs on the disks.

Keep us posted!

[Lisa Crowley]

Thanks, I will give that a try.