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Thread breaking


Mary Beth

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Same old song...new verse....

I started quilting on this piece on Tuesday. I had just finished a different quilt with no problems what so ever. Tuesday, after this one was loaded, my thread broke every few inches. After completing a row and a half of a panto I stopped and changed bobbin thread and bobbin case. I cannot go even 1 inch now without my thread breaking. I have So Fine in the top and bobbin.

The fabric is a toile. At one time they were drapes, and the customer took them down, cut the top off, and wants them made into a comforter of sorts. She wanted very thin batting, so I am using Mountain Mist - Rose.

I have checked for burr on the plate, bobbin area, etc.

This morning I tried it again...trying to be positive;) I changed bobbins, just in case....and still my thread is breaking...I made it 4" this time :mad:

What now?

PS - frustration level = very high....didn't even look at my machine yesterday!!

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I am getting loops as it is. My thread has been laying on the back in spots so I have tightened the top tension just a tiny bit more. I don't know....maybe that was wrong....I just don't know.

The thread just broke again, so I rethreaded and tried to pick up my bobbin thread and stitch a little space where the machine skipped (another problem - I just realized). I was just going to needle up and down to stitch that area so that I wouldn't make more needle holes than there already is...and I could here the bobbin thread knotting up and felt everything pulling and the thead (top and bottom) getting very tight.

I have changed my needle from a MR 3.5 to a MR 4.0, thinking there could be a burr that I just can't find.

Amy just emailed me some information to try. I'm going to go through those proceedures - then if that doesn't work....take a look at the timing and make sure everything is where it is suppose to be...if that doesn't work....

I have a beautiful Millie for sale :)

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Mary Beth,

I did a quilt last week that had a very nice Ralph Lauren sheet as the backing, but my cotton thread (King Tut) kept breaking. I changed to So Fine, and no more breakage.

I think the sheet was too densely woven for the cotton. Maybe that fabric you're working with is too.

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No - that machine is not for sale.

I had some tension problems a few weeks ago. Bobbin laying on the bottom in a straight line and skipped or a single loose stitch every few inches. After trying everything else, I replaced the bobbin case: I had dropped the case on my wood (over concrete) floor the day before and never gave it a thought. It worked. New bobbin case $49. Yes, $49.00. Gulp. :o

Since then I have been more attentive to my tension. I normally have great tension on my machine. But when I started getting a loose stitch every once in a while, I started to wonder about the bobbin spring. I went to replace the bobbin spring for my bobbin case, they didn't have any of that kind (on order) and I had to get these other star looking things that fit in the case. :mad: I have noticed that those things flatten out faster than I would like (what do you want for a $1.00 each) and I am replacing them about every 5 quilts.

Do you have a brand new bobbin case to test this one, Mary Beth? I now keep one just for testing and put it back in the box when the test is done. I figure if I still have the problem with a new bobbin case, then it is not my bobbin.

I hate to say the "T" word. Could it be the timing? What did Amy say?

Hang in there. ;)

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Well, good news....I made if more than half way across the quilt :) Not great, but better than 4". In the directions that Amy sent, it suggested that if the weave of the fabric is tight you should speed up your machine. I did crank it up just a bit and it seems to be going a little better.

I have tried 3 different bobbin cases. I'm going to stick with the one I have in now, I think it is working okay.

Oh, besides speeding the machine up....I got down on my knees and prayed....that sure can't hurt.

Back to work....:(

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Hi Mary Beth! Popped in to see your post and sorry you're having these problems! I hope it all works out well so you can get that thing off of your frame soon so you can move on to something nicer to quilt on.

PS: Are you keeping tight control of your digital camera so DH doesn't have any more fun with it? I remember reading that post this past weekend and got a lot of giggles out of it. Your DH is a hoot. You are so funny, too. I think between you and your DH, your house has lots of laughter. :)

Hang in there, my friend. I am curious about this problem child project you are quilting right now so when you finish it, post a pic, OK?

Hope your day is better now. Take care.

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I had to stop...Jen had a job interview and I had to babysit Haylee...she loves her mom and cries a lot and hard when Jen isn't here :(

Things were starting to look up when I had to quit...I could make it about 3/4 of the way across the quilt before the thread would break. I'll be glad when it is finished. Should be done tomorrow sometime.

Shana, I didn't plan to post pictures...it isn't a pretty quilt....I wouldn't even call it a quilt...just like you said, "a problem child project".

By the way Shana, DH went to bed and left me to turn all the lights out, lock the doors, etc. I was fuming mad at him and was going to punch his lights out when I got upstairs....I started up the stairs and he jumped out of the closet in the living room...I almost killed him!! Yes, it is a 3-ring circus at our house.

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Mary Beth...I'm surprised you let DH live through the night...Mine would have slept with one eye open because he would know that pay backs are hell and its not worth scaring like that. That is once I stopped crying and picked myself up off the floor.....he would be SO DEAD......and he knows it.

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DH knows that I have a cast iron skillet and I am not afraid to use it...I tell him that one of these days he is going to go for 3 days without seeing me....and then in a couple of more days,,,,he will be able to see me just a little out of his right eye :P:D He is afraid of me :cool::D

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Mary Beth~

I feel for ya girl! I guess there was a reason you were dragging your heels on this project.

How's it going now?

BTW-what panto were you doing?

I love my CL swirls! I made a quilt for my brother who will be 60 very soon. Unbeknownst to him it's a patchwork made of his old wool shirts and flannel shirts that were my dad's. Dad passed away this past January. I threw in some of my Mom's old flannel fabrics that are now in my posession. I used W&N poly batting and a micro fleece blanket for backing. Very snuggly on the back! Used the swirls and love it! I'll be using the swirls on another top I just made for another brother who is turning 50 very soon and recovering from very painful treatments for throat cancer. It's the SH***! But we are celebrating all the positive things going on in our lives next month with a family reunion that my DH and I will be hosting here at our place.

Good luck to all!

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Bonnie aka "BonBon"

That sounds like a wonderful present for your brother - great sentimental value -those are the best.

I'm sorry to hear about your other brother. It is very difficult going through something like that with someone you love. If you ever need to talk...just yell....I've been there.

I will not be able to quilt today...hopefully I will get this monster finished tomorrow after church.

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Okay, it is finished...finally...

Linda, I have a curtain rod that I was going to wrap this thing around and put it over my shoulders - Carol Burnette style :) And call it "What Not To Wear" - but because this thing took all of my umph!! I decided to skip it.

I don't know what the problem was with the fabric/batting, etc....but if I never have this problem again it will be okay by me.

post--13461899986636_thumb.jpg

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