How does the upper thread break sensor on a Millennium affect tension? I was using 40 weight YLI machine quilting cotton on my last quilt, a small horizontally wound spool so I had it on the accessory horizontal spool pin, and I had it wrapped around the upper thread break sensor 3 times as instructed by the little sticker on the machine. I felt like that triple wrap around the thread break sensor wheel was putting a LOT of additional tension on the upper thread, even when I loosened the tension dial to the point that the tension discs were no longer touching. I did experiment with skipping some of the other thread guide holes along the thread path, but delld's suggestion to wrap a lightweight thread "up to three times" around the sensor has got me thinking... With a heavier weight quilting thread such as 40 weight, do experienced quilters wrap the thread only once or twice around that sensor wheel -- or would I be better off not using the upper thread break sensor at all in these situations?
I've been wrapping three times around that wheel routinely with whatever thread I'm using; felt like I ought to use the feature since I have it, but honestly when I'm doing custom quilting from the front of the machine, I can see the thread break when it happens and don't need the machine to tell me about it like I would if I was quilting a panto from the rear. I feel like the upper thread break sensor is restricting my ability to fine-tune upper thread tension.
Any thoughts/feedback appreciated especially as I'm about to attempt some quilting with Superior Metallic thread for the first time and I don't want to deal with snapping thread trauma!
Rebecca Grace, newbie owner of preowned 2013 Millennium
www.CheekyCognoscenti.blogspot.com