RunningThreads

Bliss is a newer rail and carriage system that makes the machine move with less effort. I think it has been available for about ten years and came after the led light. Add a picture of your carriage and rails and we can tell you. If you don’t know what it is I doubt you have it. Nigel

https://kawarthaquiltingandsewing.com/ is one. I used to order mine from https://www.habanddash.com in the U.S. and their shipping was usually pretty quick and reasonable but it’s been a couple of years since I last ordered. Nigel

Superior has them and at a better price as well.

What Connie said but leave out the word red. Nigel

Thanks for jumping in Jim. I had suspected the foot was different on the U2 and that would also contribute. Nigel

Welcome to the forum. I think T-shirt material tends to be stretchy and that is the root of your problem. If the fabric stretches downwards as the needle enters the fabric it will drag the top thread as the needle start to come up and can reduce or eliminate that loop of thread needed for the hook to catch and make a stitch. I think raising the foot would make the problem worse. On a domestic machine you normally use a ball point needle for stretchy fabric so maybe that would help. Here is a quick description of some of the needles that are readily available. https://www.apqs.com/a-guide-to-needles-for-longarm-quilting-machines/ The other idea would be to use stabilizer on the back of the T-shirt fabric. https://newquilters.com/t-shirt-quilts-stabilizing-shirts/ Hopefully some others will have more ideas Nigel

First of all fill in your profile and let us know where you are? You might have a fellow quilter nearby that might help. Is your bobbin thread breaking while quilting or when you stop. If it is when you stop ask APQS to give you instructions mag collar adjustment. Going by memory the tip of the hook needs to stop just to the right of vertical (maybe about one o’clock) for the thread to release. Next is it the top or bobbin thread that is shredding. Most common issue for top thread shredding is one of the two pigtail guides having a groove worn into it. Hold the thread above and below the guide and drag the thread in a circle around the inside. If it catches you have a groove. Loosen the guide and turn it upside down until you get replacements. Hope this helps Nigel

This question has come up before. I forgot I had been one of the people that had answered it. https://forum.apqs.com/topic/37063-on-board-bobbin-winder/ Nigel

Jane Contact APQS service. It sounds like you have a different problem than needle positioning speed. You may need to make an adjustment to the magnetic collar. I had to do it once years ago after one of us jammed a rag in the hook and the belt jumped a tooth. I’ve also heard of one or two people have had the collar come loose. APQS will email you excellent directions with pictures and get you fixed up quickly. Nigel

I’m not much help as I used Intelliquilter but a google search turned up this. https://youtu.be/PrLDf7IEGAw Hope it helps Nigel

Sounds like needle flex could be a big part of your problem. A larger needle and a shorter stitch length will reduce flex and should help. How old is the machine? If it is a little old I would be checking for worn bushings in the needle bar. I had this happen to me with one of our APQS machines years ago with a new shipment of needles, same brand and size. The cure was to redo the timing and all was good. Let us know what you find. Nigel

Which computer quilting system are you using? Nigel

Good morning Amanda Going by memory as we sold our machines and retired. The needle screws are 4-40 and available at your local hardware store. They will be a little longer and may have a different head. The screw can be installed on the opposite side of the needle bar if the threads are messed up. Also the needle bar can be rotated to get the other hole to the right side if needed but you will have to check the needle bar height before and after. See the timing instructions. Nigel

Hi Jill On the underside of the brake there is an Allen head screw. Release the brake and hold the handle while tightening the screw about one turn. Then apply the brake and give it a try you may need to adjust a little more. If you find the adjustment screw comes loose over time put some Blue Loctite on the threads and adjust again and that will fix it permanently. The extra cycle on the single stitch can be adjusted. Often referred to as adjusting the number 8 screw for us old timers is properly called needle up-down adjustment. Here is a video for the procedure for the Freedom/Millennium, I’m not sure if the Lenni is the same ask service. https://www.apqs.com/needle-adjustment-led-light-machines-video/ The fullness may or may not be something you did. When you take a quilt in fold the edges into the middle of the quilt to see that the quilt width and length are consistent throughout. If they aren’t you can inform the customer that you may have issues. Now on that quilt take your steam iron and gently press and steam the fullness. This will shrink most of that fullness out. Bonnie Botts did a CD many years ago of her Fabulous Starch and Steam method where she showed a method for getting D cups to lay flat so you could quilt them. She is a dealer in Oklahoma, you may want to reach out to her and see if she still has the CDs. Nigel

Did you connect the USB receiver to the rear side of your tablet mount? There was some talk of not all clickers being compatible years ago. If I remember correctly only one button on the clicker will work with the IQ.

This topic comes up several times each year. This is my response to someone a couple of years ago. It may not be current as I’ve retired and am not paying much attention to the industry. Nigel APQS will not add it but you could trade the head in for a certified used machine and keep the table. I believe pumpkinpatchquilter did this a few years ago and the price must have been ok as she was considering adding Intellistitch. There are two aftermarket systems I know of for stitch regulation. The most common one being Intellistitch. They used to do in studio installations but there are very few installers anymore. This is the same regulator that Nolting has been using for many years. Nolting will do the install at their factory if you can't get an installer to come to you and the price is around $3000. Member here Abercroft was going to send her machine to Nolting maybe pm here and find out her experience with doing this. The other system is called Perfect Stitch by Quilt EZ. It is more money and I believe this is the regulator Nolting is using on their top of the line NV machine. I have seen one on an Ultimate 2 machine and the install wasn't very attractive and the machine had been damaged on the way to Quilt Canada so it wasn't working well either.

Have a read. Also post here and Facebook to see if someone want to trade for your larger table. Much easier to shorten than lengthen. https://forum.apqs.com/topic/37895-downsizing-2009-freedom-table/?tab=comments#comment-516597 Nigel

Going by memory as I have retired and sold my machines. The leaders on our 12 foot were 126 inches wide and centred on the rollers which leaves about 9 inches each side. So 126 minus 12 is 114 inches, your leaders should be ideal if your table was actually shortened 1 foot. Nigel

Very simple

Barb types faster than me.

Try unplugging the machine and hang the cord on top of the machine and see if it still happens. I’ve heard the Bliss is so light the weight of the cord will drag the machine to the centre if that is where it is plugged in. Nigel

Figure out how much more time it takes than doing a pantograph. I expect it is at least triple so charge at least triple the panto rate. If you don’t charge enough you will grow to hating doing custom quilting for customers. It is just like any other business if a customer doesn’t like the price show them a less expensive option. When you get a reputation as a good custom quilter no one will question your price. Nigel

Try clicking on her screen name and select message and send a message that way. It will go to her email as she has not been here since November.

Here is the video. https://www.apqs.com/fuse-replacement-video/

This member hasn’t been on the forum in several months. Try clicking on their screen name and you will see an option to send them a message. That will go to their email. I don’t now why people post things for sale without contact info and don’t check back on their posts. Nigel