ninjaquilter Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Hi, I have owned my Millie for about one year now and feel ready to do something more advanced. I took a class with Sharon Schamber and she suggested using a Scmetz embroidery needle with the really fine threads. Is it possible or recommended to use such a fine needle? I don't want to risk ruining my machine but would love to do that fine tight quilting. What does Marilyn Badger use? Agnes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mark Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 you will want to stick with the Singer brand needles as the machine is timed to them. If you switch, you will have to retime your machine. I know for a fact that Marilyn uses the Singer needles. Take care, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Mark, What about the Groz-Beckert needles? That is all Bayside Quilting carries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.A Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Amy at apqs told me that the Groz-Beckert needles are slightly shorter than the Singers and can mess up your stitch quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 The same thing goes for the Organ needles as well....as me how I know that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Mullins Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Bonnie, I found that one out the hard way too. ugh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 I wonder why we just don't stick with what works?? We can order from APQS and maybe a few others. Personally, I don't have a problem with the Singer needles, I don't think As for Sharon S. she does show a lot of modifications, and I have said it once and I'll say it again...what Sharon says isn’t necessarily the gospel. Sharon is a phenomenal quilter. Of course she is one of the best. But, she doesn't use the exact same machine we do. I agree, you can take some of the modification and try them, like the extra eyes, or the rice bags and foam. But there are some things we need to just leave alone. Stop before you do all these things and think about why we bought our machines in the first place....we liked/loved them. Don't try to change them now that the new has worn off. My disclaimer....this is an opinion...and you know we all have them....please don't send hate mail this time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgene Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 When Myrna Ficken was here at my house for a training session, she noticed a "click, click, click" sound in my machine. She looked at the needle, said I would have to retime to keep using those Titanium Groz-Beckert needles. So I put in a Singer, and the "clicking" went away. Also, I had added some extra thread guides. We were having a tension problem. She asked me to give a tug on the thread. The thread would pull and stop with hesitations, not smooth at all. Then she rethreaded my machine, using ONLY the guides that came on the machine, and asked me to give a tug once again. This time the thread glided smoothly, no hesitations. So, now I use only the Singer needles and only the guides that came on my machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted September 25, 2008 Report Share Posted September 25, 2008 Georgene, I did add the guides, only because the thread whipping around kept catching my attention and driving me nuts. Once the guides were added I had to bypass those doo-hickies with the 3 holes, or only go through one of them, to get the correct tension. I think they are a waste of money, time and effort too. But Sherry Harrison has them and loves them, so maybe it's a preference thing. I do know this...I don't do the kind of work Sherry or Sharon do. Maybe they need these things to be able to do that fine, intricate work. Humm, after saying that I think of Renae Haddadin's quilts...her quilts are very intricate, but she has a different machine totally. I wonder if her machine has been modified Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ninjaquilter Posted September 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2008 Wow! This is great! Thank you all so much for jumping in here setting me right! My instincts were telling me to leave my Millie alone. She has been sewing like a dream every danged day for one year and four months! I will only buy the Singers from now on. I do have a bunch of the Groz-Beckerts . There were times when I was having a few very small issues. I will pay attention to what I'm doing now.......I bet the "issues" happened when I was using those G-B needles! Thanks again. I hope to see some of you in the future when I make my first "show quilt" Agnes;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 We had a big named, (little person), quilter speak at our longarm guild last week. She talked about problems with tension, certain threads, needle size all the thing we don't really need to address when we are quilting, normal, everyday, customer quilts. The meeting was pretty boring for us. When the speaker would mention something we needed to do to avoid specific issues, I would look over at Mary Hibbs (our local APQS Rep) with a puzzled look and she would say, "We don't have that," or "We don't do that." It's just that not all machine operate the exact same. The outcome is much the same, some just need to get there in another direction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sams Mom Posted September 27, 2008 Report Share Posted September 27, 2008 I think alot of it is the quilt fairies and how much trouble they want to give you. Reading this thread, I thought I have been using the Groz-Beckert needles since May and haven't had a problem. Then I remembered that I raised my hopping foot about a month ago two quilt two layers of chenille and couldn't remember if I had put it back. Lowered my needle and there was close to an eighth of an inch gap. Stitch quality is great. I'm sure those fairies will be back to catch me up. I'm glad I've had a reprieve. Donna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 Just a thought, those with the wrong or "other" needles, could post them on "Sew It's For Sale" and have them gone with a few cents in the pocket. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyeQ Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 Originally posted by Mary Beth Georgene, I did add the guides, only because the thread whipping around kept catching my attention and driving me nuts. Once the guides were added I had to bypass those doo-hickies with the 3 holes, or only go through one of them, to get the correct tension. I think they are a waste of money, time and effort too. But Sherry Harrison has them and loves them, so maybe it's a preference thing. I do know this...I don't do the kind of work Sherry or Sharon do. Maybe they need these things to be able to do that fine, intricate work. Humm, after saying that I think of Renae Haddadin's quilts...her quilts are very intricate, but she has a different machine totally. I wonder if her machine has been modified I added the guides (plus a springy thing my farmer DH said was like what they use on hydraulic lines ((I don't ask)) because the whip was NOT just eye catching, the thread would catch on the light switch knob and break. I have NO whip. I haven't had to skip any holes on the 3 hole thing except when using Glitter or monofil. I like the GB needles for certain things, especially stiff applique. They don't break as easily as my Singer. I have both and use them for different things. I don't notice a difference in stitch quality between the 2 brands. Guess I've been lucky. Here's a picture of my springy thingy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyeQ Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 This is what I was using/doing when he put it on, using a small spool, and my thread kept breaking. DH watched it and said there was a lot of whip and that he thought a spring would help. It seemed to. The thread stopped breaking after putting it on. This picture was taken before I put my fishing line guides on to stop the whipping past the light switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SherryRogers Posted September 28, 2008 Report Share Posted September 28, 2008 Hi Girls I was told that Schmetz and Singer are one in the same needle, however I am not telling you this to argue any point. By all means stay with what works for you and if it works ....dont fix it! I do know that once I "fixed" mine....it all works great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted September 29, 2008 Report Share Posted September 29, 2008 OK Sherry - how did you "fix" yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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