skrat Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Does anyone out there have any tips on tension when using a dark colored bobbin thread with a white top thread. I have fought the tension on this for two days and nothing is working. The backing of this quilt is dark mottled blue and the top is mostly white with spinning stars in the corners and the middle. She wants random feather fill in the white areas of the top and the tension is not cooperating. Have cleaned, oiled, changed needles, tightened, loosened, and every thing else that I can think of and nothing is working. HELP!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Shannon, You didn't say what kind of batting you're using in your quilt - that can affect how well you can balance two different color threads. If the batting is very thin, there is really no place for the thread to lock, and you'll see both threads somewhere, either the top or the back, and you'll have to make that choice. You could balance it largely to the back and take a blue permanent marker and color anyplace the white thread from on top really bothers you..... If your batting isn't thin, than you'll have to continue testing tension until you get it balanced. Are you using a Towa gauge? Or are you using the drop test on your bobbin? It may be that you have your tension balanced, but overall too tight. If you loosen up both top and bottom tensions, you might get better results. Let us know how it goes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skrat Posted October 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Barb, She wanted a low loft polyester in it because it is a huge quilt she wanted it light weight so chose poly batting. I have loosened both and then tightened both and nothing seems to be working, but I like your idea about coloring the white on back when finished. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 You could also choose a paler blue for the bobbin... LINZI x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 I just had the exact opposite; blue on top, white on bottom. I used Signature blue and Masterpiece prewound. The batting was thin. I did finally manage to get the tension perfect...or close enough to it that there were no blue pokies on the bottom (this after a bit of frogging!) The top may have had some white pokies, but the blue was mottled enough that they didn't show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 I agree with Barb, it's all about the batting. A nice lofty batt and you have room to make a nice stitch even with 2 different colors of thread. Thin batt, no way. I try to educate my customers about choosing a backing based on the color thread they want on the top. That way, you can do the same thread top and bobbin. But some folks just don't listen. You can still use the same color and mention that now they have a reversible quilt. I have some folks that like that idea; blue thread on top in the blocks etc and blue thread on their muslin back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 I'm very new, so keep that in mind. After struggling and suffering and frogging the first time I did this, and after seeing teacher's quilts where the backing showed several different colored threads (which matched the top threads) I decided not to fight it anymore. I was using W&N. From now on, what's on top goes on the bottom. If the backing becomes high contrast, so be it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 AnnHenry's answer is the lesser of the evils and the way a lot of us go....but if the case is a must have two different colors, then you will possiblly run into trouble and headaches, and just have to go have a glass of wine....put your feet up and leave it for a day. I have had just a whole day difference in what was happening the day before not happening the next day. Go figure. Was that a humidity thing, me finally getting it correct, or a flip of a coin...don't have a clue, but my daddy didn't raise an idiot so I just thanks my blessings and hurry quick to finish. But the others are correct, batting is a huge issue and can make or break your patients in one easy swoop....:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Well, I've tried five times with two different pictures to post a picture of the quilt back, and I keep getting a strange error message about 'debug' that I don't understand. I just posted a picture in my spool holder thread without any problem, so I don't know why I can't post a picture here. For what it's worth, there are no pictures on this thread, so perhaps there is a "thread" problem (the error message was confusing enough to be computer problem) and not my ineptness. Maybe someone else could try to post a picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted October 1, 2008 Report Share Posted October 1, 2008 Doesn't have anything to do with this thread, but here's a picture..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 I have gone to the QD Puff - very light and much easier to figure tension when using 2 colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 I'll try once more, but if it doesn't work, Barbm, you will be interested to know that I kept a copy of this picture when you posted it before to refer to when I practiced that filler to use on this quilt! Well, it didn't work, and here's the error message: "MySQL has encountered an unknown error. To find out the exact problem, please set the DEBUG flag to true in config.php." As I said before, I posted a picture to another thread, so it's not that I have forgotten how to post a picture! I don't know why I can't post one here! ! It's not a size issue because I reduced it all the way to 30%, and it didn't give me a "too big" error message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbm Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 I'm honored that you liked that filler enough to copy it - I'm one of the big girls now! And the error message is truly strange - if my DH were here, he might be able to shed some light, but alas, he's out at a business dinner... I'll send an e-mail off to the APQS Webmaster - maybe we can get some wisdom there. Good luck with your tension stuff! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Ann, The message your getting probably has something to do with the file name. Try renaming it and don't use any odd characters. Barb I love that filler too! mine always ends up too small and much tighter. I like how loose yours is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingjunky Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Barb, I love your filler, when I get back on my feet, I am going to practise that one. I have also had the problem with the two color threads, I just purchased a Towa and need some help with getting somekind of advise as to what threads should read what? I gave up and did the front and back matching threads, but I would have liked to have done it differently. Thanks Brendalee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Hi Brendalee--I hope you are healing and feeling better. As far as the Towa gauge (money well-spent!) it is all about balancing the top and bottom. (I know--duh!!!) But, to match the top and bobbin, start with the bobbin. Load the bobbin in the gauge and adjust until a smooth pull reads 18 (or 180 on the new ones)--doesn't matter if it is BL or 40 weight--anything will work. Load a 40 weight on the top and thread the needle. Adjust the top tension until a smooth pull of the thread through the eye of the needle and towards the back of the machine (important) DEFLECTS the U-shaped tension spring in front of the tensioner to an 8 o'clock position when you look at it straight on. When at rest, my tension spring is at 10 o'clock so you want it to deflect down a bit. Stitch out a sample and check the tension. Adjust where needed--either top or bottom. I run my bobbin tension on the loose side--usually starting at 18--surprisingly many times no further adjustment is needed. After some practice you will know the sweet spot on the top thread--that adjustment where the thread slides through with just enough resistance. Good luck and see how this works for you. Will you make it to Innovations this year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Sew Simple Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 I finally have tension success using two colors of thread! While I am new to LAing I am not new to machines. My success came when I finally got off my duff and started fooling around with the bobbin tension. I took the DVD advice and read and re-read Shana's advice and make that bobbin my friend! I myself like one thread one place and one another so I knew I have to wrap my mind around it! Actually I found the APQS machine easy to convince to work with me!! Like Bonnie (Hi Bonnie) I found one night I needed to walk away from the Lenni and the next day she sewed beautiful stitches! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Heidi! Heidi! Heidi! Thank you a MILLION. It took much experimentation but with your help I finally figured it out. It was named "Eric's Anniversary 39 back resized 50%" So first I removed the % sign. That wasn't it. Then I shortened the name to Eric's 39 back. That wasn't it. Then I realized it was the apostrophe in Eric's that it didn't like! I removed the apostrophe and it loaded. Thank you Heidi! So this is the picture that belongs way back up there in my first reply when I talked about using the same thread front and back. I'm glad I used a contrasting thread on the back. I like it better that the stitching shows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Success! Barbm - see how I tried to copy you. It's not great but it's a beginning. I had trouble getting from one unit to the next because I used a hook, and after I was all done, I see you used a teardrop. That makes a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Ann, I'm so glad you figured it out. I only knew this from the days when I took programming classes. I didn't take SQL but know that there are computer languages out there that use characters as functions so when the server got your file time it was telling it code that it didn't understand. I remember many a long nights writing code and trying to figure out why I got error messages like that! LOL I would be up all night looking for the : or , or ' that I didn't put in or had 2 in! I really did like it but didn't keep up with it because my math wasn't good enough to be a programmer. Hubby told me I couldn't do it anyway because I get obsessive compulsive about it...good thing he doesn't tell me I can't do quilting cause I'm the same way with that!!!!! I'm so glad you finally figured out what was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Sew Simple Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 This quilting is fine!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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