Just Sew Simple Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 In our town lots of people have long arms and they are every brand and model. I am the only one with an APQS machine. When they ask me what I have they immediately say, "Had trouble with the tension yet?" Why do they do that. What gives with the tension questions? I haven't had problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocoholic Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 Maybe they have problems with whatever brand machine they have and are jealous. I don't have tension problems either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 I don't have tension problems either and I use all kinds of thread. Most of the LAer's that I know that have other brands of LA's use ONE type of thread because they don't want to have to mess with their tension. But no one has ever asked me that question. I have asked them if they have tried certain types of thread or they ask me about what type of thread I have used in a quilt that I have done. When I tell them, the usual response I get is that they haven't tried that of thread. I think APQS machines are great and easy to adjust the tension for different types of threads. I think Sheila is right, they are jealous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 It sounds more to me like they are all suffereing from inferior customer service in getting problems solved.. why not just suggest they join this list.. am sure many of them would be helped. I know it would be helping your competition, it just seems the thing to do.. I'd hope they'd give you credit to others, shop owners, customers, friends, etc. It also sounds to me like their machines lack a bit in quality and in instructions how to adjust the tensions.. I can imagine the frustrations they must be having. RitaR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 No actually I believe that the other brands are more noted to having tension problems and the others just assume that we are going to have them also, and its a conversation piece that they have with EVERY quilter. Its like those of us who have or do work other than our quilting businesses or hobbies and have a co-worker we need to bitch about. Its a bitch session and they ALL assume we want to be part of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 My thought: Because we CAN use a variety of threads on our machines, hence, we adjust tension if necessary to accomodate that thread weight, they automatically think we are having tension problems, since we are "adjusting" our tension. This is my personal thought. I think they know we adjust tension, but they dont know WHY!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 Hi Sylvia, My thought is that we are very lucky that we may only have "tension problems"--which are easily adjusted and easily learned to deal with. Each brand has it's own problems to overcome or maintenance that needs to be done--whether it is copious amounts of oiling, rattle-y construction, table cleaning, weight concerns (either too heavy or very light) which are coped with by practicing. Anyone with an interest can access this site (unlike another brand which only allows owners to join) so others reading our FAQ threads will find any complaints and problems a newbie will run into. Tension is a big one but easily remedied. I am happy for that fact! If that is the only bad thing they have gleaned about APQS machines, that will be their conversation starter. Smile sweetly and tell them, yes, you had tension problems the first two days, but you bonded with your baby and it is all better now, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Sew Simple Posted October 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 I can see the point now. I hate to say it was pipping me off when asked about my tension as if it were expected of an APQS machine. I now use different colored thread in the top than in the bobbin almost every quilt. The tension is perfect - just a minor turn here or there and wow! I think they may be my LA-snob-friends. You know - my choice was better than yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 I agree with LindaR. Tension is a problem that all newbies go thru. For me, tension is the most frustrating part about getting aquainted with your new machine. Maybe that's what the snobby LAers were talking about. They all probably went thru that hair-puling phase before they finally grasped the tug-o-war tension concept. These machines are not like DSMs where you can thread it and go. I've never had to adjust the bobbin on my Bernina or Juki. Of course, I've never run King Tut on the top and So Fine in the bobbin on my DSM either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted October 20, 2008 Report Share Posted October 20, 2008 I belong to the MO-KAN Machine Quilter's Guild here in the greater Kansas City area. The membership is huge so we are able to bring in some very top of the line speakers for our meetings. Jamie Wallen is coming in November. Anywho....it seems that most of the speakers assume we all have tenison problems and they direct most of the lecture part of their meeting time to tension. The last speaker was Cathy Franks, and although I thought she was a wonderful speaker, the whole time she talked about tension problems and the types of thread to stay away from. She talked about ways to thread your machine to avoid problems. When she would say something I would look at Mary Hibbs with my nose wrinkled and Mary would whisper, "we don't need to do that", or "we don't have that problem". I realize that some machines do have some tension issues. And that some machines cannot use just any thread. I just wish the speakers were aware that not everyone has the same machine. They could touch on the subject, then move on. Thank you very much for letting me stand on my soap box Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 I think they are just making a general comment. Not specific to APQS or any machine in particular. Thread tension is a topic of conversation for most machine quilters no matter what brand, and a lot of that has to do with the multitude of threads we have available to buy now that we never had before. No harm intended I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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