TracyeQ Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Okay, so anyone who's been on this chat a while has probably heard me say how much I LOVE Rainbows thread and insist it run on my machine no matter what. Well, believe it or not my favorite thread in the world (Rainbows) had the nerve to give me trouble and break every few inches!!!!!!! The HORROR of it ! Here's what happened and what I learned. It started when I was at the end of a cone, the random breaking. Not often but about once or twice an hour. I felt pretty sure the problem was the extra "whip/twist" from being at the end of the cone so I put some sewers aide on the cone and a thread net and was good. The real problem came when I ran out of thread and had to run to the LQS and pick up a spool of the same color to finish the quilt. I have the Hartley spool holder on my machine and put the spool on it. It was a snug fit, but went on and would turn. I tried to loosen my tension to compensate for any extra drag the snug fit might add. I had constant breaking. I re threaded every which way I could think of, still no help. I would find, when the thread broke, it wrapped (and stuck) around different things on the side of the machine, like the pig tail guide's bolt. Obviously it was getting some sort of "whip" or extra slack to fling itself. Bottom line, the spindle on the Hartley spool holder is too fat/wide for the spool of thread to spin evenly. I've noticed this with other small spools too. It works great with some spools but not all. Solution: I put the small spool on the back of the machine on the cone holder and threaded it like I would a big cone. Not ONE BREAK since! Amazing. I thought I was going to have to hurt somebody. :P:P I don't know if this helps anyone, but thought I'd post it just in case it might one day. Happy Quilting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Tracye. Thanks for the info re: smaller spools! What a good "cypher" so to speak! You BET this will help someone some day! That's what I LOVE about this chatroom. The constant learning knowledge being spread, even if it stems from someone's frustration...it turns into GOLD one way or another! Hugs, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Tracey, You made me laugh!!:P Glad it turned out ok! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Thanks Tracey, You helped me see that sometimes it's not the obvious; it's looking outside the box to find the solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Tracey, I have to vouch for you that in the past, I have had more success with my "finicky" threads if I run it from the back spool holder rather than my Hartley spool holder. I think it really does make a difference to allow the thread to "travel" a bit of the way before it starts getting to the tension disk, etc. Seems to help get the kinks and spools off smoother. Anywhooo...Something to keep tucked in the back of your mind when having issues... I like using my Hartley spool holders (I have the vertical and horizontal spindles) and use them but you are right; the some of these threads work better when threaded on the back spindle. I am glad my rainbow girl is back to her bright colorful self again! Hey, why don't you show n tell some of your stuff? I haven't seen anything from you lately? Maybe show n tell your little toehead kiddos? Maybe a pony or two? Love ya, girl! :cool: Shana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newellyn Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Tracey, The exact same thing happened to me and I did the same thing. I find that I can't use the Hartley spool holder most of the time. I thought it was something I was doing wrong, I feel so validated now, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoryJM Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Tracey, I LOVE Rainbows thread too, but have only used the cones and from the back. I don't have the Hartley spool holder, so everything runs from the back. So far, that has worked so well that I haven't even been tempted to buy the spool holder--amazing for me, since I want every gizmo and gadget I can get my hands on! My fave Rainbow is turning out to be Brass Band...I LOVE that one!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veg-girl Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 The "problem" with the Hartley style of spool holders is that they are for parallel wound reels of thread and must allow the spools to spin freely. When they spin you are pulling the weight of the whole spool with all its thread and so you need to loosen off the tension to allow for this. I have found that it is almost impossible to loosen off enough top tension to run King Tut on the small retail spools. The tension also changes as the weight changes from a full spool to an empty spool. I mostly use small reels of thread as these are what I keep in the shop. I now run the small reels from the back of the machine and make sure that the thread does not get caught on the edge of the reel. I have used the same reel of thread in the 2 different ways and have changed the top tension 2 full turns to make it work in the other position. I thought I understood tension before I got my Milli now I find there are more things to consider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grammie Posted February 4, 2009 Report Share Posted February 4, 2009 Tracye I miss placed your phone number. Call me!!! Love Grammie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltlover03 Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Tracy I just found this post and I am glad it worked out. I thread everything from the back, big cones and small spools and anything that is slippery gets a net. I just coud never get myself to put out the money for the small spool holders. Thanks for sharing your find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Tracey - Your frustration is our gain. Glad you didn't have to hurt anybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyeQ Posted April 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Me too Julie!!! LOL:P Monika, I still use/like the spool holders for mono and Glitter so it doesn't have to travel the length of the machine, but the spool holder needs to have a narrower post. Like the skinny ones on the DSMs that those spools were meant to run on... I may have to let DH play w/mine out in the shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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