quiltingnanny Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 I've been having tension problems, think I've got that whipped. The problem was the tension would switch out on me. Thread laying on top, then beautiful stitches. Thread laying on bottom, then beautiful stitches. Did not seem directional. Well, I've wd 40, oiled good, new needle [mr 4.5], now breaking thread. Oh, my stitches are perfect. Changed to a 4.0 needle, sewers aid on the thread, R&A 50 weight. Still breaking top thread. I don't feel any burrs, it's threaded correctly. What am I missing ? HELP !! Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 R&A 50 weight? That is not an R&A Rayon is it??? Rayon is weak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 No, it's 100% cotton. I'm at my wits end. I stepped away to see if that would magicaly fix itself. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darlene Epp Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Try a new bobbin case. That always works wonders for me! I have vinyl over concrete on my studio floor, and my tension is never quite right after I drop the bobbin case on the floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Agree with Darlene... try a new bobbin case. Glenda, you only want to use a 4.5 needle with heavy thick threads. I still think your machine is too tight. Adjust your bobbin so it rolls rather easily with a slight nudge when you lift it up from the palm of your hand. After setting that bobbin tension, practice adjusting your top until your stitching feels nice and smooth on top. Make slight half or quarter turns on the top until you get a nice stitch that feels good. Keep playing. I think you are "over-thinking" this and that's where the trouble lies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 If the thread is laying on top check you thread path. I had this happen this weekend and my thread has somehow gotten wrapped around the spring and it was causing this very problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sspingler Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 I don't know if it makes any difference but when I have trouble with thread breaking I put a 1" square of batting soaked in sewers aid in the first thread guide and run my thread through that instead of trying to put it on the cone. Works tho. And it puts a little tension on the thread so I don't have to use a thread net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Ok, had a nap and just knew the machine gremlins had left. Not ! I changed the bobbin case, readjusted the tension to work with the bobbin. Still breaking top thread. I've even had some stitches that aren't even there. It's like the thread broke for one stitch and then picked back up. Any suggestions ? My thread isn't laying on top or bottom now, I got that fixed early on. That's when I started having the top thread to break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Another thought: Have you cleaned your tension disks lately? If not, unscrew until it is loose and use a Q-tip dabbed with rubbing alcohol and clean those disks. Sometimes residue builds up on those disks and even lint/dust gets stuck in there over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Sharon, I put sewers aid in my piece of wool batting that the thread travels through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 New tension assembly. I always blow it out when I blow the bobbin area. I'm at a loss. Checked my thread path too, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Originally posted by quiltingnanny Still breaking top thread. I've even had some stitches that aren't even there. It's like the thread broke for one stitch and then picked back up. Any suggestions ? If you have a thread break that picks back up and continues stitching, the thread is breaking under the needle plate. Check for burrs on the needle plate hole and also on the hook. The manual will show you where to look for dings or burrs on the hook and tell you how to buff them out. Good luck--I feel your frustration! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Skipped stitch(es) can be so agravating. Have you broken or bent or jammed a needle lately? If so, maybe your machine needs to be re-timed. If it's not making a stitch, maybe the needle is hitting the hook area at the wrong time to make a stitch and then breaking the thread on the way out. Glenda, I hope you'll let us know what finally fixes it for you. Can you call your rep for help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted March 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Well, I went back to Signature thread, my ole standby Lime Green. Duhhhh, it's working fine now. Why does this crap always happen to me ? I've already had some cheese with my whine now I think I need some real wine ! The color I need for the king size quilt that's up next is the 'other' brand. Well, guess what, she'll get lime ! Why can't all thread be created equal ? Thanks for trying to help. Oh, I did take off my little piece of batting in the shepherds hook. Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Glenda, Try flipping the cone upside down and see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted March 23, 2009 Report Share Posted March 23, 2009 Glenda, I was going to tell you to loosen the quilt sandwich, maybe you had it rolled up too tight...but if you switched threads and it worked...then that's not it...sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted March 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2009 I think steppin away and a nap was the best thing I could've done ! LOL:D Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennan100 Posted March 25, 2009 Report Share Posted March 25, 2009 Someone else had this happen not too long ago. The thread was breaking and then rethreading itself. I thought I had it in my favorites but not seeing it. There was a solution. Anyone remember this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Glenda I have had this happen. Usually it's because there is a teeny, tiny bit of fluff or dander caught somewhere in the bobbin area. Try taking off your needleplate, shining a flashlight down in the hole and slowly turning the wheel to rotate the bobbin hook. There may be a tiny piece of thread caught somewhere. Also try turning the bobbin the wrong way in the bobbin case. Don't ask me why this works, but sometimes it does. Also, check to see if the needle is not too far up or down in the needle bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted March 26, 2009 Report Share Posted March 26, 2009 Could it be old thread?? Even if you bought it new, who knows how long the store/seller had it? I have purchased 2 spools of Masterpiece thread for piecing and they break very easily. So, I quit using them. Too bad to, they are nice and thin and 100% cotton. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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