meg_marsh Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Have another quilt loaded - went to ck my tension. This is what I am getting and cannot figure it out. tension, etc: bobbin with towa: 15 - 16 st per inch: 10 thread: so fine top and bottom needle: have tried both 3.5 & 4 - same with both Circles or any curve type quilting: going clockwise - bobbin thread is almost flat on the back between 11 & 2 o'clock positions - ok otherwise. going counter clockwise - bobbin thread is almost flat on the back between 4 & 7 - ok otherwise. straight lines - horizontal going left to right - ok going right to left - bobbin thread almost flat on the back straight lines - vertical - all ok. Have changed needle, bobbin case & position of needle - nothing helps - what next??? Really tried to keep my speed steady and am using SR. There must be something easy that I am missing! thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njquiltergirl Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Hi Meg. When I've had that problem, I checked the tension. Sounds like the bobbin is too tight relative to the top thread. Even theough we can use a SR, we do still sometimes just got too fast around those corners or cirlces. Are you sure the top is sitting correctly in between the tension disks? What thread are you using? Could it be too slippery on top and bottom??? I just had great success with So Fine on the bottom and Rainbows on top. Good luck..take a breath and calm down...you will sort this out!! Lisa Burghart APQS LIberty NW NJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyc Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 what is the speed on the SR? does changing the speed help? if you are slower, is the problem worse? Does it have something to do with that needle flex thing that Dawn talks about? Sometimes I have had the bottom thread wrap around the little tab I put the bobbin case in with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Meg check inside your bobbin case even though it is a new one, for a piece of lint in the spring thingy. I have found a speck in there that I could not even see that caused all kinds of headaches. also, check to see if you have thread wrapped around your fly wheel. also tighten up your top tension some. I feel your pain though cause it happens to me more times that I want it to and it takes such a long time sometimes to figure out why Alice is so cranky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Meg, It sounds like your TOWA bobbin tension reading is very loose for So-Fine thread. And the top too. The bobbin thread is probably laying flat because it's so loose, and the top isn't tight enough to pull it up and make a locking stitch. Rethread top and bobbin, and pull off a yard or so of bobbin thread before you put it back in the case. See if that helps. Just some ideas I would try myself--- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 First I will say I don't use a Towa, so I can't address the numbers. But it is only a guide, it is not meant to be the "final answer". You may still need to adjust beyond that number. When you get flatlining on the bottom you need to loosen the bobbin just a bit more, you may even need to tighten the top just a smidge. It is that simple. Sometimes these gadgets get us confused by thinking the settings are right, something else MUST be going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyonden Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Hi Meg- I just finished a quilt using the So Fine thread in the bobbin and the top. I did run into the same problem. It was frustrating to me because if you looked close, you could see pokies on the top from the bobbin thread but still had the flat stitching around the curves on the bottom. I did slow down because I already know that could be a problem but still got the flatness. I love So Fine thread and was using the white #401 on the top and bottom so pokies were not a problem. I am awaiting all suggestions like you. My tension was also set at 15 with the Towa guage which is what I set everything to. I still say it has to do with needle deflection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Yes it does have to do with needle deflection as Carol suggested, but you can overcome the flatlining with tension adjustments. It may still be a bit different in some areas because of the way the hook/needle deflection works, but you can get rid of the flatlining. I use so fine top and bottom all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted May 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 Have checked for lint, etc. - none. This is where I am. Have switched to using same color top and bottom (cream), tightened my top tension way up and am putting up with slight pokies on top. I have often used 2 colors in the past with no problems and so had wanted to on this quilt (light blue on bottom & cream on top), but since I haven't been able to solve this issue to my satisfaction I am making adjustments. Hope to get some sort of answer that might help................ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbigailE Posted May 15, 2009 Report Share Posted May 15, 2009 My first thought was is there a burr, but that would mean breaking thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 Meg - I realize this is probably way late to help you out, but if you're getting pokies on the top, your bobbin tension is too loose. I run my bobbins at about 20-22 in the Towa. There is a great article on tension on Superior Threads. Go to their site and look under Education and Thread Tug of War. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
belquilt Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 I had one wheel that need a tweak and believe it or not.. all stitched well after that. These machines have minds of their own and everyone's is different. I had tried everything, even being careful not to put weight on my handles. Another time I had problems with LAVA and I haven't solved that one yet. Linda, I also found running 20 on the Towa works. Meg - let us know that it got fixed!! It is frustrating!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted June 2, 2009 Report Share Posted June 2, 2009 What us flatlining? thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Meg. I'm bringing this post to the top. Did you ever figure out what was causing the flatlining (Linda - it is when your thread lies flat on the quilt rather than being pulled into the layers of the quilt). I'm having the same issue now with a quilt - fortunately the same colour thread on top and bottom, so not a big issue. I do a lot of free-hand swirls, so I'm sure I'm causing it myself by going around curves too fast or unconsistently, but it is still irritating... Did you find that the magic bobbin washers helped? I noticed in a previous post that you use them. I've just ordered some. Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted July 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 It has been awhile ........... answer - took the backlash spring out of the bobbin case out - use only the bobbin genie with a drop of oil to keep it in place, loosened the bobbin tension quite a bit and then played with just the top tension, changed the direction of the needle to 6:30 straight on - all of this seemed to help. In the end, nothing is perfect, but much better and will continue to work on consistency of speed - or I will when I get back to my machine in the fall. Am in Washington now without machine ........... the pits .......... but getting some piecing done. As a final note - even though it is not suggested, I have noted that a few members use the bobbin case with the pigtail - I might be tempted to try that also. I am very finicky about tension & whatever I need to do for the best tension - worth a try............. Caroline - if you have any additional ideas - please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 I had a similar problem last week - checked everything, gave it all a clean, rethreaded. Went back to So Fine in the pig tail bobbin and Isacord on the top, adjusted the wheels in by the SR - now running great (fingers crossed - sshh!!) forgot to say - only using aluminium bobbins now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinequilts Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Meg - Thanks for the info - I'll post again once I have tried with my washers. Linzi - What do you mean adjusted the wheels by the SR? Are you talking about the bolts with the cams? Or are there other adjustments? I did notice that my machine seems to glide away from me sometimes when coming around the bends in SR. Also, what is a pigtail bobbin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Meg, I know the correct way to place a needle is suppose to be like 6:35 but I have to run mine at 6:25. Knock on wood, since I made that adjustment I haven't had a tension problem. Maybe it's just luck but whatever works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted July 9, 2009 Report Share Posted July 9, 2009 Caroline - the bobbin has a springy tail on it... My SR was playing up - the rubber wheel would move against the big wheel even when holding the machine stationary so Amy advised tightening up the gold bolts on the SR near the encoder and the other wheel with the SR on the carriage - apparently it can get a bit loose after a while, especially if there has been downward pressure on the handlebars - like when you quilt with a vice-like grip or poss do a lot of intense stitching. She sent me a page of instructions with pics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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