RoseCity Quilter Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Hi all, I have been silently taking in all your great advice since getting my Milli in June. I have been doing quite well untill yesterday. Put on a customer quilt both top and back are batik. Customer wanted two layers of Hobbs 80\\20. Using Rainbow thread on top and bottom line pre-wounds on bottom. My upper thread breaks every few inches. Same thread previous quilt was working fine. Started with 4.0 needle, changed to 3.5 then tried 4.5. Made so differnce. Help now what? Ardelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I certainly am not an expert at this, but try loosening your top tension. I have a batik (top and back) on my frame right now too. That helped for me. linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindasewsit Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Oh!! and I forgot to say WELCOME!! you will find allot of answers to allot of questions on here~ Glad you joined the chat!!! linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg_marsh Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Another thing to try is to spray silicone on the batik - top and bottom. This often allows the needle to pass through the fabric easier - same theory as Sewers Aide on threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 I did try loosening my top tension. Gradually until I had big loops- still breaking. I do not have spray silicone, I have ordered some but has not come yet. I would be scared to spray it on someones quilt top?! Ardelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeciKelly Posted December 13, 2009 Report Share Posted December 13, 2009 Do you have all purpose sewer's aid from dritz? That also helps (for me at least). I just put some on along the spool. Have you tried another spool of the same color? Cecília Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Hi, Welcome. I love rainbow threads, for now, I am staying away from polyester threads when I quilt batiks because the combination gives me a lot of problems with tension and breakage. A longarmer friend told me she has the same issues. I use cotton threads on top and bottom line or so fine on the bottom when I quilt on batiks. Corey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Try going only through 1 of the pigtail holes and see if that helps. I stitch with batik top and backing and usually don't have many problems with it...ok I'm knocking on wood as I tap! Are you sure the thread isn't catching somewhere on the thread path? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Wren Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Hi Ardelle, I quilt batiks top & bottom all the time & never have any problems. I use Rainbows & bottom line with wool batting. The first & only time I have had problems with my thread breaking I gave up & changed thread to a different colour but still Rainbows. It worked fine & the only thing I could think of was that by rethreading with a different colour I had altered the thread path & that maybe my machine did not have the thread going through all the little holes & things that it should. Goodluck! I know how frustrating this can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Thanks Heidi and Corey, I am pretty sure it is not catching on the tread path as it was working fine the previous quilt. I am doing a simple panto, and did manage to get it going well for half a row when I changed to a 4.5 needle, but then it started breaking again. Corey if I change thread now to a cotton I will have to frog a whole row of stitching. But then again if that is the trouble it would be worth it. I cannot get back to it until Tuesday to try again so more suggestions welcome. And thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 I just had another thought. Should I try the method of weaving it through the 3 hole thread guide as if I were using King Tut? Could that help? Is is because of the combination of batik and 2 layers of Hobbs 80/20?? Puzzled! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 My guess is the double layer of Hobbs and maybe your quilt sandwich is too tight! I find that Hobbs is rough and can cut the finer threads. Try loosening your quilt sandwich and see if this helps. Welcome to the forum Ardelle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 Definitely make sure the sandwich isn't too tight. Also try threading it like Kingtut, what have you got to loose? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 With that thick of a quilt sandwich, you'll need to quilt slowly too, to allow the needle to recover after it makes a stitch. The needle flex might be breaking the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted December 14, 2009 Report Share Posted December 14, 2009 How loose is your bobbin? Go really loose in the bottom and on top too. That might help. We tend to string our machines too tight. Make sure your bobbin area is blown out nice and clean without debris and WD40 and oiled well. Rub some alcohol on the insides of the discs on top with a Q tip. Keeping our machines maintained and clean helps a lot with its performance. I have been successful running Rainbows and such... you just have to go looser all around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks ladies, That gives me some things to try tomorrow. I appreciate your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Well, I managed to finished this quilt! It seemed like it took many things in combo to help. I used the alternate threading like for King tut thread, I really loosened my quilt sandwich, and I stitched the pattern really, really slowly (slow was better than stopped!). The next quilt is on and no problems. I think it had to have been the combination of two layers of batting with batik top and back. I will try and post a picture of the finished quilt tomorrow- no time today. ;):cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 Glad to hear you found something that worked! We'll look forward to seeing it, Ardelle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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