Ultimate tension issues

[QBY]

Hi, we've been lurking here and getting lots of great ideas to help, but we're stuck again and wondered if there was something that we're missing.

Have an Ultimate - she is used and we have changed from the embriodery tensioner to the regular tension discs, changed bobbin cases and the part that the bobbin cases fits on (drawing a blank on the name), adjusted the timing and managed to get things rolling MUCH better than they had been. Quilted 3 quilts and things were working out okay. Now we have a quilt that is a batik top and cotton backing. For top thread the customer has chosen a lovely purple (king tut) and her backing fabric is a yellowish cream so a pretty neutral bobbin thread (regular 50 wt cotton prewound).

Now we're having tension issues again. We checked bobbin tension, changed needles and prewound bobbins, adjusted top tension and double checked the timing. On our practice piece there is still quite a bit of purple coming through on the bottom (not eyelashing, just poking) although we've managed to get the neutral to quit coming through on the top.

Is there anything else that we're just not thinking of or is it simply because there is such a difference in the color of the thread that we will just be fighting to get the purple from not showing through. We've tightened the top tension until the thread breaks and then backed off also. The batting is a poly - low loft.

[Mary Beth]

First, welcome to the forum....glad you are out of lurkdom...Sorry to hear that you are having tension problems. I would say the problem is King Tut vs Batik top. King Tut, in my opinion, is a hard thread to work with. I'm sure someone will be able to help you.

[QBY]

Thanks Mary Beth. I had (or thought I had) Tut working on a baby quilt, but I had a fairly loft batting and wonder if the batting was eating a problem I didn't think I had. I think I'll try some sulky quilting thread and see if she likes that any better. I've noticed that folks are really liking the Lava?

It seems so odd that Tut is difficult. We have a couple of Hinterberg Voyagers and Tut is a staple for them. Of course they don't like to run the Sulky and the Ultimate will run that fairly well.

[DawnCavanaugh]

Jennifer,

Do you have any 4.5 needles to try?

Also loosen the tension of the fabric on the rollers (a bit looser than normal) so the batik can relax a bit.

Finally, be sure you're really having "tension" issues vs. seeing the thread inside the needle hole. To tell the difference, drag your fingernail along the line of stitching on the underside. If your nail catches on the tiny bumps of top thread, then the King Tut is still pulling to the back. But if your fingernail doesn't catch, then you're just seeing the color of the thread inside the needle hole (which is even more evident when you use contrasting thread compared to the fabric color.

The machine's needle size is necessary to reduce flexing and breaking, but it can sometimes be a bummer when it comes to leaving that big hole behind. The good news is that if the needle is sharp and not "tearing" the fabric fibers, those holes usually recede and close up after the first wash (or can be sped up with a light mist of water.

Hope this helps!

[QBY]

Dawn,

Thank you for the information! It has helped a lot. Yes, we still had some tension issues as I could feel the bumps, but I don't have the 4.5 needles so I'll have to add those to my shopping list.

We are definately getting closer with the sulky than we were the Tut so I think we'll put the Tut back on the shelf until we can get the 4.5 needles to practice with. The practice piece we're on is not batik as we've not had the nerve to move to the actual quilt yet...

[QBY]

Ahhh, even better, we managed to play with some Rainbow and it is working splendidly. So, we'll go with that until we get some larger needles to play with King Tut again.

Thanks again to everyone for all the help, and for such fast replies!!