SCREAM!!

[chickenscratch]

Okay, I just need to blow off steam and you ladies will understand. I have been having major issues all day. I'm using Perfect Quilter, which I have used before and love it, but I keep having thread problems today. I will do 10 or 12 sq.inches with no problem, then the thread will break. I have adjusted and the stitches look great, when the thread isn't broken. Of course I waited until the last minute to quilt this thing and I have to turn it in tomorrow for the contest. The weather changed overnight and today the humidity outside is close to 100%. The humidity in the house is 68%. I'm wondering if that has something to do with it.

Okay, I'm done screaming now. I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening. I'm going back to try again.

[Debberdo]

Bless you! I'll say a quick prayer!

[Guest LA]

It's okay Teresa!

Humidity does play a very big role in tension!

Do you have any silicone, either "sewers aid" or spray?

Lubricate the cone of thread heavily with this.

Or place the cone of thread in a baggie & place in the freezer for a while to retain moisture in the thread.

Also don?t forget to check the tension trouble shooting guide here~http://www.apqs.com/quiltingthreadbreaking.htm

or here~http://www.apqs.com/quiltingmachinetension.htm

Let us know if this helps, or call me!

[mrsbishwit]

Teresa;

I feel your pain!! Last week I had severe thread breakage issues as well (with the Rainbow threads) threads that I have been using for the past year with no problem then last week out of no where problems...tried all of the tricks with the tension with no luck (never tried the freezer tip but will if it happens again) and no problems with the so fine thread. This week I have been working with Rainbows again and no problems so far...our weather which is normally hot and dry has been very humid & muggy lately so I think the weather does have something to do with it.

Joann

[Calicoquilter]

I thought I was going crazy.:mad: I was also using Rainbow thread on top and on the bottom and my top thread was breaking about every 8 to 10 inches. I did everything I could think of. I adjusted the tension, even though the stitches looked okay. I put the thread in a baggie in the freezer overnight and nothing worked! I finally took the quilt off the machine and my darling husband picked out all the stitches because I was so unhappy, I was going to change threads and start over. The fact that the humidity is off the charts here never occurred to me:( Live and learn, I guess. I'm sure you LAers in other states heard me cussing.

[Myrna Ficken]

You might try a # 4 needle to see if that helps. Especially if you are going over a lot of thick seams.

Myrna

[chickenscratch]

The quilt is done, delivered, and out of my sight for now. I did a bunch of freehand work on it, and even though it was perfectly flat when I made it; it had a few ripples in it when I took it off the machine. I did the best I could to spritz it and pull it to try to get it flat. I didn't have time to rip it all out and redo, so it went as is.

Overall I was happy with the way it turned out.

At least I got to practice McTavishing, paisleys, swirls, wind, and grass.

And it was for a very good cause- the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. I hope some kid loves it.

Question, Could all of that quitling have caused the rippling? If so I'll have to be more careful next time. At least I learned a lesson.

[Myrna Ficken]

Teresa,

It is for a great cause and some child will LOVE it and it will warm there heart.

Yes, they quilts are quilted can cause the quilt not to be flat. But to say exactly what this cause was would be hard.

Make sure you do not have your quilted rolled on to the rollers to tight. This can also cause thread breakage. As well as stretch the quilt. Forgot to mention that the other night.

You do not want to pull the side tight with the clamps. They are for support only.

On the other hand you do not want your quilt too loose either.

Make sure you keep your batting flat . I'm sure you. Keep your quilting designs consistent in size.

Remember it all gets better with doing. Every quilt you learn more something more. Your heart is in it and you will go great.

[GERRY]

I to had this problem just the other day, everything was going fine earlier in the day, but as the room got hotter & heavier the thread just kept on breaking. So after checking everything twice & more than 10 restarts I tried the "sewer's aid" stuff. I put about 5 stripes down the length of the spool, & a drop on the tenion disc's & there wasn"t one more break, :)at all, for the whole quilt.

Amazing, it was the first time I have ever used this stuff, I plan on buying a punch more.

BTW does it come in bigger bottles, the one I have is very teeny.

Thanks for the help Linda A.

&

Thanks for the right question at the right time Teresa T.

[JoAnnHoffman]

What type of thread are you using?

[Giftedhands]

Oh, when I have the "breakage" problem, I put in a new bobbin.

Really!

cynthia

[GERRY]

HI JoAnn,

I was useing "Valdani" pastels #m20, & hadn't had any prob's before, so I thought it was the bobbins.

Yes Cynthia:

I did think it was a bobbin problem, I was useing pre-wounds on plastic bob's for the first time, but after changing them more than once, & ajusting the tension several times, I came back to the fact that everything was fine earlier in the morning, the only thing that had changed was the humidity in the house. I had just read Teresa's post & Linda's responce the night before, so I gave it a shot, boy oh boy did it work, not one more break the whole day. I was in quilting heaven. I even put a drop on the bobbin before I put a new one into the machine because they had been sitting out in the air for a time.

With out this forum I would have struggled for a long time & then would have given up for the day, witch was my next option after the sewers aid, since I had tryed everything I could think of up till then.

Love you guys

[quiltaholi_518]

Valdini! Awful stuff, hand-dyed short staple cotton. Breaks even when I look at the stuff. I can't even get it to work in my DSM.....................

[Bonnie]

Gerry....I have to use tons of Sews Aid with Valdini....its a great thread when you can get it to work...but when it decides it doesn't want to play, I often threaten to throw it away, but I do love the look...I have to just walk away, far away. I think that the Dritz company should offer all of us a stock option plan....we are the ones that keep them in business. I have at least 4 bottles on hand at all times.

[JoAnnHoffman]

If you can easily break the thread with your hands, it is way too weak for a longarm. That's usually how I test my thread.

[Barb Barna]

When using pre-wound plastic bobbin, I keep a separate bobbin case just for their use. We have pull out the backlash spring a bent it out farther (about an 1/8 of an inch to start). Then you get less overspin, and fewer breaks.

Also after doing about 1,000 quilts, we have found that when the top thread is breaking lots- tighten the top thread. Most of the time it does work. (We have a Millenium).

[SandraG]

I had lots of problems with Valdani on my DSM -- would not even think of trying with my long arm

[GERRY]

Hay Bonnie, Caron, & Sandra

I used the same spool of Valdani thread on my first PPP quilt & didn't have even one break, in fact it was the third time I had used that spool & the first time I had a problem, so I still think it was the humidity, plus the "sewer's aid" worked.

I really like the way this spool of thread looked on my PPP quilt, the colours are very pretty on white fabric, so I plan to use it until it's gone, as long as I have the sewer's aid I think I'm be fine.

Barb: I did the same thing, I think I read that little tid bit on this forum some were. I think it's a good idea that I have at lest 3 bob cases on hand 1 for pastic bob's, 1 for cardboard bob's, & 1 for reg. metal bob's.