fineseams Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 I'm having a problem with thread breaking every 8 or 10 inches of stitching. I'm using OESD (50 wt poly) on top, and BL in the bobbin. I've cleaned and oiled the hook, changed the needle, checked the threading, cleaned the bobbin case. Checked the bobbin to make sure it is rotating clockwise. Checked the tension. Can't think of anything else to try. Last time I ran the machine, I used this combo of top and bottom thread, and it stitched fine. Sometimes it seems that the bobbin thread is somehow caught in the hook. When I try to remove the bobbin case to check it, the bobbin thread is "stuck". If I rotate the hand wheel, it comes loose. The top thread end is frayed - not a clean break. I'm feeling a little frustrated. Any advice will be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 Bonnie, First try another cone of top thread to eliminate that as the culprit. If you still have breakage with the second spool, then loosen up the top tension at least a full turn. Loosen it until the stitches are sloppy but the machine is sewing. (You may also need to do the same to the bobbin thread). Now start tightening up the top tension, a little at a time, until you get a balanced stitch. Try a different bobbin as well. Let me know how it's going:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 almost everytime i have top thread breaking - its because Lola has managed to unthread herself somewhere. try rethreading...making sure the thread is running through all the loops and pigtails and is not twisted around any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witha'K'quilting Posted August 23, 2010 Report Share Posted August 23, 2010 when this happens to me...it is because the thread generally gets wrapped around somethung it shouldn't! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fineseams Posted August 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 I changed to sofine on a different bobbin, and also changed bobbin cases. After changing to sofine, I clipped on a practice piece and did some freehand from the front of the machine. Tension looked good, no thread break. But as soon as I went back to work on the quilt, doing a panto from the back, I'm getting the same frequent thread breaks. I've had several times where the tension looks good to start, and after a bit, the top tension is way too tight, then the thread breaks. A different scenario happens sometimes when it sews okay for a while, then skips stitches for several inches, then sews a bit more and the thread breaks. I'm feeling jinxed. And I've been fighting with it all day. Just decided to quit and look for an adult beverage. But I won't give up, I'll just try a fresh start in the morning. I'll start by changing the top thread, and loosening the tension as Dawn suggested, and completely rethreading as Meg advised. As usual, thanks for your help. Every time I think I'm getting the hang of this, something else goes wrong....maybe I did something exceptionally wicked in a past life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna sco Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 My Millinnium fought me for a week until I cleaned the tension disks. Dawn said some threads have residue on it so keep the tension disks clean with a pipecleaner and alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fineseams Posted August 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 I did as Dawn suggested, and loosened both the top and bobbin tension until stitches were sloppy, and then tightened until the tension looked about right. It stitched quite well after that, however I did still have some problems with thread breaking. I stopped fairly often to see if I was still stitching. When I would start again the thread often broke a few inches after the stop. Several times it appeared that there was backlash in the bobbin. I recall reading somewhere about bobbin backlash when starting and stopping with a non-SR machine, but I can't seem to find where I saw it. I guess if you have to stop to look, it is better to cut your thread and restart, rather than trying to contiue. Anyway, the quilt is done! It doesn't look as bad as I had feared as I was trying to follow the panto. I'm encouraged enough to tackle the next project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcclannan Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 You know the last time this happened to me was just this afternoon. I took out the bobbin and cleaned under the little backlash spring. I was surprised how dirty it was in there. Ever since - Millie is stitching like a giood girl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meg Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 bonnie - Glad you got thru it - it is amazing how an adult beverage (or 2) can shed new light on a situation.... heres what i would do - make sure that you have cleaned under the spring in the bobbin (take it out and wipe with a qtip) and also underneath the arm that you use to lock the bobbin case into place. once i had a bit of lint under there and it threw lola-baby into fits. another thing you could try are the little genie bobbin washers...cj swears by them. i have them but havent tried them yet. good luck with the next project - i have found that each one gets a bit easier to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted August 25, 2010 Report Share Posted August 25, 2010 Bonnie, Just a couple of notes about using an Ultimate I, since it doesn't have a stitch regulator... [*]depending on the vintage of your machine, the motor may actually "coast" to a stop. In other words, if you hit the stop button and immediately stop moving the machine, the needle may take several or even many more stitches as the machine's motor slows to a stop. If this happens, the bobbin thread does keep peeling out of the case since the needle is forming stitches until the last instant the motor stops. Once you begin moving again, this thread and the tight top thread wreak havoc. [*] practice hitting the stop switch well before you really intend to stop, and use that coasting motor to your advantage. Continue moving the machine as it comes to a stop. Depending on how fast you actually have the motor speed set, you may need to "coast" to a stop for less than an inch or for 2-3 inches or more. [*] if you still have thread breakage while you are moving the machine, see if it is happening when you are changing directions on the pantograph or in your design (at the tip of a leaf, for example). If it's happening there, then it means that you are lingering a bit too long at those spots and the machine is putting more than one stitch at that location. If you linger long enough for the machine to plop in several stitches there, your thread will snap. To help with this, try slowing the motor speed down a bit, OR try moving in and out of those direction changes more quickly. After 17 years on my own Ultimate I, I know it intimately so don't hesitate to keep asking questions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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