Need to vent!

[barbann03]

I just need to vent! I made a Turning Twenty quilt with all batiks front and back. I loaded it on the machine, all excited to use the Chai Latte panto I have. I am using Masterpiece on the top and the bobbin, and I'm using Dream Blend batting. I have had nothing but problems from the start. I don't think I have gone one single row without the thread breaking. My backing threads look horrible. Thank goodness this is my quilt and not a customer, or I would be in trouble! I would spend more time frogging than actually sewing. I have 1 and half rows left, and my thread just keeps breaking. I don't know what else to do! I have tried everything. I back off the top tension, I get loops on the bottom, I have changed needles, nothing works. I will be so happy to just finish this quilt and move on. Is this typical of batiks, or Masterpiece threads. Yikes, this is supposed to be fun!!!! Well, thanks for letting me vent! Must continue practicing. The quilt is really fun, it's very colorful and bright, and will make a great addition to my family room. But, it's not going to be anything I can show to anyone because of the backing threads. Oh well!

[Mary Beth]

Barb,

I have not used Batiks. I think they are beautiful, but I have heard this before. Plus, I have heard good and bad about Masterpiece thread. Maybe it is a combo of Batiks front and back. I know how frustrating thread breaking can be, I'm with ya girl - I'm sure that helps;)

[GERRY]

Hay Barb:

This is suppose to be fun & it sounds like you would like to chuck the whole thing into the street, .

have you tried some "Sewer's Aid" on the cone (thread), I even put a drop on the tension disks, that may help.

I have also heard that batiks can very diffacult to quilt, makes me nervous to try them on Gracie.

The other LAer at our guild says that you should never use "sewer's aid" right on the thread because it will gum up the tension disks. She advised me to put the sewer's aid on a small piece of batting, and have the thread past over it just before the thread passes through the needle, (some how attaching the batting around the second-last pig-tail) & never let it go through the disks.

Though I havn't had any prob's with the tension disks, I havn't been doing this for very long either.

[Guest Linda S]

Barb - I love Batiks and I love Masterpiece thread, but I wouldn't use them both together. Batiks are too finely woven to quilt on with a thin cotton thread like that. You will need either thick cotton and will have to quilt fairly slowly, or you will need a poly thread to handle the batiks. Try some So Fine in a similar color, and all will be as right as rain.

Linda

[barbann03]

Whew, I finished it. I turned back the tension, again, and I went really slow. Linda, I will try to remember not to use Masterpiece on batiks. I think I will make a really big sign and post it above the machine. LOL! Am trying to post a pic, but in case it doesn't work, they should be at my webshots page. Thanks!!!!

[Stagecl]

I love batiks, too. I haven't had problems stitching them on my long arm. Generally, I use signature cotton or king tut on the top and a finer thread on the bottom. What size needle did you use? 4's leave larger holes but are stronger and let the thread pass easily through the eye. I prefer 3.5's because the hole left is not so large in the material.

Cheryl Mathre

Stone Creek Quilting

Sandy Hook, VA

[barbann03]

Okay, trying to post a pic here. Apparently they aren't working at webshots. Have they changed their format over the last week? Giving it a try!

[barbann03]

One more time!

[barbann03]

Yeah, one more pic, I finally figured this out.

[barbann03]

Sorry now that one is too small.

[onesewise]

Barb, it's beautiful! You did a great job piecing and quilting it! Hope you can resolve the thread issue...for future reference! Elaine

[Stagecl]

Looks good from the top...hope your tenison issues worked out.

Cheryl Mathre

Stone Creek Quilting

Sandy Hook, VA

[bstucker]

Barb,

I have had similiar problems with quilts that are batik on both the top and backing; I've tried both polyester thread, and cotton thread with little difference in the thread breaking. The things that did help were loosening the top and backing more than I usually do, and spraying silicon on the thread. In desperation, I have even sprayed silicon on the quilt top. I've decided from now on, if I can I will try to talk the quilter into using a different backing, or charge more for all the thread breaks I will have to repair. Congratulations on finishing that quilt!

[chickenscratch]

Barb, great color choices. It looks like a fun quilt, sorry you didn't have fun quilting it. From the front it looks great. If I didn't know you had problems I would never guess.

And I will remember not to use batiks and Masterpiece.

[FrammaJoy]

Well, congratulations on inserting a picture. I have tried and tried and tried. I have pictures everywhere else, but can't seem to work it here. It wants me to insert a URL. How do you do that???????

Anyway, I think your quilt is very pretty. I love the colors and the pattern you chose to quilt it with.

Hugs, Joy (No picture of me. Can't figure out how to do it. )

[barbann03]

Theresa,

When you are logged in hit the blue reply button. Then type in your message. Then hit the blue browse button below the box that you type your message in. You then find the file your pics are stored in and click on the file you want to post. I finally figured out how to resize my pics so it works better. Although, you can see that one of my pics is too small. Will get getter at that. Thanks for the feedback. Sometimes you need to hear you did a nice job from someone else besides DH.

[FrammaJoy]

Okay, I hit the "reply" button . . .

FOUND the Browse button. Had no idea it was even there!

I see that the pictures here are "attachments". I always hit the little mountain/sun button ABOVE the message at the other sites. Hmmmmmmm.

Let's see if this works. What I want to do is get my picture on the left. Maybe I can figure that out now.

Well I previewed this, but still no picture. What do you do after you find your picture and click on it? Its URL was in the box next to "browse", but no picture here. Maybe you have to hit Post.

Let's see what happens.

Joy

[GERRY]

Hay Joy:

Are yoy trying to post a photo from your p.c. or from a web site ?

They are done differantly, Have you tried to do a search on this forum ?

All the info you need is stored, go to the first page, click on "search" button at the top of the page, type a word or two that best discribes what info you need, "like posting pictures", or "table height" then click on the search word, you will get every thing ever writen with those words in it. There is a ton of info (old threads) stored just waiting for you to read.

Good luck, the only pic I had trouble with, was my photo that you see every time I post anything, had to have Tad at APQS do it for me.

[FrammaJoy]

Gerry,

Yes, my picture from my computer.

I did put in a search for something and it told me it couldn't find anything. I don't remember what the subject was at the time. May have something to do with my virus detector software. I don't know.

Thanks,

Joy

[GERRY]

Hi Joy::

Most of todays computers have a program called Paint. It comes with Windows and you an find it by navigating to Start - Programs - Accessories - Paint.

Inside Paint, use your mouse to left-click File - Open - and locate your photo where it is stored on your computer.

****Or if your photo is in "My pictures", just click on the pic you want to post, then right click, then edit, that will take you right to the same place.

Once the photo displays inside Paint, click Image - Attributes to see the current size of your photo. 600 x 480 (or thereabouts) is a good size to post. But before you resize it, do a "Save As" to save the photo with a different name, like Inserra-Mariner-640x480.jpg. This way you don't overwrite (I just type in "edit to end of the title) your original photo. As soon as you do the 'save as', the name at the top of the Paint window changes so you'll know what image you are working on.

Now to make this new one smaller. Still in Paint, click Image - Stretch/Skew.

The Stretch/Skew window opens. Notice the Stretch pane shows 100% for horizontal and

vertical. Change those 100's to 25's. Click Ok.

Click Image - Attributes to see the new size of your photo. Adjust, if necessary. you can also take off any stuff you don't want in the pic at this time, like the mess sewing room, or to much floor ect. ect.

Click File - Save.

O.K. now that you have the pic/pic's the right size,

on the first page, click on the "Pictures, patterns, & insperations..." on the right side of that page, near the top you will see a blue box "TOPIC" click on it. type in want you want in the subject (that's the title of your post), then what ever you would like to say about your photo, (you can only post one at a time).

Then at the bottom you will see a white box "Browse" click on it, that will take you (with luck) to "My Pictures", find your resized pic, double click on it, then post:)

Now if you want to add more pic's you need to click on the blue reply button below your post, type in a few words, click "browse" and so on......................

Lord I hope that made sence, it did to me, but my brain isn't wired like most people.

ps I copied most of this from an earlier post by Ramona-quilter

GOSH I wish the computer teckies at apqs would add a page, (or maybe add a few things to the "FAQ" page), for newbies on how to do things like posting pic's from a p.c., & the web. This question has come up at least 6 times since I joined in May(me included).

This is the first & only chat room I have ever been to, so when I started I didn't have a clue, I hadn't even sent an e-mail before I Feb. of this year. My first email was in my quest to find a LA. machine.

Best of luck girl,

[tsurich]

Gerry,

Thank you for the image-ing lesson. I printed it off so will have it when I need it. I too had tried to do a search and didn't find what I needed to know.

Later, Sue

[FrammaJoy]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will print that and do it later. I actually have worked with Paint before, so I understand completely. How sweet of you to type all that up.

Hugs,

Joy

[Bekah]

Barb, the quilt is lovely and only you know the problems with the tension. Don't feel bad, I am not having any thread breakage problems (well, not many anyway) but the tension not being right is a real frustration, until I watched the video again last night and realized I was loosening instead of tightening the top tension DUH!! Funny thing is the machine runs like butter, you only know its not right when you crawl on the floor with your flashlight and look up:P

Gerry, don't you want to teach a class for us? I am still waiting to get a picture to post but do have a wall hanging I am going to need some inspiration on so will try over the weekend to get the first picture posted.

[Judi]

Barb your quilt is beautiful! Love the colors and it looks great! Sorry to hear

about the problems with the thread. I have NO problem with putting the

Sewer's Aid on the thread. I usually run 3 - 4 stripes up and down the cone

then also on my batting in the first loop. I have never tried putting it in the

tension disk area, I would think that would gumm things up a bit. Other-

wise I have great success with it. Really helps clean-up fuzzy threads too.