Guest LA Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 Hi Marie-Christine That makes perfect sense! I use "Static Guard" on my carpet, it really helps the thread from "sticking" to the machine! Originally posted by quiltissimo A few days ago, I had one of these nightmare experiences - tension simply horrible. Tried everything I could think of, changed needle, spool, bobbin, turned every posssible knob... no way. Every time I thought: ok, now I got it, and stitched a few swirls that looked quite proper, after a few minutes the thread would break again, or the top tension get too loose, or the bottom thread suddenly show on top... Then in anger I kicked off my shoes which had a rubber sole to them, and, believe it or not, the problem just vanished. I believe this has something to do with weather and atmospheric changes, and also with electric tension in the air. Then I noticed, when I put on my shoes again, that the thread would stick to the machine after a while (like hair or silk when you rub it to a balloon). Now I have to think of a clever solution for winter, because my workroom does get very cold. Well, I hope this experience might help those of you struggling with tension problems. Good luck, and happy quilting, Marie-Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I'm here to tell ya...and I have posted this before....I cannot wear Crocks - Everything in the house has a lightning bolt - not just a tiny little shock - but an actual lightning bolt that reaches out and hits me every time I wear those shoes. Walking down our hallway, the corner beads under the paint shocks me. The microwave button that is plastic. The refrigerator door - not just the handle. The last straw was when I was talking on thephone and my knuckle touched my cheek and about knocked the phone out of my hand....I quit wearing them and got rid of them. This all happend during the summer months when there is humidity in the mid west, can you imagine what it would be like when the furnace is turned on :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grace Posted November 2, 2006 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 I have had the exact problem and have never really gotten an answer that seemed to work. However, I did try some of that silicon liquid on the cones and have started using it on the bobbins as well. Much improvement. Now I recognize that the consistant speed of quilting also helps. It seem to be true that one direction does do better than the other, so I try to make a conscious effort to slow down on the 'reverse' directions and have had much better results. Glad this topic came up. I found it very frustrating and thought I was the only one having such a difficult problem. I have tried most of the suggestions and all seemed to do their small part, but the silicon liquid seemed to be the most help. Grace:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajacobi Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 I am having tension nightmares. I'm so new to this that I can figure out whether to loosen, tighten, the top, the bottom.....? How do I know if my bottom is wound consistently? What is a "drop test"? I've quilted down the sides of this quilt so many times to check the tension, then ripped out, that it's messing up the edges so I can't keep testing. I've ripped out SO much on this quilt that it's taking me forever (and the owner keeps asking when I will get it done so there's the guilt thing going on). Then I read that so many of you can have inconsistency every other time you try to quilt on the same quilt. This is NOT encouraging! How will I ever get the courage to try another quilt if it's going to be like this?? HELP ME!:mad::mad::mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajacobi Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 I just read my post and I meant to say "I'm so new to this that I CAN'T figure out whether to loosen, tighten....." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 without having more info on what is happening, it is hard to daignose the problem. Is the thread pulling too tight? Are you getting loopies? Is it loose on one side, tight on the other? Is the problem on the top of the quilt, or underneath? The drop test is for the bobbin. with a bobbin inserted, you hold onto the thread and then let the bobbin fall towards the floor. When or if it stops will guage the tension on the bobbin. Patty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted January 20, 2007 Report Share Posted January 20, 2007 Amy, I will try to help you out, if I can. Are your bottom stitches too loose, or your top stitches. In other words, can you see the bobbin thread showing up on the top, or the top thread showing up on the bottom. If you are using two different colors of thread you may never get it exactly right, but big loops and thread just laying on the surface mean tension problems. If you have your bobbin thread just sort of laying on the fabric on the back of the quilt then you need to tighten the top thread a bit. If your top thread is being pulled to the back by the bobbin then you need to tighten the top thread a little. If your top thread is just sort of laying on the top of the quilt, or making shallow, loose looking stitches then you need to loosen the top thread or tighten the bobbin thread. What kinds of thread are you using? Is your bobbin prewound or did you wind it yourself? The drop test means you hold the end of the bobbin thread in one hand and drop the bobbin case. The thread should play out for about 2 inches before it stops. If it is a lot more than this, then your bobbin needs tightening. If it jut barely moves, or does not move at all, then your bobbin needs loosening. BUT, I would try to fix it be adjusting the top tension before I started messing with the bobbin. Hope this helps some. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajacobi Posted January 21, 2007 Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 Ladies, Thank you for calming me down and helping. When you are sooo new to this, it's overwhelming. And I know there are usually simple answers, but unless someone tells you, you spend too much time and tears trying to figure it out on your own. Anyway, my bobbin tension was so tight that I could hardly pull the thread out! So I loosened it quite a bit and did the drop test; now the stitches are almost normal! Thank you!! By the way, is it common to have to sit on the floor under your machine with a flashlight to help get the bottom stitches ripped out ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted January 21, 2007 Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 Amy, Get up off your hinny or your knees which ever you are on and take a deep breath. You take your little seam ripper or in my case a tiny pair of scissors (I don't use a ripper, I have cut a top using a ripper) and you clip about ever three to four stitches of the top thread....when you can get your finger in under the bottom thread, you loosen it up and it should just zip out like a zipper. Cut every so often and just keep pulling the bottom thread soon you will have a pase going that works for you. NOW if you get into a spot where the threads are really tiny and tight...don't faint..it just take a bit longer to work the threads loose, but they come right out. You will have a bit of tiny threads on both the top and bottom, I use either a vaccum to pul them out or a lint roller...which ever I have and which ever works best for the fabric and threads at that moment. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted January 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 I always lay on the floor with a flashlight and ripper or small nosed pair of scissors with a magnifying glass attached to my ripper. It gets pretty cold sometimes. I am so happy to hear I don't have to do that any more, it is 24 degrees on my cement floor and even though I have plenty of padding so to speak, I still get pretty cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 21, 2007 Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 Amy, I am a firm believer in the book.."Long-Arm Machine Quilting" by Carol Thelen. This book stays by my machine all the time. She has illustrations on thread tension as well as other problems that may arise from using your longarm machine. If you don't have this book, I urge you to get it. There are not a lot of things you need to buy in the beginning but I think this book is a must have. Just my two cents! Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 I am trying to troubleshoot "loopie" issues on the back of my quilts and practice pieces. I am working with the SR on. The top stitching is consistent and wonderful. The stitching on the back is inconsistent, sometimes good, but in the corners of feathers or corners of blocks I get a little nest of threads. I have tried tightening my top tension, changed out my bobbin case, loosened the bottom tension. I am using "So Fine" on top and "Bottomline" prewounds (cardboard) in the bobbin. I am not frustrated (yet), but I would love to get this right!! When I look at some of these gorgeous quilts being posted - I am thinking there must be some kind of wonderful "magic" to get that perfect stitch - front AND back. I am going to try to attach a picture of my "issues". Grateful for any fix!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Am trying to upload - hope this works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Yay - it worked! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Hi Hawaii Barbara, Just love that quilt. Now on the back it seems to me that it has to do with your bobbin case. Did you check the spring? It seems your getting some backlash when you change direction. Have you tried tightening your bobbin thread and then adjust top tension? Have you tired a different bobbin case? I don\'t use prewounds most of the time but my other question would be did you try to take the cardboard off or if it is off try leaving it on. I would also take my needle plate off and check to make sure there isn\'t a thread in stuck somewhere or even a burr somewhere. Keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted February 12, 2008 Report Share Posted February 12, 2008 Thank you, Heidi, Not a quilt, just a practice piece (because of the yucky back). Sure wish the stitches on the back were as perfect as the front, then I would consider turning it back into a quilt. I peel the exposed side of the cardboard prewounds off and leave the back side on. I just changed out my bobbin case, changed my needle and initially it worked okay, then it started burping out thread again. Have noticed that it happens when I hit a corner or change directions. It may have something to do with needing to smooth out MY movements and my speed, but I kind of thought the SR helped out with that. Will print out your instructions to follow and see if it helps. Thank you again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyeQ Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Barbara, does this problem happen w/regular bobbins that you wind yourself? One thing I\'ve found w/my Freedom is that it likes the tension SO loose I\'m amazed it can make a stitch! Seriously! I bought the Towa just to see exactly what number I was at on my bobbin. I usually run w/ a drop test of "it falls to the floor freely w/NO jerk" and I had to go LOOSER THAN THAT!! I couldn\'t believe it. I use the Towa to find out what number looser than loose is and it\'s 9-11 (on the old gage) 90-110 on my gage, it\'s one of the new ones. My best gal pal runs her Millie at 18-22, or 180-220 on a new gage. If it were me, I would take one of your prewounds and re-wind it on a regular bobbin and see what it does. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Barbara, Two thoughts: Are you sure the bobbin inserted correctly (it should spin clockwise after you\'ve put it into the case, pulled the thread tail under the outer tension finger, and then pull on the thread tail)? Echoing Tracey\'s suggestion--do you have the same trouble with self-wound bobbins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Thank you, Tracye & Dawn, Bobbin is in right and spinning clockwise. Will try winding a prewound on a regular bobbin and see what that does. Then will try loosening tension - although logically, if I have loopies on the back - my assumption is to tighten the top tension???? I appreciate you folks helping me play "detective". I do LOVE my Freedom, despite the challenges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanette Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 You are running two VERY fine threads by using SewFine top and BottomLine in the bobbin. Try swapping out the BL for a cotton or regular poly or polywrapped thread with a fresh wound bobbin and see what happens. It looks as tho the bobbin thread is \'flying\' off the hook when you slow at the corners or intersections. And even with the Stitch Regulator you need to slow down a bit at those points:-) Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyeQ Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Originally posted by Hawaii Then will try loosening tension - although logically, if I have loopies on the back - my assumption is to tighten the top tension???? Okay, this is where I always have to think about it. When I have loopies on top I need to tighten the TOP tension, so I was just making the jump that the reverse it also true. Loopies on bottom mean tighen the bobbin? If, of course, it\'s not "junk in the trunk"... thread/lint stuff in the bobbin area. Is this NOT right? Somebody hep\' me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Once again, MAHALO, for your quick responses! I have changed out the prewound for a regular bottom and I DO see improvement! The places where I change directions, now there is only a little dot of thread as opposed to a "nest". I do have a LOT of bottomline prewounds (cardboard) and am wondering if I have to bite the bullet and rewind all my prewounds to aluminum bobbins. Yes, both top and bottom threads are "fine", but when I tried using a heavier top thread and the bottomline, I had a tremendous tension "war" and ended up with nests, as well as eyelashes. Mmmmmm. I am going to keep working at it. Fortunately, these are all my quilts (and not customers\'). Would be scarey if this was happening on someone else\'s "treasure". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Tracye, perfect description (in more ways than one) "junk in the trunk"! On my quilt and on my "okole". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethDurand Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Barbara dear, Save yourself and your machine a huge headache and use the aluminum bobbins. I had bought several boxes of pre-wounds, and my girl just doesn\'t like them. I passed them on to Pigletaz, and hope that she was able to use at least some of them. Good luck, Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted February 13, 2008 Report Share Posted February 13, 2008 Barbara, I have seen many posts where people have really tightened down their bobbin tension with prewounds. I don\'t use them often but I had the same problem. I use only the metal bobbins and don\'t like the aluminum because I was getting the nest with thread direction. I really think it all has to do with how tight that bobbin tension is...some like it loose and some like it tight...you just have to find what your machine likes best! I have to keep my bobbin at a normal tension using a 13 - 15 on the TOWA guauge and keep the top tighter than I ever thought. If the top thread breaks I back off the tension just a bit. Of course it depends on thread and batting too. So many variables! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.