RoseCity Quilter Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Everything was humming along and all of the sudden I am breaking thread every few inches, always when traveling away from my body (working from the front). I have tryed everything I can think of: -blew out with air compresser -cleaned and oiled -changed needle -changed needle again -changed needle size -checked thread path -re-threaded -altered thread path at tensioner -checked for burs, on take up leaver, pig tales and hook area -traveled very slowly so any other Ideas??????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenni Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 When that happened to me, I had an aluminum bobbin that had a piece of metal sticking out that was cutting the thread every few inches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyLake Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Have you tried loosening your top thread tension, Ardelle? Or loosening the quilt sandwich. Going slower and steadier when you move that direction? Have you hit anything so that the machine is out of time? I recently moved the rotary hook so it made more contact with the needle and now my stitches are great -- I was having the same problem as you before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Hi Ardelle, First figure out where the thread is breaking--whether above or below the needle plate. Without pulling on the broken thread, raise the take up lever manually to its highest point and bring the thread back down the path towards the needle. If the break is at the needle, something is happening above the needle plate. It's catching on something or shredding along the path. I assume you did a firm tug-test on the thread to see if it's a bad cone? It looks like you have checked the usual suspects, but try more control of the thread. Use a thread sock, thread all holes in the three-hole above the tensioner, and loosen the tension to compensate for the added tension-points. This will keep the thread from flinging about and maybe catching on something. (My thread was frisky last night and kept catching on my light knob. I didn't notice and adjusted my upper tension to compensate and stitched for a long time with this extra tension-point working very well! I think I was lucky!) If the thread is breaking under the plate, then there is a catch under there. Check the needleplate hole for dings and then check the finger that keeps the bobbin assembly from rotating. If it is in too far it will catch and snap the thread. Good luck and I hope by the time you read this you have already found the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing bear Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 try a different/new bobbin case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DL Semmens Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Could it be that you have a bad cone? I had one that worked fine until it didn't. Had a second cone of same color, after an hour of trying to figure it out I switched out the cones and had no problems for the rest of the quilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Have tried a new bobbin case, useing pre-wounds, tried a different one. Linda, did what you said and it is breaking in the bobbin area. I thought maybe I found an nick and sanded and is a little better, but still breaking..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iedquilts Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 did you try a different top thread along with a new bobbin? Irene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BethDurand Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 You might sand some more. Although you might not be able to find it with your finger, that might still be catching and causing the breakage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Try the floss method that someone mentioned last week? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Sanded some more, had DH sand, tryed the Floss method, not sure if I flossed were I was suppose too... Finally struggled through the quilt. Giving Milli another good clean right now. It was a charilty quilt and as I took it off got thinking about the rather iffy backing proviede. Could that be it??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCity Quilter Posted December 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Next one up had a different thread, so we will see... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustee Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hi! I have a thread breaking problem too. I can stitch with Superior's King Tut or Lava without a problem. But when I try to use a different thread I get breakage every few inches. What am I doing wrong. I am guessing it is an adjustment, but I am pretty new at this and don't know where to start. Any suggestions will be much appreciated. Dustee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Did you try Sewer's Aid? When I'm at a loss and at wits end with the thread (which happened to me with an old spool of Rainbows last weekend) I finally hit it with sewer's aid and that did the trick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Dustee, You might get more info in responses if you ask your question in a new thread. Have you done much with adjusting the tension on your machine? I have been able to use King Tut, Rainbows, and Invisifil (100 wt) on my George, but do need to work with the tension between each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted January 23, 2012 Report Share Posted January 23, 2012 Dustee, My first thought is tension too, someone once said to make your top tension really loose and then start tightening it up until your stitches are good and thread of course shouldn't break if tension is loose...give that a try on a piece of muslin and let us know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustee Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Thanks for all the input. I will give the tension a try. I have to be honest, the tension scares me to death. I am afraid to mess with it much. I guess I will have to mucsle up and take the leap. Shana, what is Sewer's aid and where do I get it? Dustee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Dustee, when you mess with the tension just remember left turns make it loose, right turns make it tighter. You can make large turns instead of very small ones that don't show any change. I usually do a full quarter turn at least when I'm fine tuning it. Good luck and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cblevins Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Hi Dustee! Sewers aid is a thread lubricant. You can get it under other names too. I order it by the quart and then put it in a small squeeze bottle. It goes a long way. We saturate a small bit of batting and put it in the first thingy the thread goes through....lay it in so the thread pulls through it. We use it with every single quilt and knock on wood have never had thread problems. I was also scared to touch the tension. Just go for it!!!! After the first time it isn't scary anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted January 24, 2012 Report Share Posted January 24, 2012 Originally posted by Dustee Thanks for all the input. I will give the tension a try. I have to be honest, the tension scares me to death. I am afraid to mess with it much. I guess I will have to mucsle up and take the leap. Shana, what is Sewer's aid and where do I get it? Dustee Not Shana here, but you can find Sewers Aid at most sewing places that have sewing notions. Usually hangs next to Fray Chec. Your high end sewing machine dealers may also have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs.A Posted January 25, 2012 Report Share Posted January 25, 2012 Dustee: I have found that regular mineral oil (available inexpensively at the drug store) works just as well as Sewer's Aide. This comes from machine quilting guru Sharon Schamber. She soaks her threads in a jar of the oil but, if you're reluctant to go that far, you can paint some on your thread spool or thread cone with a small paintbrush and get a similar result. Nancy in Tucson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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