Bonnie in Ok Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 I am trying to figure out why I get these little birdnest on the back of my quilts. I always pull the bottom thread up to the top to start and finish but always seem to end up with little clusters here and there it isn't always for every start and stop but enought that it is annoying. Is this normal if not what may I be doing wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anniemueller Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Do you secure the bobbin thread before you start stitching? I actually just figured this out recently. You need to hold light tension on both threads and move the needle down and up once, in the spot where you want to start, or really close to it. One stitch like that is usually enough to secure the bobbin thread. You need to tug gently to test and see if it is secure. When it is secure, you will feel that it doesn't move. If it keeps moving as you tug, then you need to take another stitch. I used to take several stitches all the time, but recently discovered that if it's placed well, one stitch is all it needs. Hope that helps. I find Bottom Line is the hardest bobbin thread to secure. It is so small and slippery, it can take more stitches to secure. I use So Fine a lot for the bobbin, and it is easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Is is only where you start stitching, or is it intermittently throughout the quilt? Those little bird's nests (I call them gopher guts) are generally spit up onto the quilt when you hit a point or a curve and your bobbin is spinning faster than your needle is sewing. The resulting excess thread ends up in a lump on the back of the quilt. I don't have this problem since I started using the magna-glide and magna quilt bobbins. Some folks complain that they are more expensive, but when you figure how much thread they save you from ripping out, they are worth every penny. I haven't wound one bobbin for my Liberty since trying a magna glide! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 I had that happen a few times on the very first quilt that I quilted on my longarm until I discovered that I had loaded the bobbin in the wrong way around in the bobbin case, it wasn't until I used a magnetic bobbin, that I realised that I had loaded the bobbin wrong. Luckily it was very early on in my "quilting career" that I learned this was wrong !!! I had loaded it so the bobbin was turning anti clockwise instead of clockwise... duh !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Pry out the fingers on the backlash spring a little bit and test each bobbin if you have a Towa gauge before you start. The bird's nests are caused by the bobbin spinning after you stop moving the machine. It can happen as you pause to change directions, or in the point of a design, as Linda S suggests. Prying out the fingers will cause the bobbin to be pressed tighter against the inside of the bobbin assembly and will stop the rotation of the bobbin when you stop stitching. The Magna-glides work on the same principle--the magnet is overcome when you start stitching and when you stop it attaches itself to the back side of the assembly and stops turning. Good luck and I hope you resolve this issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Okay guess I needed to give more information. I am using magna glide bobbins and glide thread. It just seems to show up where I start and stop. Perhaps it is what Annie suggested I usually take a few securing stitches but don't always tug on it to see if it is secure. Will check the fingers on the backlash spring and will use the towa gauge. Not really sure on the setting it should be on the towa guage. I have one but not real familiar with it. Read the directions but I usually result back to how it feels when I pull on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srichardson Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Bonnie, Have you taken the backlash spring out of the bobbin case? You don't need the spring if you are using Magna Glide bobbins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted September 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zora Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 I did the same thing as Janette early on, because my DSM's bobbin goes in opposite of the longarm's bobbin. I had birds nests everywhere. Its a wonder the machine stitched at all! Not securing the threads might account for the birds nests at the beginning on the line of stitching, but it doesn't account for the ones at the end of the line of stitching. (I take several tiny stitches at the end of a line of stitching to secure the threads, then pull the bobbin thread to the top and cut it.) That still sounds like backlash. Maybe you don't have enough tension on your bobbin. With the magnetics, you aren't going to be able to do the drop test. Try increasing the bobbin tension a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Bonnie - yep, if it's where you start and stop, it's that you need some securing stitches. You might also need to adjust your needle up/down screw (can never remember it's number). You might not be getting a full rotation before you move the machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 I always tie the thread when starting or stopping. I also bring the thread to the top at both ends. Leaves a cleaner stop and start. I use the several stitches at each stop and start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 When I start I bring the thread tails up hold onto them and start my stitching. I don't do stitches in one place, just stitch normally. Once I've stitched 5 or so stitches I let go. If it is doing it at the end then my guess is your tesion finger is not either tight enough or has something under it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted September 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Maybe it isn't doing it at the end not for sure because I alwyas try to end where i began. Is that a good thing or should I not do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkayr Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 where do you find the magna bobbins? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 If you can end where you begin that is great but that doesn't always work for me, I try for it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted October 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 From Fil-tech http://www.bobbincentral.com/magnaglide.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie in Ok Posted October 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 Heidi, It sounds good but I make alot of starts and stops because I don't back track very well yet so starting and stopping at the same place is easy for me but working on my back tracking. I have been doing what you suggested about doing circles over and over and over to pratice. Thanks for you help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted October 1, 2012 Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 Bonnie you will get it, just keep practicing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janette Posted October 4, 2012 Report Share Posted October 4, 2012 I did the same thing as Janette early on, because my DSM's bobbin goes in opposite of the longarm's bobbin. I had birds nests everywhere. Its a wonder the machine stitched at all!Not securing the threads might account for the birds nests at the beginning on the line of stitching, but it doesn't account for the ones at the end of the line of stitching. (I take several tiny stitches at the end of a line of stitching to secure the threads, then pull the bobbin thread to the top and cut it.) That still sounds like backlash. Maybe you don't have enough tension on your bobbin. With the magnetics, you aren't going to be able to do the drop test. Try increasing the bobbin tension a bit. Am glad I wasn't the only one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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