Mary Beth Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 This problem started last night so I quit until I had a good nights rest and I thought things would look better today - Not!! My top thread breaks every time I start to stitch. I have been working on a quilt and have about 2 rows left to do, I am trying to start the row and I pick up the bobbin thread, do a back stitch and the top thread breaks :mad: It was working fine all along and now it's being a pain. What should I do?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Mary Beth, Did you try loosening your top tension? Also you might want to try a new cone of thread to see what happens. If that doesn't work, call in and talk to one of our technicians. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katydids Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Mary Beth, I have had this happen before. Everything was going fine and all of a sudden the thread just continued to break. I was down to the last few rows of quilting and had not made any changes whatsoever. I ended up loosening the top tension and everything was fine again. I don't know what caused it, maybe some lint buildup in the tension disks, but as soon as I loosened the tension, it worked great again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 I tried loosening the tension some, I will give it another spin Just kidding Mark - I'll go easy. I left a message at APQS for someone to call back. After I left this message my internet went down....we are having some fun weather here. Anyway, I'll try it again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 It's working - thank you - I will try not to panic so quickly next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moogiequilter Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 I've had this happen with so fine in the top and it gets so much static in it that it sticks to the side of the machine and wraps around the screw heads. I've wrapped dryer sheet around some of the places the thread passes through and that has helped. if anyone has other suggestions, let me know, changing the tension didn't help with the static at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 I completely understand!! I was using a Superior rainbow thread and it was giving me fits also. I kept adjusting it and adjusting it but broke about a thousand times on the practice fabric I had next to the real quilt and just when I think I have it fixed I start on the quilt but then the second time it broke on the quilt I decided quit and call Carla at APQS, she was able to help me to adjust the tension in the bobbin and top thread so I could continue on and finish this QOV quilt. The tension is practically non-existent with this rainbow thread, now when I go to put a new thread on there, I am sure I will be tweaking it like crazy! I did read that breakage is common in the verigated threads as it takes more dye in the darker colors on the thread, therefore it is slightly thicker in those areas than in the lighter color areas. It is sheer exasperation when thread breaks! Hope you can get it adjusted and continue on. Good luck. K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnieW Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Once when I had a similar problem I called my friend Judy L and she suggested skipping one of the thread guides. It worked, no more thread breakage. Connie W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuiltNutOne Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 with the metallic and rainbow threads you can also use sewers aid on the cone and it really helps to stop breakage. i'm a beginner longarmer and had no problems with breakage doing a christmas quilt in metallic thread with the sewers aid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Mary Beth, Your damp weather might be partially to blame. I don't know if you remember or not, but I had a similar problem a few months ago when the weather did its sudden flip flop thing. Something about the humidity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted January 16, 2007 Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 And a bit of "Sewers Aid" to the rescue could also be in order. The Stuff does work.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted January 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 I adjusted the tension a bit and it helped. Yes our weather is a mess as is most of the country. I noticed today when trying to fix my hair for work that it was more like a science project - every time I touched it my hair would stand straight up....can't wait to get home and start quilting and see what happens with all the static. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwltnldy Posted February 1, 2007 Report Share Posted February 1, 2007 I just called it quits for today since this Rainbow has broken for the 6th time in 2 rows (didn't finish the 2nd row). I've done more ripping than stitching today it seems like. My problem is definitely tension but I can't seem to figure it out. I have loosened the top tension so much that I'm getting eyelashes on the bottom, so I tried tightening the bottom, less eyelash, but still breaking...back and forth, tight, loose, loose tight...weather is sorta cloudy, not dry, no static elec....not humid either. Hmmm. It seems to be fine for several inches, then suddenly it is broken and I notice loose top threads, like maybe 3 stitches and when I check underneath, I have blobs of top thread under there. Have to rip out maybe 10 inches to get back to that spot, fix, then do it over again. HELP! Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 Robin, YOu may have already done this, but make sure the thread is seated between your tension disks. Mine sometimes escapes to the outer edge of the disks and then no tension. Also, I have to stick a piece of sewers aid soaked batting in the thread guide right above my thread when I use Highlights or Rainbows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 I just had this same problem! The tension was exactly my problem with the Superior Rainbow thread. The bobbin thread seems like it pours out of there like water, and the top tension is pretty loose as well, and after I adjusted it (and adjusted it some more) I was able to quilt the entire quilt with only one more break. But until then it broke every couple of inches and I wanted to cry!! I didn't care if I ever used that thread again, even though it was the perfect color for the quilt! But now that I know how Rainbow thread behaves, I will continue to use it. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrna Ficken Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 Sometimes it is just the cone of thread. Have you used the color before without any problems. Myrna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Posted February 2, 2007 Report Share Posted February 2, 2007 No, it was trouble from the start. I hadn't ever used the rainbow thread and this was my first experience at how threads can differ. The bobbin drop test was what I was going by and when I adjusted the tension for it to stitch right and with practically no tension, I guess that is my inexperience in LA'ing and it's all about live and learn! But I am keeping a journal on how different ones behave as far as tension goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckirk Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 I always use a thread net on the cone when using Rainbows. It is so slippery that it can fall in pools at the base of the cone and then get hung up in the guides as it feeds. The net keeps the thread feeding smoothly. I also use nets on Bottom Line, Isacord, and Madeira threads. Try it! Cathy Kirk Quilting Cowgirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparkle Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 I've been having top thread breakage since I started using my used Ultimate II. Inconsistant, but certainly annoying. Today I started doing some investigating of the two pig-tail thread guides on the machine and found grooves in the chrome metal on the one just above the needle. I haven't really checked the one over by the tension guide, but I suspect it has some wear too. I should have looked at these closer last week when I was having some problems as I just got my order of new needles, bobbins and new bobbin case from APQS a few days ago, now I have to wait until Monday to order and shipping is slow via UPS ground. Does anyone know if they do Priority shipping? I suspect this rough feeling groove in the metal is the culprit as I have my tension working good. When I purchased this machine it had transparent thread on it indicating to me the previous owner may have used this type of thread quite a bit and I imagine over the years it wore the two grooves I could detect in the metal. I tried emery cloth on them, but they are too deep into the finish to change anything much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckirk Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Loosen the screws and flip the pigtail guides over so the thread is not on the rough spot anymore. This should hold you over until your new guides arrive! Cathy Kirk Quilting Cowgirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 I have always used the thread net, so that wasn't an issue for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHuffman Posted December 30, 2007 Report Share Posted December 30, 2007 I know this thread is from a while back but I wanted to add something I discovered. I had been threading the machine through a wad of batting above the cone. Unknown to me, it had tangled in that wad of batting. Check it to when you are having thread breakage issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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