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Bottom Tension Varying with Cotton Thread


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I've been happily using So Fine in the top & bobbin without any problems whatsoever. Now I have a customer that only wants cotton thread to be used. I played with King Tut & Aurfil & am discovering the same thing- I practice to test the tension & things look great, so I start to quilt the panto. The top always looks great & occassionally the bottom tension looks perfect then 2 inches later it looks like my top thread is too loose. I can't tighten my top thread anymore without incurring thread breaks.

Am I missing a secret trick? I test every bobbin with the TOWA gauge & aim for 200. Should I loosen it more with cotton thread?

Thank you!

Robin

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Everyone is different, but 200 on the Towa might be a bit tight for thicker cotton thread. I run King Tut in the bobbin (seldom but on occasion) and set the bobbin at 150 (or less) and the top tension at "way too tight". That's a technical term! ;) Also, have the top a bit loose on the rollers. Test-stitch off the quilt to see where you need to be.

Problems on the top side always point to the bottom side as the culprit. Make sure your bobbin case is clean and without lint under the finger. Make sure your bobbins are tightly and evenly wound--no squishies. I think Dawn has info on flat-lining in one of the "tension" help threads.

Now's a perfect time to educate your "cotton-only" customer to the joys of poly thread. She will not go easily, but the range of colors, thicknesses, and glorious effects you can achieve with poly threads is worth trying to sway her to the "dark side"!! :D

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