Tension

[DebLou]

HELP!!!

We know you've heard all you want to hear about tension but we still need help. The top and bottom stitching looks good but the thread keeps breaking after about 8 inches of sewing. We've read all the suggestions and have tried everything.

Also, we are afraid to mess with the bobbin tension since we got it looking pretty decent but we don't have a drop in our bobbin. We have tried threading through just one of the three holes at the top and no matter how many holes we thread through our thread still breaks. The thread pulls nicely until we go thru the last 2 thread guides.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Deblou

[Katydids]

Deblou,

If there is no drop in your bobbin, then you have it too tight. Just a guess here, but it could be so tight that is is cutting your thread. You need to have drop. How much drop varies by the individual. I run my bobbin very loose and make the adjustments at the needle tension. By very loose, I mean it does a quick crawl toward the floor and I manually stop it. Some people say to let it stop on its own 2-3 " down, but that is not my preference. I run the needle a bit tighter and look for the "bald guy" in the stitching hole. If I can see that little peck of bobbin thread coming up to the top, then I know I have good tension.

Anyway, using this method, I rarely have tension issues. Don't be afraid of adjusting the bobbin.

Hope some of this helps.

Patty

[DebLou]

Thanks Patty for getting back with us so quickly. We're trying to quilt this thing right now. We're really new at this and so we are wondering if by running the needle tighter, do you mean the top tension or how you thread through the 3-hole guides? And we've never heard of the "bald guy" before.

We'll try loosening the bobbin but hope that it doesn't change the looks on the bottom of the quilt. Before, it was really knobby on the bottom.

Thanks so much,

Deblou

[Katydids]

yes, I meant the top tension. When my needle is threaded, I pull the thread tail toward the back and look at my needle to see if there is any flex in it. I want it to flex backward just a bit.

I am not sure what you mean by "knobby on the bottom".

Patty

[ckirk]

What thread are you running? Some threads just do not run well in a longarm machine. Fine (thin) cottons or cottons that are not long staple are especially tricky. Variegated threads will often break at the darkest color where all that dye has weakened the thread. You may also have a bad cone or spool of thread if it is a variety that has worked before. If it is the thread, don't waste time trying to make it work. Pick something else and quilt!

Check for burrs in the thread path by "flossing" thread through the various holes and guides in the thread path, including the eye of the needle. You might find a rough spot that is cutting the thread. If you can't file out the burr, replace the part.

Do not be afraid to adjust your tensions. The TOWA bobbin gauge is a must in my opinion. It allows you to keep your bobbin tension consistent regardless of the thread you are using. Then you can concentrate your adjustments on the top tension.

Good luck!

[DebLou]

Patty~ I'm not sure how to explain knobby. It's kind of like eyelash only straight. Maybe it's what they call railroad tracks. I'm really not sure what all the terms mean. Anyway, I loosened the bobbin and then loosened it a bit more. Now I have some drop. I had to loosen my top tension a half turn too because the thread kept breaking. It's sewing much better now. Not perfect. It's hard to tell what the bottom looks like until you roll it. Thanks for your suggestions.

ckirk~

We're using varigated superior thread. The thread isn't breaking now since I loosened the both tensions.

I'll have to check out the TOWA bobbin guage. I don't know anything about it yet. Sounds good though. Thanks for your suggestions.

Deblou

[ramona-quilter]

The thing about tension adjustments is they can be tricky. The Towa takes the guesswork out of bobbin tension. For me, I have found that if the thread is loose on the bottom, then the tension is wrong on the top; if the thread is loose or laying on top of the quilt, then the tension is not tight enough in the bobbin.

And don't forget that the top tension can be given a good twist between thumb & forefinger, like from 12 o'clock to 3 o'clock to tighten the top.

Conversely, the bobbin tension adjustments must be teensy-weensy using the a jewelers screwdriver. For example, turn the larger of the two screws on the bobbin case to the right 12 o'clock to 12:30 to tighten the bobbin tension.

And you said that you can't see the bottom til you roll the quilt??? NO , by then it's too late. :mad: Do like the rest of us LA contortionists, buy a mirror and a flashlight. Stitch the width of your machine head (like 6 inches), STOP, put the mirror (face-up) under the 6 inches you just quilted and shine the flashlight at the mirror so you can see what you just quilted. If it's good, keep going. If it's not, check/adjust the tension a bit more.

When the tension is done, point the mirror at your face and look at the smart longerarmer who just conquered her tension problems. :cool:

[DebLou]

WOW!! A mirror! I never thought of that. I think I'll go buy a big mirror. Loved your comment, thanks.

Deblou

[DebLou]

I also forgot to mention that I have the top tension as tight as I can without the thread breaking. The bottom is still a little loose but I finally have some drop on the bobbin. Not sure what to try next. Top of quilt looks great.

Deblou

[ramona-quilter]

Hey DebLou,

You never told us what kind of thread you are running in the top and bottom.

I sometimes have difficulty running Superior's King Tut on top (only) but I love it just the same. The easiest thread to run for me is So Fine on top with Bottom Line in the bobbin (both by Superior). My machine just glides with that thread combinations.

[DebLou]

I'm running King Tut Superior thread on top and bottom. Is that not a good combination? I didn't realize these machines were so touchy. I hope I'm not going to constantly have tension problems. Kind of takes the fun out of it.

Thanks for all the input.

Deblou

[Katydids]

Hi Deblou,

I'm sorry you are still having tension problems. You are trying to run one of the thicker threads, so you really do need to adjust the tension. Running king tut through the bobbin is possible, you just really need to loosen the tension. Same with the needle tension. Most people run bottom line or so fine in the bobbin when using King Tut. I started out running varigated in both, but it was a waste of my money putting it on the back.

These machines are not "touchy", they are industrial machines. They will run just about any thread, you just have to know how to adjust it properly. They are NOT the computerized DSM's with the "Auto Adjusting" tension mechanisms. These longarms require the operator to have an understanding of tension and what it takes to get good stitches. I am not trying to be harsh, but you, and all the other new owners lately who are having problems, need to learn about tension. Go to Superior threads and read their section on tension. Buy Carol Thelens Book "Guide to Longarm Quilting" or something like that. One thing I can't stress enough.... TAKE YOUR BEGGINNERS CLASS FROM YOUR DEALER OR SHOWROOM!!!

Again, I am not trying to mean. This site is great for helping and learning new tricks and such, but it can't really teach you the basics that are needed to start out properly, without the frustration you are going through now.

Hope things get better for you soon, so you can love your machine as much as we all love ours!

Patty

[LynnQuilts]

I have my bobbin tension much looser. If you have your bobbin tension much looser, then you can loosen your top tension so that your thread will not break so easily. Also, if you have your tension too tight on both top and bottom, it will draw up your quilting in an unattractive way. I've read of other quilters having it way loose and I tried it and liked it.

[countrystitcher]

Patty, I do not think that you were being harsh at all. Our machines are wonderful, but they do require operator knowledge. Newbies MUST take a class to understand how the machines work and why. When I have trouble with tension, I just keep adjusting the top until I get it to look like I want. Rarely do I touch the bottom. I have a bobbin case for each type of thread, so once the stitch is looking good, I leave it alone period. I just adjust the top only. Sometimes it can also be the needle - been there! If you get the chance to take a class from Kathy Franks - do it. She gave a whole lecture/demo at MQS last year and I took tons of notes. She uses a Gammil, but the basics are the same for any long-arm machine. READ, READ, READ anything you can get your hands on about thread and tension. I'm still learning too!

Sharon.

[CucumberQuilting]

How's it going? Hope you haven't had a meltdown. Our newest quilter in town was having quite a bit of problem with tension. Even though we are on different machines the general idea is the same. I was able to help her some and in the last week she's been off and running with no more complaints. Keep going, there's always a solution.

The instructions in your manual are clear about adjusting the bottom tension first. You MUST have drop in the bobbin case or it's TOO tight. Many quilters loosen the tension in the bobbin even more than suggested in the manual but NEVER less.

I've quilted just about every brand and type of thread there is. I prefer all the Superior Threads to any others and I keep plenty in stock and let my customers know that I have lots of threads to choose from. Even still they sometimes will bring their own thread with their quilt and that's okay. The only thread I really dread is the Sulky Blendables which does break easily but oh well, LOOSEN the tension some more!

Sometimes a drop of liquid silicone helps too. Put a drop on the bobbin thread right in the case. I also have a cosmetic sponge in the guide above the cone of top thread and put a drop of silicone on that. Then as the thread is pulling through it gets a small amount of smoothing and lubricating.

Besides tension, what length of stitch are you using? With King Tut top and bottom, try using a longer stitch length. I'll use any combination of thread for the results I want on the quilt but for regular, everyday customer quilting I prefer to use So Fine! in the bottom when I'm using King Tut on top. The only reason really, is that I get lots more thread on the spool and don't have to stop to change as often. I think it does runs easier too.

Hope all is well. Keep in touch. ~~ Eva H.

[DebLou]

The bottom tension seems loose to me still. I think I will take Patty's advice and buy the Guide to Longarm Quilting. I did take the one beginners class that came with the machine. I wish there was somewhere close to take more classes.

I'm also going to buy more bobbin cases and make the tension different for all the threads.

I don't have a stitch regulator. I have the Ulltimate I. So, I'm assuming that I don't have any way to run a certain length of stitch other than how fast I quilt?

Also, sometimes when I first pull on the bobbin thread it tugs but after the initial pull then it seems free and I have a drop. Could it be the bobbin case?

I took the spring out and cleaned the case and spring. It looks okay to me.

Deblou

[CucumberQuilting]

Well, I like that you are willing to keep at it. It will all come together for you eventually.

No stitch regulator takes me out of your league though. I'm quite dependent on mine. There are a lot of quilters out there running w/out the regulator and doing a fine job, I'm just not one of them, so I don't have any advice to give you about that. Why don't you start a new post with that for a topic and see who's got what to say about it.

Keep going! ~~ Eva H.