connieb Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 I have a 2010 Lenni - It is making birds nests of top thread on the back of the quilt and then on the top sometimes it looks like a skipped stitch, sometimes it looks like a birds nest of top thread on the top, and sometimes the top thread plain old breaks. I've been trouble shooting and have figured out that it only happens when I am (from the freehand side) going straight back or at an angle of to the back and left. I'm using Glide thread on top and Magna bobbins, I have tried a couple of different cones and also Lava thread on the top as that is the quilt this started with. Different bobbins but the same type. I am now playing on a piece of muslin trying to figure out what is wrong. So far I have: checked that the encoder wheels for the stitch regulator are still set properly (they are). I have run a nylon through the pigtails and can't find any burrs. I have tried 3 different needles. I have re threaded the machine a few times. I've cleaned the machine. I've tightened the top thread to where it was so tight it broke and then loosened it to good stitches. By the way the stitches when quilting towards me or left to right or right to left look great and I have no problems. My hopping foot was wiggling left/right so I tried to tighten it and in that process reset the height, it still wiggles a little. I can't tighten it enough so that it doesn't wiggle. There's no slack front to back. The hook assembly does not seem loose. I DO NOT know what else to do. I'm scared to put on a customers quilt. I don't want to spend lots of time ripping because of this. Thank you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bekah Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Connie, have you tried a new bobbin case? checked to make sure the thread is not coming out from between the tension disks? Just a couple of other suggestions for you to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mestuart Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 check out Utube and see some of the timing your longarm or something similar to get some different ideas. good luck. Jamie Wallens is great, so are the APQS ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Connie--check your needle depth. Skipped stitches usually mean the hook is missing the bobbin thread. If you've hit some heavy seams or jammed a needle, the eye of the needle may be too high. Look in your manual for how to check and adjust the needle depth. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connieb Posted January 31, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 I will try theese and get back to you. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shirleyl Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 I changed out the spring on the tension assembly when mine was doing it and it solved the problem. Checked everything you did. Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butterfly Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Definitely try a new bobbin case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Connie: Check the spacing between the needle and the hook. It sounds like it might be excessive. Try the largest needle you have (5.0 if you have one) and see if that helps. If so, you've got excessive clearance. If you haven't rotated the needle a bit off 6 o'clock try that as well. Examine your bobbin case carefully. There might be someting causing inconsistent tension on your bobbin thread. Let us know what you find. Good luck. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iquiltit Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 when mine does that its usually the anti-spin spring in the bobbin case. It allows the thread to backlash, then it is tangled,on the bobbin and pulls the top thread down. Make sense? Carol; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Connie, Review the online video on timing your machine. When you encounter those issues when moving in the direction you describe, the needle and hook are not meeting correctly to form a stitch. Here's a link: http://www.apqs.com/instructional-videos/?vid=xWeqiuvwk5E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharonarooni Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 I have heard several say they rotate the needle slightly off 6 o'clock as Jim suggests. Do most of you do that? Does that help with the needle flex, Jim? Sharon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RunningThreads Posted January 31, 2013 Report Share Posted January 31, 2013 Sharon It is just a way to get the compensate for your timing being just a hair off. Turning the needle will get it ever so slightly closer to the hook. If you don't have a skipped stitch problem leave your needle at the six o'clock position. Nigel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connieb Posted February 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Didn't get to the machine today. Am scarred to death to try to time it. From what Dawn says and what I've seen I have a feeling that may be the problem. I will let you all know when I get back to it. UGHHH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharonarooni Posted February 1, 2013 Report Share Posted February 1, 2013 Got you, Nigel. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connieb Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 OK so re-timing the machine is bothering me so much that I kinda started over. Rethreaded the machine, cleaned the bobbin case, and started cleaning the hook assembly and found a piece of top thread stuck in there. How the heck did I not get it out the first time or see it when I was checking for burrs I'll never know. I have now quilted a 36" row and am not having any birds nest of top thread on the back. Do you guys think I fixed the problem without re-timing? or am I just setting myself up to be disappointed with more nasty stuff coming my way soon. Needle depth looked right on to me. Hmmm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathyh Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 I have had problems with my top thread that have turned out to be a hidden thread or lint ball in the hook area, so that could definitely have been your problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Connie, Absolutely a thread caught in the hook assembly can cause that problem. It would prevent the hook from traveling properly around the bobbin basket or could affect the thread loop behind the needle with each stitch. It sounds like you may have found the culprit! (And don't worry, if you ever DO need to re-time, you can always call us and we'll hold your hand through the process. You really can do it:). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connieb Posted February 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Thanks Dawn and everyone I'm not out of the woods yet. Everything is fine, then I advance to play on the next row. I do a basting stitch up the left side (from front to back) and it birds nests top thread on the back. That is the only place it does it though in three rows. I do straight lines, diagonals, hooks, curls, practice my feathers and that is the only place. No skipped stitches but tension isn't perfect. Hmmm Could I have the hopping foot adjusted wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connieb Posted February 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2013 I'm no longer getting skipped stitches. I am however still getting sporadic loops of top thread on the back of the quilt when quilting the left first inch or two from the front to the back in a straight line. I readjusted the hopping foot and that seems to have stopped the birds nest issue and it happening in the body of the quilting area. I've also changed to a brand knew bobbin case. I can not get my tension to look great either. I'm about ready to send her in for a check up in Iowa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbnt9999 Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 I had birds nest when using lava thread and solved my problems when i changed to a size 20 needle. Good luck , hang in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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