Tracie M. Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 I have had my Millie now for 5 years...usually have great luck figuring out those small bumps in the road. This time I'm so frustrated, my top thread is breaking, I have changed my needle three times, checked for burs (over and over) checked guides and timing. Everything seems to be in order but it is still freying the top thread. My sister used the machine this last weekend and did bend a needle, I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas...i'm all out and behind on this custom quilt...so frustrated I want to cry like a baby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 Tracie, You may have a burr on your hook assembly in a place you're not seeing. Carefully look and feel the area of the hook we call the "mitten thumb"--as you rotate your fly wheel and the needle travels down into the hook, the needle will just miss this area. It looks like the thumb of a mitten on your left hand. The section that resembles the webbing between your thumb and palm is where a needle strike can create a rough spot that can catch your thread or simply snag it. Another place that you might find a scratch or burr is inside the needle plate hole itself. Remove the front plate screw and then rotate the plate around to the side. Next tighten the back screw again so that it holds the plate tight for you over the side of the machine. Take a length of thread and drop it into the needle hole, and then slide it all around (make sure you "feel" both the top side of the hole and the underside with the thread). If it catches on anything, buff it out with fine emory cloth or sandpaper. Try a different cone of thread if you haven't already. If it still breaks, then keep focusing on something mechanical. If it doesn't, you've hit a bad spot in the thread. Next, loosen the bobbin tension until the bobbin is so loose you can't pick it up out of your hand. Now loosen the top tension 1-2 complete revolutions, until your stitches are bubbly and ugly. The goal is to see if you can get the machine to sew without breaking thread. If you accomplish that after loosening tension, then start tightening the top back up 1/2 turn at a time until things look nice again. Tweak the bobbin if needed. If your sister bent a needle, somewhere on that hook there's bound to be a scratch...it's just a matter of finding it. If the needle bend was severe enough to jam the hook, you may have a problem with a sprung bobbin basket inside the hook. Let me know how it's going! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cegates Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 The last time I was having top thread breakage problems, it was because the tension spring was in the wrong position. It was at 9:00 at rest, when it was supposed to be at 11:00 at rest, then moving down to 9:00 when you pull on the thread. It was a new spring I had put in. Maybe your tension spring has worn out to the point where it doesn't do the 11 to 9 move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimerickson Posted April 24, 2013 Report Share Posted April 24, 2013 To add to what Dawn had to say. Check the tension on your quilt "sandwich". A too tight "sandwich" can cause stitching problems. Good luck. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracie M. Posted April 25, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 Thanks so much for all your advice, i have high hopes that today is going to be much better! I wont be able to get to my machine until later today but I will keep you posted on how it goes!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oma Posted April 25, 2013 Report Share Posted April 25, 2013 I only had this problem one time and nothing seemed to work until I took off the cone of thread I was using and threw it in the garbage. Haven't had the problem since. Try to start with the easiest fix first. You've probably already did this, but I had to recommend it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWBowser Posted April 26, 2013 Report Share Posted April 26, 2013 I had the same problem that Oma did. I didn't throw the thread away, I just marked it with a sharpie to use in the bobbin only. It is frustrating and you never think it could be the thread. Good luck and I hope that you are quilting away without any more breaks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracie M. Posted April 29, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 29, 2013 I wanted to let you know that my machine is running nicely once again. I found a small burr in an area Dawn recommended checking. Took some patience and a good magnifier to find it but all is well!! Thanks again for all the help, I really appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted April 30, 2013 Report Share Posted April 30, 2013 That's great news, Tracie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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