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avoiding turkey tracks


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Ok...what am I doing wrong?  I have small-ish turkey tracks on the back of the quilt that I am working on.  Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't show, but I am using a dark green thread on a busy top but the back is a muslin-type.  I thought my top thread was too loose, so I have been slowly tightening the top tension.  I am using Fil-tec magnetic bobbin in the bobbin, so I don't usually have to adjust the tension on those.  Any suggestions?  I need for the back of this quilt to look as good as the top.  

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If you mean the bottom thread is winning the tug of war with the top thread and pulling the top thread though to the backside with short portions of the top thread showing on the backside, then you have to increase the top tension so the the thread twist is imbedded in the center of the quilt sandwich.  Though Jamie Wallen would say you need the twist in the top third of the quilt sandwich, so it moves to the center once you take the sandwich off the frame.  I have a George, so I only go for the center.  

 

The best visual for me is to take your right hand put it in front of your face with your pointer finger point down forming a hook.  With your left hand make another hook with your left pointer finger.  Interlock your two fingers in front of your face.  If you see the top thread on the back of your quilt, your left hand is pulling your right hand down towards your chest.  You can only fix it by increasing the top tension or decreasing your bobbin tension, so they balance out.  If the top thread is pulling the bobbin thread to the top, your right hand is pulling your left finger up higher in front of your forehead.  The only way to fix this is to decrease the top tension, or increase your bottom tension.

 

I suggest you clean your bobbin tension spring, and check your bobbin tension however you normally do that.  Then using your top tension balance your tension, by quilting on the outside of the sandwich, making sure you do a number of turns, swirls, and changes of direction.  That way you, will know you can freely quilt without expecting any tension issues.  

 

I try to check the bobbin tension every bobbin change.  If I am using the same thread, and I get a weird bobbin reading on my TOWA gauge, I clean the bobbin tension spring.  It is much easier to do this than it is to use the un-sewer to fix it later.  Best of luck to you.

 

Cagey

 

Changed finger to tension spring for Jim.

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Move over to the side of your quilt,where it won't matter what your stitches look like and do some sample stitching. Set the the bobbin tension a little looser then slowly tighten the top tension until you can see the bottom thread on top, and at that point, loosen the top until the threads are pulled back into the batting. And remember, sometimes no matter what you do, you are going to have this happen. The fabrics, batting, and thread have different finishes on them and so your stitch tension can vary.

Debbie

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Great advice. My first bobbin was just fine.  It's the second and third bobbins that have been causing havoc.....not really bad, but noticeable.  I have a bobbin case just for my magnetic bobbins and hate to mess with that, but I will try tightening my top tension a little more AND I will do the works as far as blowing out, oiling and wiping down the bobbin casing area before I start the next row.  Someone suggested to me to go slower around the curves (where I am having most of the problems).  I thought I was going slow enough as it was.  Anyways, thank you for the advice. 

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Tighten the top tension.

 

I'm going to complain again about the terms some folks use to identify long arm parts.  In this case, the bobbin "finger".  I believe what's being referred to, is the bobbin tension spring.  Or is it the "finger" that holds the bobbin basket in place?  See what I mean.  It makes giving advise more difficult because there can be confusion about what's being referred to.  Please try and use the actual name of the part when referencing your machine.  If you don't know what it's called, do some research and try to identify it properly.  Thanks.  Jim

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Worked on the quilt again tonight and did a little tightening and then loosening of the top tension and then decided to go slooooowwllly in my swirls.  I think I have found my sweet spot.  Thank you for all the good advice.  When I get this quilt top completed (which should be tomorrow night after work) I will post a pic.  Thanks again.  

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Your quilt turned out lovely!!

On the subject of Filtec magnetic bobbins- I check every bobbin on the Towa gauge as quite often they are over wound and come off the bobbin at a very uneven tension. Unfortunately I do waste some thread- but once the tension evens out( not bouncing all over the place) then I adjust the bobbin tension according to were my machine likes to live ( wasting a bit of thread is better then ripping) I think Linda mentioned in an earlier post that sometimes the inside of the bobbin can have a little burr in it that you can remove with an exacto knife. All good advise about adjusting your tension, but sometimes the problem is in the bobbin

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