Mary Beth Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 I know - our favorite topic :mad: I'm having a time. King Tut on top, Signature cotton wrapped poly in the bobbin. Have been having trouble getting the tension just right. Bobbin keeps breaking - sometimes at the edge of quilt, sometime on a seam. Bobbin gets a doosy backlash....I think I have the tension right now, but the last time my bobbin thread broke the backlash was really a lot. Help...I don't know why this is happening or what to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 The frustration level is rising....I'm working from the back of the machine. Everytime I look up and pause to see if I am stitching okay, my bobbin breaks - you can hear it snap, then there is a backlash. HELP!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy Stuart - APQS Service Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Check the spring in the back of the bobbin case - you may need to bend the little spring arms out a bit more away from the back of the bobbin case....this will help 'brake' the bobbin, and reduce backlash. Also, if you have another bobbin case handy, try using it and see if that makes a difference. Make sure your bobbins are wound nice and tight - a loosely wound bobbin can cause problems as well. Please call me if you have any other questions! Happy Quilting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Thanks Amy. I have 3 new bobbin cases just purchased at MQS, I have one in now, but still having same problems. I will try bending the little blue springy thing to see if that helps. I'll keep you posted...thanks for your quick response. Mary Beth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnQuilts Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Try loosening your bobbin tension, just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lynne Posted June 20, 2007 Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Mary Beth, I was having that problem a couple of weeks ago... I was going down the list and nothing worked. I changed my bobbin case, loosened the tension a hair just for the heck of it, and voila...worked like a charm. Don't know why...I couldn't feel any burrs on the bobbin case, no lint etc. Good luck! Lynne in Ann Arbor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2007 Lynn and Lynne.... I did try everything. The tension got really bad, then I started tweaking the top tension, turning it ever so little and then it look good...finished that last quilt in a hurry before it started in again. I'm in the middle of cleaning and oiling and I'm going to take a look at my timing, but I think it is okay. Thank you for your suggestions. MB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 I'm having the same problem today. Everything's been working fine until I changed to Bottom Line in the bobbin and the needle. I use it all the time and never have a problem. Not today. I tightened my tension and thought that would fix it. It didn't. Then I cleaned my bobbin case and put a drop of liquid silicone on the bobbin. Thought that would fix it and it didn't. I'll try changing the backlash spring tomorrow. I have a couple extra. Why is it that about the time you think you've got tension all figured out, the machine shows you that you don't know as much as you thought?:P:P Phyllis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Isn't that the truth. I see posts from the newbies and think "Oh boy, do I remember those days....if they just hang in there and get to know their machines they will have smooth sailing", NOT! I think my Millie has a little Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde going on! Or maybe she is a typical woman, changing her mind from time to time just to keep me guessing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted June 21, 2007 Report Share Posted June 21, 2007 Phyllis, If I'm reading your tension post correctly, you're using Bottom Line in both the needle and the bobbin. If that's the case, you'll have to loosen the bobbin case tension even more. Bottom Line is a 60 wt. thread and is very "slippery". Since it is so thin, the pressure disks on the top tension knob have a difficult time applying even pressure as it passes through them. Therefore, easing up more on the bobbin tension in combination with tightening the top tension will get the balanced look you want. Also, even though Bottom Line is a fine thread, it's also fairly strong. Using a 4.0 needle instead of a 3.5 helps reduce the needle flex when this thread is used both top and bottom, which can result in imbalanced tension. Yes, you'll get a pretty large needle hole with a small thread inside, so be sure to use the "fingernail" test to check your tension on the underside as well as your eyes. Sometimes we can be fooled and think our tension is off because we are seeing the top thread inside the hole the needle left behind, when really our tension is balanced. The tension is truly off when we can FEEL the top thread loops pulling to the backside of the quilt. (For any newbies reading this, the "fingernail test" means dragging your fingernail along the line of stitching on the underside of the quilt. If your top tension is too loose {or your bobbin tension is too tight} your fingernail will "catch" on the loops of top thread that have been pulled to the back side of the quilt. Imagine dragging your fingernail along the metal spring on a spiral bound notebook--imbalanced tension will give you that same "click-click-click" feel. This test is often more reliable than just using your eyes, which can be deceived due to the needle's large size.) Hope this helps with your quilt! Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Thanks, Dawn. I'll have to remember that my bobbin tension has to be looser than normal with Bottom Line top and bottom. Now that I think of it, I always had the bobbin tension looser according to the TOWA guage than most LAs say they run theirs. It was only when I began using other threads that I had to tighten it up. Are you saying that I should be using a 4.0 needle or a 3.5 needle? I'm not sure I understood what you were saying about that. I have a 4.0 needle in the machine. Phyllis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnCavanaugh Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Hi Phyllis, Sorry about the needle mix up. The machines come with a 4.0 needle, but many quilters switch to a smaller one (3.5) for various reasons, including smaller needle holes. I wasn't sure if you had a smaller needle in or were still using the 4.0. Keep using the 4.0 with that Bottom Line combination for better success. Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlittle1 Posted June 22, 2007 Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 Originally posted by Mary Beth I think my Millie has a little Dr. Jekel and Mr. Hyde going on! Or maybe she is a typical woman, changing her mind from time to time just to keep me guessing Do you think that they are all related to Betty Lou and Georgene? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted June 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2007 You may be on to something there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiltsinmotion Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 Its a love / hate relationship we have with our APQS machines LOL one day of bad tension is takes away a week of love Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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