kusmaulk Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 I am experiencing a problem, and I posted it on the Help with thread,bobbins, etc. forum, but didn't get a response. I'm using bottom line on top and bobbin. Was getting eyelashes on the bottom, so I tightened my top tension. Now everything seems too tight, and top thread is breaking. I decided to look at it again in the morning. Maybe I need to loosen both bobbin and top? I hope I can work this out, as I have just ordered 6 cones of Bottom Line to get my business started. Plan to use it for top and bottom. I am using a wool blanket for my batting. Could this be contributing to my difficulty? It is very heavy. Advice is welcome. I am learning every day. thanks, Karol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mark Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Hi Karol, Recheck your bobbin tension. If you are getting the "eyelashes" your bobbin tension is usually too loose. If you are winding your own bobbins, you should have about a 6-8 inch drop when doing the yoyo test. If needed, you can go a little looser, but not to the point of having your bobbin threads pull to the top or do the eyelash thing. Let us know how you come out! Take care, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smorris Posted July 10, 2007 Report Share Posted July 10, 2007 Hi Karol (I think Mark meant to say your bobbin tension is usually too tight) Tension can be so frustrating when you are new to longarm quilting. I would suggest you have two bobbin cases - one for metal or aluminium bobbins (don't mix the two as they weigh differently and that affects tension) and one for prewounds where there is nearly no weight. The other thing to affect tension on the bobbin thread is the weight of thread thicker versus thinner thread so do the drop test as Mark suggested. Eyelashes to me mean the top thread is showing through to the backing in short lines usually around curved stitching. if the top thread is showing through to the back and the bottom thread seems to be quilting a straight line where it should be following a curve, I would check the bobbin tension, is the bobbin dropping easily? If it is not then either the drop test or the following will help you get the tension you need. Loosen the tension screw (the larger one) on the bobbin case off until when you rest the bobbin case on your left hand and try to lift it with the thread that is coming out of it, you can ONLY just lift the bobbin case off the palm of your hand without the bobbincase dropping. (Two different methods but they both work) With eyelashes showing through on the back, it could also be that your top tension is too loose (or a combination of both top and bobbin tensions). If you scratch your fingernail across the stitching on the front of the quilt, and those stitches move or are sitting on the top of the fabric, not sinking in, then you need to tighten your top tension. I find bottomline stretches so I run it looser top and bottom and wind it a little looser on the bobbin. You could also miss one of the holes in the 3 hole thread guide if you think tightening the top thread tension will make it snap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kusmaulk Posted July 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 What I ended up doing was to loosen the top tension, and eliminate some of the thread guides on top. Also, I was working with a spool, not a cone, so I rigged up a way to set up the spool horizontally. All of this combined to do the trick! I still wonder if the wool blanket I used had something to do with the thread breaking. It is really heavy - feels like an army blanket. Luckily, the quilt is only 44 inches square. Thanks for the advice. I didn't do the drop test on my bobbins, but I will pay attention to that now. Karol Inverness, FL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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