I don't think it is George's fault but....

[Mrs.A]

But I am still having some trouble with the top thread breaking. I\'m using 40 weight cotton in top and bobbin. I adjusted the bobbin tension, then top tension until I got a perfect looking stitch. I went up one needle size to accomodate the thread. When I stop and restart or when I hit a place with lots of seam allowances, the top thread breaks. I noticed it is especially when I move the fabric in a certain direction (toward 7 o\'clock) which happened a lot in the quilting pattern I used.

I know it is probably me, since the stitch still looks perfect on my sample piece. Am I moving too fast or too slowly? I need to be able to stop so that I can reposition my hands and then start up again without straining the thread. Any tips from you George users would be appreciated. Thanks, Nancy in Tucson

[smorris]

Hi Nancy

Are you using a cotton thread or a rayon they can be a little more fragile than polyester? Have you maybe broken a needle recently and maybe have a small burr on your hook assembly, the manual will show you where to look for burrs.

Do you still have the thread break problem when you use a different thread?

Have you just put in a new needle - perhaps the eye is a little rough, replace it with an old needle..

These are some reasons, not all, for breaking thread. Hope one of these works for you, if not come back and tell us, there is always someone on this forum who can give just the help you need.

Best wishes

sue in Australia

[RitaR]

I\'ve been known to put a touch of Sewers Aid on the humpies, and that helps go right thru them, most of the time.

RitaR

[cbear]

I\'ve had that problem as well, the last time just before xmas and trying to finish a table runner. I was using a 60 wt. cotton thread and that could have been part of the problem. I put the project away until after xmas and when I went back to it I didn\'t have the breakage problem. I suspect that I was much more up tight before xmas and pushing the fabric to fast. Try slowing down, if you can and/or putting the project away for a few days. Sometimes I get so intent on fixing the problem right now that I make the problem worse by not relaxing. Also check your thread to see if you have a weak spool. I have some threads that work fine in my DM, but not the quilting machine. Let us know how it turns out.

[DawnCavanaugh]

Hi Nancy,

I hope this explanation doesn\'t confuse you, but I\'m going to give it a shot, anyway!

Even though George sits down in a cabinet for you, he\'s still a longarm machine, so some of the "quilting direction" issues that happen to longarm quilters also happen to you--it\'s just that the "direction" is different.

It has to do with the way the needle meets the hook. As you well know, you\'re dealing with a "side loading" bobbin in a manner of speaking, since George sits down in the cabinet. Therefore, when you move the fabric in different directions, you are "flexing" the needle closer and farther from the hook, as well as "ahead of and behind" the hook\'s point.

That\'s why a sturdy needle is so important--it helps reduce the flexing, but won\'t eliminate it. When you move the fabric too quickly (no matter what the direction) the needle will flex and can break the thread.

But your George will actually stitch the best in these two directions:

1) Moving the fabric AWAY from you (toward the back of the table), and

2) Pulling the quilt to the RIGHT (toward the machine\'s throat).

Yes, number 2 will seem odd, because you were probably used to moving the quilt away from you, but then you may have pulled the quilt to the left, to unroll it from inside the throat of a domestic machine.

So, your stitch quality will change (sometimes that can mean pokies or thread breakage) when you pull the quilt TOWARD you, or pull it to the LEFT. These two directions flex the needle away from the hook or cause the needle to get to the hook\'s point too late to make a good stitch.

I just realized I\'m starting to ramble, so I\'m going to try to summarize:

[*] slow down, especially when you pull the fabric toward you or to the left;

[*] continue to use a large needle to help you over the bulky seams;

[*] Even though you indicated that the tension was great on your sample piece, consider loosening both the top and bobbin case tension a smidgen more to reduce the stress the thinner threads must undergo when they have to penetrate bulky seams and batting.

You might want to create a few "false" seams in your test piece by folding the top fabric and sewing 1/4" away from the fold in a few places to simulate seam allowances. Then check the tension on that piece.

Hopefully one of these suggestions will help you!

[Mrs.A]

Dawn:

I want you to know that I think you are terrific. Every time I have posted a question, you have answered it thoroughly and in a way that I could understand. The thread was breaking MOSTLY when I stopped at a seam junction to reposition my hands and then started again OR when I moved the quilt both toward me and to the left!!! I will slow down and use your other suggestions too.

I asked this question in the general forum but let me ask you specifically: what is your feeling about Sewers Aid? I know many folks use it generously and successfully but a friend of mine who works at a Domestic Sewing Machine dealership said to use it only on the needle and not on the thread to protect the machine. On the general chat thread it sounds like lots of folks are using lots of it with their longarms on the top thread AND bobbin. Your thoughts would be very helpful to me and thanks again for being there, Nancy

[DawnCavanaugh]

Hi Nancy,

You are a sweetie to be so generous with the compliments. Thanks so much!

As for the sewer\'s aid, don\'t be afraid to try it on George. The tension disks we use are pressure disks and are exposed (should you ever feel the need to clean them, it\'s a piece of cake) unlike those of a domestic machine, which are hidden inside the casing and difficult to access.

While I haven\'t personally needed to use Sewer\'s Aid in many years, I would have no qualms about using it if the need arose. I think one reason why people need it is that they are still running both the top and bobbin tension too tightly together, keeping the thread at near breaking point. I have advised students in the past to try this exercise:

Loosen both the top and bottom tension until you get very loose stitches. Now start tightening them both up, a little at a time, until you get a good quality locking stitch. By over-loosening both the top and bobbin, I think quilters are better able to apply "just enough" tension as opposed to backing off the tension until the thread is just below the "breaking threshold."

Now, if you are scared to loosen the bobbin case tension, then try it with a separate bobbin case so that you can maintain your current setting. Just don\'t be afraid to monkey with both positions.

I know quilters who immerse the entire spool of thread in liquid silicone (Sewer\'s Aid) and have never had a problem with the machine\'s mechanism or staining, etc. I guess that my philosophy has always been--if I have to work that hard to get a thread to run, surely there\'s another thread on the market that is close to it, that won\'t cause me so much grief:).

If you still have thread breakage, go ahead and treat that spool. Nothing bad will happen...maybe that spool just needs a little extra oomph to hold up to the pressure!

Happy quilting!