Go Back  Quiltingboard Forums >
  • Main
  • Thread issues? >
  • Thread issues?

  • Thread issues?

    Old 01-11-2013, 04:38 PM
      #1  
    Junior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    mona202's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Feb 2011
    Location: Ohio
    Posts: 231
    Unhappy Thread issues?

    I am in the middle of a piano topper and all of a sudden the bottom tension (doing FMQ) is a mess! I was quilting along and doing fine, and now the thread keeps bunching up and even coming out of the needle as well (how does it do that?) I have done nothing to the tension at top or bottom. I am using an old kenmore (34 yrs old) and it has been great. I changed the needle, put another bobbin of thread in, cleaned out the bobbin section and top plate, my feed dogs are down, what the heck? It seems to work fine of a swatch of just fabric but not with the quilt out of the blue. Any ideas?
    mona202 is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 04:50 PM
      #2  
    Senior Member
     
    dash2000lbs's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Feb 2011
    Location: Big Bear City Ca
    Posts: 302
    Default

    I had this happen using my Bernina ... What I did was oil the bobbin ...
    dash2000lbs is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 05:02 PM
      #3  
    Junior Member
     
    Join Date: Jan 2011
    Location: St. Augustine, Fl and Nashville, Ga.
    Posts: 267
    Default

    This has happened to me also. The first thing I have learned to do (after blood sweat and tears) is to take the threat out and retread the machine. Then sew on a scrap to check the stitching. Good luck.
    memepat is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 05:10 PM
      #4  
    Super Member
     
    JulieR's Avatar
     
    Join Date: May 2010
    Location: Emmitsburg, MD
    Posts: 1,599
    Default

    Yep, I've had this happen with thread before -- spendy stuff, too. If you clean up and rethread the machine and it's still happening, change the thread and see if it's still a problem. If not, bingo.
    JulieR is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 05:49 PM
      #5  
    Power Poster
     
    Join Date: Mar 2011
    Location: Ontario, Canada
    Posts: 41,554
    Default

    If the thread is pulling out of the needle, I would think something is impeding the thread coming smoothly from the spool? Is your thread on your spool stacked or cross threaded? The each require different positions to flow freely. Stacked likes to be vertical and cross threaded likes to be horizontal?
    Tartan is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 06:53 PM
      #6  
    Junior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    mona202's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Feb 2011
    Location: Ohio
    Posts: 231
    Red face

    Originally Posted by Tartan
    If the thread is pulling out of the needle, I would think something is impeding the thread coming smoothly from the spool? Is your thread on your spool stacked or cross threaded? The each require different positions to flow freely. Stacked likes to be vertical and cross threaded likes to be horizontal?
    How do you tell? it is just a regular spool of coats and clark 100% all purpose cotton thread. It stands up on a pin. I guess what I am saying is that I am not sure what stacked or cross threaded means. I feel silly lol
    mona202 is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 06:58 PM
      #7  
    Junior Member
    Thread Starter
     
    mona202's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Feb 2011
    Location: Ohio
    Posts: 231
    Default

    I will try the oiling of the bobbin and now that I think of it, it was when I changed thread I had to buy at Wal Mart because I ran out and the fabric shop is not nearby. Wouldn't Coats and Clark be the same no matter where I bought it? I wonder if they do different qualities depending on where it is sold and at what price point? Thanks for all the advice. I will try it all and see if I can figure out what is happening. I will also try to rethread the top thread and see if indeed there is something impeding it from feeding properly into the machine. Weird that this would happen half way through. Well not even small quilts are without their issues I guess. I sure am learning alot though as a semi-new quilter. Thanks everyone!
    mona202 is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 07:35 PM
      #8  
    Super Member
     
    hopetoquilt's Avatar
     
    Join Date: Aug 2010
    Location: New Jersey
    Posts: 2,860
    Default

    Usually I have a build up of lint in bobbin area...
    hopetoquilt is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 07:54 PM
      #9  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: Mar 2010
    Location: Tennessee
    Posts: 2,189
    Default

    Try putting the pressure foot down. That is ALWAYS what I forget to do when I go from the sample to the real deal. Always went through all the steps, rethread, clean, change needle, etc with growing frustration.....
    CoyoteQuilts is offline  
    Old 01-11-2013, 08:01 PM
      #10  
    Super Member
     
    Join Date: May 2011
    Location: Pacific NW
    Posts: 9,591
    Default

    Where is the thread bunching - are you getting nests under your fabric? If this is the problem, your issue is NOT with your bobbin thread, it is with your top thread. Take ALL the thread completely off your machine and re-thread. Make sure there are no little threads stuck in your tension disks. Make sure your thread isn't getting caught on something. Sometimes my upper thread gets hung up on the handle.

    Wouldn't hurt to re-thread your bobbin also, check under the spring in your bobbin to make sure there's no thread stuck there, either.

    What size needle are you using? You might consider going up a size, especially if you're doing FMQ.

    Regarding the thread - "stacked" means it comes off the spool evenly, from top to bottom. "Cross threaded" means it crosses up and down the spool as it's wound. If you're using C&C, it's stacked.
    Peckish is offline  
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    ruck9085
    Main
    5
    04-15-2011 03:52 PM
    Grambi
    Main
    7
    04-07-2011 12:24 PM
    eeraemore
    Main
    4
    04-30-2010 07:09 PM
    MollieSue
    Main
    23
    01-18-2010 12:45 PM

    Posting Rules
    You may not post new threads
    You may not post replies
    You may not post attachments
    You may not edit your posts

    BB code is On
    Smilies are On
    [IMG] code is On
    HTML code is On
    Trackbacks are Off
    Pingbacks are Off
    Refbacks are Off


    FREE Quilting Newsletter