Originally Posted by
QuiltE
ditto on the 12 wt thread ... didn't know they made that! It must be like crochet cotton.
ditto on the needle size ... you need a bigger hole!
Another possibility could be the kind of thread re the fuzz problem. Some are notorious for that issue. Aurifil is a good one to avoid that ... though it looks like you haven't been able to sew enough to discover that!
Or the colour ... the darker the colour, the more dye, and the less consistency in the evenness of the thread.
Though I'd go with the needle change for the first and most likely solution!
I don't know what machine you are using, and don't know if all have this possibility ... Janome has a special bobbin case that saves the tension adjustment when working with different thread weights.
I hate adjusting tension ... so I'll go for anything that avoids that!
I didn't have any tension issues using 12wt in the top and bottom, but I didn't like the results - just way too much bulk on the bottom side - the stops and starts were looking like the stuff my dogs leave in the back yard! Ich.
I've tried the 28wt with both 40 and 50 wt in the bobbin ... I don't want to go any larger than that or I'll risk the giant lumps on the back side again.
The amount of fuzz was much higher with the 12wt sulky than it is with the 28wt Aurifil ... the Aurifil is actually quite clean considering the size of the thread. And yes, I am using darker color threads - the better to see you my dear
I'm using a 14 topstitch needle. I'll see if I have a larger one, but I think this is the largest I have.
I'll keep playing with the tension, now that most of you mentioned you've cleaned the discs before without a problem, I'll go back to looking at it as a tension issue. I might even try moving my thread to a coffee cup beside the machine instead of using the vertical spool.
Oh ... the machine is a Janome 6600.
thanks everyone!