cricket_iscute

I have meched a Singer 500 and have every reason to believe it is operating properly, cleaned, oiled and greased properly, etc. In the past, it has occasionally unthreaded itself, but I normally put 4 or 5 stitches into a thread starter (small scrap) and have no issues. Last time it did that, I changed the needle (from a vintage Singer 14 to a new vintage Singer 14 needle) and had no further issues. The needle that is in there now is a fresh needle with no signs of bending or burrs. I wanted to use up my Singer needles, but I wonder if I should go to Schmetz? And if so, which needle? Top stitch 16, maybe? What about a titanium needle?

I am using Connecting Threads 50/3 cotton thread. It isn't the best thread in the world but it seems adequate. I've used it on everything I've done on the 500 and had no issues.

I tried to do something different this time rather than just piece or quilt. I joined two half pieces of quilts (easier to quilt just half at a time) over a seam which had one side selvage and one side tucked-under fabric. The seam was pinned down with small drops of washable Elmer's school glue in the areas between pins. I had let the glue dry about 20 hours. I did not press it. The seam was thicker than the rest of the quilt, but I do know that the Singer 500 has the punching power to get through that. However, this is my first attempt at using Elmer's glue. How much is that contributing to the problem, I wonder?

The machine did great for the first half of the seam. I supported the quilt and, even though I was working only with the cabinet and no additional table for support, I had good stitching (hemming stitch). I've quilted a lot of quilts and know how to support them with my chest, shoulder, etc. At about the half way point, the thread started snapping. I was not using a thread starter in the middle of the seam, but did have long thread tails. Even when I put the first few stitches in by turning the hand wheel, every time I used the motor, the thread snapped. Immediately. It unthreaded from the needle, and the last two guides. That happened 10 or 12 times before I walked away in disgust.

It seems to me there is less room between the needle and the foot on the 500 than on most machines, and I couldn't get a threader in there. It threads front to back. Anyone else notice this or have trouble with it?

There was one other variable: I saw a tip on here about using kitchen sponges to quilt. You put the sponge side up with your hands over it and the scratchy side down on the quilt. That seems to work well, but I'm wondering if somehow I affected the rate at which the feed dogs were taking fabric.

What would you think caused the problem, and what would you do about it?

Thanks,
Cricket