Aurifil thread and new issue with machine?
 

Quick background. My wife use to piece and quilt on a 25 year old Singer with Coats and Clark. We didn't know any better. Then there was the machine research followed by thread research. She started with Madeira 50 wt Cotona, a quilting thread that ran beautiful through the new Brother NQ1300PRW. After more research we invested in Aurifil 50 cotton.

The machine has a program where it will do a lock stitch at the beginning and end of a stitch if you so choose and then cut the thread and finally automatically lift the presser foot. All of this is done when you start and stop the stitch automatically. She finds this to be a nice time saver.

This issue is when we changed to Aurifil, the auto cut feature cuts the thread perhaps too short, since when she starts back up the thread balls up at the beginning of the stitch if she doesn't pull more thread through the needle manually.

I'm looking for solutions to the problem. I don't think it's the thread, since many people use Aurifil 50 successfully. First thing that I thought of was needle size. She uses a Schmetz 80/12 now and since the Aurifil is finer than the Madeira perhaps she needs to go to a 75/11? Maybe it's a bobbin issue? Maybe a machine issue?

Anyone else having issues with the start of their stitches when switching from a little heavier 50 of something else to Aurifil and what was the solution to the issue?

i am 98.75% sure that the little wad of thread at the seam start is something most/all machines do - at least if they have the top/bottom thread cut feature.

i don't think there's anything you can do about it.

that used to drop me batty because it's unattractive. then i realized two things:
1. it's on the back where it won't be seen anyway; and
2. it secures the beginning of the seam. this comes in handy when using a machine that doesn't have a convenient lock-stitch feature.

That can be prevented if before you start sewing, you bring the bottom thread up through your work to the top first. I have a Brother Innov-is, NX-2000 and have the same problem when I don't do that little step. I hope this helps. I too use Aurifil and Essential threads.

This is Clay's wife, Loopmaster. I use the auto cut function after each pieced unit. The actual issue is when starting to sew. If there is just two pieces of fabric being sewn together, the thread won't catch until I get to a seam. Then it sews just fine to the end. If I pull out additional thread before I start sewing, it works just fine. Bugs me when I forget! Any suggestions?

2 things -

Look at the Aurifil thread after you use the cutter. See if the thread looks curled. If thread is curled, the spool could be feeding wrong or tension is set for the heavier thread.

What does the tie-off stitch normally look like? My Pfaff 2170 has tie off stitches and they make a figure 4. The machine might not be getting enough thread to start with a tie-off.

You can also use leaders and enders. Start on a piece of scrap and end on another piece of scrap. If you are just piecing, you usually don't tie off the seams on piecing since the seam is usually crossed over. Most people chain where they can.

Spools do have certain ways to put on the machine so they feed the thread right. Are you using a horizontal spool holder?

Are you using a single hole plate or a zig zag? If the latter, you might try the single hole plate, that usually "cures" the problem.

I always start machine quilting off the edge so any nest that are created will be cut off when I trim the quilt. I do a tiny backup stitch when I am on the edge of the quilt. I just bought the special value of the day that was a three pack of Aurfill from MSQC and going to try to see how it works on my Bernina 1530.

Sorry no help here, I do use the auto thread cutter sometimes too, but it can be really frustrating as the bobbin thread only leaves about ¼ " of thread sticking up so not able to pull that through to the top.

My Bernina Artista 730 does the same thing. I had it in the repair shop, and they told me nothing was wrong with my machine, and nothing could be done.

Someone told me to start using leaders and enders. But that's why I paid for an automatic thread cutter! I have since moved on to using a Babylock machine, with no problems using Aurifil.

If you find a solution that works, I hope you will post it. My Bernina just sits waiting to be used....

My thread was curling. changed tension and matche thread to the needle. Good to go. Thanks Weezy Rider