Help! My DH bought me a Tin Lizzie 18Ls and I have nothing but problems with it from day one! from the dealer we bought it from, from the Tin Lizzie company & even the "local" (100 miles away) dealer/representative. I'm at my wits end. I used to sew on my little brother machine & grace frame and DH thought this would be "better". Right now I wish I had it back! After practicing on several different materials & threads...and practicing on a quilt sandwich I thought I woud jump in and quilt. No matter what I do I have tons of thread & loops on the back. I have tried everything. New thread, adjusted tension, adjusted bobbin...everything. Even called the dealer we got it from...no help. Tin Lizzie company said contact local dealer...made appointment. Drove 100 miles and when we got there he said he "forgot" and alreadly had someone there and to come back the next week! (after HE set up that day and time because we told him we would be traveling from a different town to ask him questions)...but said he would sell us thread! ARRRGH! I've even looked on the lizzie boards and everything they suggested I have tried! DH is frustrated, I'm frazzled and I can't quilt! Any suggestions?

CHOCOLATE!! and lots of it.
Sorry, can't think of another solution.

sorry this is happening, when i first set up my HQ i went through the same thing, took me a month of frustration before i finally managed to quilt something. turns out i was not getting my bobbin case snapped in correctly. it did take being on a long distance call (michigan to utah) of about 45 minutes while they went over every step of threading and set up...suddenly that bobbin case 'snapped-in' and i was finally stitching...i have a friend who i went and helped with hers a few different times who i don't think ever managed to get hers working for her after 5 years of frustration she finally sold hers.
all i can suggest is keep contacting who ever you can (i was unlucky with the dealer/local shop...also over 100 miles away and finally have for the past 6 years only turned to the manufacturer long distance; their tech department is wonderful and they have talked me through many problems with good results.
i hope you manage to figure it out, it could be as simple as the needle being in backwards, or the bobbin case not snapped in correctly. they are fickle machines at first.

Let them know you are on a chat board with what 13k people here ???? and You are going to complain out loud.

Nothing more frustrating than a new toy that will not work...

Take a deep breath and even take out the needle and make sure it is put back in the right direction and all the way up in the holder.... re thread etc...

Good luck.

ConnieF I don't even have one to be frustrated with...

I have the space just no funds to get one.... :9)

Often looping on the back is caused by either the upper threading being wrong (maybe something was overlooked?), or by the presser foot not being down.

You've probably double-checked those, but just in case. ;)

I had similar problems with a couple of my machines and with the first one it turned out to be a minor tension adjustment which was fixed by the nice little old man that lives next door to a coworker and has worked on sewing machines for the past gazillion years (he's 96 years old!)

With the second one, I had switched out bobbins, based on color of thread and turned out the two, although they looked alike were not interchangable.

Another time I was having fits with my machine and it turned out to be a burr on the needle.

Don't know if any of these would apply in your situation, but that's what happened to me.

I don't have any experience with that machine so I can't offer suggestions on it's repair. I'll leave that to the 'experts'.

Do you have a quilting friend that could come over and help you and hubby go over EVERYTHING in the set up...everything. Maybe some simple small thing is preventing it from working properly and both of you may be just overlooking it. A fresh, new pair of eyes would help...even if the quilting friend doesn't know anything about the machine. Hey it doesn't even need to be a quilting friend. Sometimes people who know nothing about something will ask 'just the right' question :).

As far as the dealer ... why are you going to his store to have him fix the machine at your home? Shouldn't he be coming to you? I'd remain civil and start talking Better Business Bureau to both the dealer and the Corporate Headquarters. Start documenting EVERY conversation. Date, Time, and who said what. Ask a person to spell their last name because you're taking notes, they'll know you mean business! There are a number of phone number look up locations on the web that allow you to post comments on services received from companies. I'd mention that to the dealer too and use it if necessary to get this issued resolved.

Is the needle in right? Have you checked the needle tension, and thread tension? Rethreaded it and the bobin?

I know it can be frustrating!
don't have this machine but as others have said it is most likely something simple
We have all had these problems!
My suggestion take everything off the machine and start over.
Instruction book in hand, put in a new needle, new thread, rethread the bobbin(making sure the thread is running in the right direction).
then adjust the tension to what the manufacturer suggests
if you still have problems set the tension almost as high as it will go and test.
is it better or worse? or the same
now set it as low as you can and retest
if there is still not a difference
maybe it is the machine and not user error

create a check list of what you have done,
post a picture of the stitching, someone may have an idea you have not checked.
here are a few things I have done/checked

needle in correctly (once had mine in backwards)
rethread machine, check directions to confirm it is threaded correctly
floss the thread in the tension disk
correct size needle for type of thread
bobbin threaded and inserted correctly

wish I could help more

Have you gone to Tin Lizzie Downloads

http://tinlizzie2.homestead.com/Downloads2.html

Hello I TOTALLY understand your frusteration.... I have an HQ16... I was having simular problems.... I had the bobbin in backwards... when you have the bobbin in your hand the thread should come off the bobbin CLOCKWISE.. I had it counter clockwise which was making the bobbin work double time...therefore causeing the loops. Who knows this might help you... I was sooo frusterated I wanted to SCREAM and throw the dang machine out the window....Good Luck let me know if this works!

If you're getting loops on the back, usually it's your top thread tension that is too loose. First, double check it's threaded properly in all the thread guides, and that you have it seated properly in the tension adjustment dial. (Thread must be flossed in, just like flossing your teeth.) Then turn a the top tension a complete turn, and test again. If it will sew, even with the loops, sew and turn, sew and turn checking your stitches every time. This should get your top tension set correctly, but it could take awhile, so be patient.

As soon as it gets the best it can sew, then we can see if you also have problems with the bobbin tension - but first, let's get those loops under control.

It is possible that one reason you're having problems is that you have more than one thing going on, thus it's harder to solve. Tension is one thing that all quilters must learn, and it's painful sometimes...but once you learn it, you won't forget!

Do call Corp again. Tell them what happened with the dealer, and say you are under warranty and something must be done now. Ask them to call the dealer on your behalf if nothing else. That's not acceptable - he should have worked you in! You may need to ship your machine in for servicing - it may have something wrong with it. In all fairness, this isn't common - but can happen. Usually it's tension issues which require more patience than the Good Lord gave me :)

I do hope this helps. I know it's frustrating...but once resolved, you'll love it!

Just a shot in the dark, but make sure the presser foot is totally engaged. On my Voyager I had to adjust it, but once I got it adjusted no more loops on the back. The directions were in the manual.

Maybe you can call our dealer here. They are really great people and I think maybe they could help you.

Floyd and Lizzies
801-255-4130

good luck

top thread tension is too loose-I think anyway

I have a Tin Lizzie LS too and she sews beautifully. My first thought was the presser foot- is it down? It is so easy to forget that little thing. Next-- rethread it again and check the needle position. Don't give up--- it is a learning curve.

Thanks for your post. I have been thinking about a home long arm set up and I know I will not even look at a Tin Lizzy since this is the type of customer service they have. I am going to email the company and tell them too.

Here is the contact form to send email to the company. We can get gzbird help! We need to start standing up and tell these companies the quilters on this board mean business when it comes to decent products and customer service. It takes only a few minutes to send an email. I send as many praises as I send complaints whenever I feel it's deserved.

http://tinlizzie18.com/contact-us/

You are very kind to the dealer.

I also drive 109 miles to my dealer(HQ Fusion), but it is well worth the drive. I love them and they are so helpful.

I would have thrown a fit at your dealer's store and everyone would have known I was upset. We don't spend this much money to have an unscrupulous dealer tell us to come back next week. I am usually the most patient person, but this would have been the last straw for me.

I don't have the tin lizzie but the hq16 but found out with mine if I thread the three upper thread guides incorrectly wind up with loop on back. I would definately thrown a fit all over the store if he told me come back next week. Probable would threaten to return machine for full refund. really makes them nervous when they see dollar signs flying out the window! WHen they work they are fantastic

Thanks for all of the feedback. DH and the kids are "hiding" because I told them I am now going to tackle the tension problem again. I'm going to take everything apart, re-thread, new bobbin, change bobbin case & start all over. Wish me luck!

BelloBoo, I wouldn't stop looking at Lizzies because of what I have been through. I decided on them because I heard thry were a good company and had good machines. I just happened to deal with a couple bad apples in the bunch. I think a lot of my problem is the dealer DH bought it from is in California and we are in Montana...and the only lizzie dealer in Montana is 100 miles away so it makes it difficult. I'm half tempted to contact the company and tell them I want to be a rep (after I figure out the issues with my own machine) so I can help others in the same situation. I find it hard to believe I am the only Lizzie owner in Montana who has ever had a issue with their machine and needed help!

I'm off to work on the tension! Wish me luck!

I have a Tin Lizzie 18 LS and had the same issue every time I set up a new project. I tried to problem solve by checking the timing (lots of effort and scary in case I could not get it back together properly) and ratcheting up the upper thread tension. Neither of these helped.

Turns out that with each new project I changed the needle. It is very important to get the needle in correctly and facing forward. Because the shank is totally round rather than flat like in my other machines, I had a really hard time getting it in the correct position. I could identify the side of the needle with the scarf (indent) but could not get the eye to line up properly. I spoke to my dealer and he said to use my jewelers needle nose pliers to hold the needle in place while I tightened the screw. This has worked well for me.

I hope this helps.

gzbird you are a much nicer person then I could be in your situation. You deserve to be quilting not fixing. LOL.

Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out.

Sorry, wish I could help, but sure someone here will be able to.

when I change my needle (HQ16) I use the one I take out and put it in the eye of the new one to hold it in place.

I don't have along arm yet. But a couple of friend do. One of my friends was having trouble with her stitching. Be loopy or railroad tracks.
My other friend said the problem friend one was having was she was moving her machine to fast on the craves. and she had different thread in the bobbin then in the tops.
Just something else to be sure is right.
Good luck on the hunt for the right information.

Hope you get it fix.

I had the same thing happen to me on my Lizzie. But it was my fault. I was forgeting to put presser foot back down before I started sewing. I love my Tin Lizzie.

Thank you everyone for your comments. We have no more tension problems! Woohoo! Don't ask me what the problem was. I took everything apart, changed thread, bobbins & holder, re-threaded and "Barney" is working like a charm! (yes, DH named the machine. LOL ) Now practice practice practice! I could whip around on my other little machine but I need to get the hang of this one! What I am "quilting" looks like my 5 year old did it! lol.

hi, i know it has taken me almost a year to get my lizzie working .first watch how you put needle in as it will break if wrong andcause big problems as it screws up timeing i know . unless you go after the dealer the com. will do nothing ,if you call them they tell you to read instructions and watch dvd. big woop

I would be going after whoever and be telling them, about my contacts. I was having problems with a car dealership from whom I had bought a new pick-up. So one evening I walked in there with my Dad and he was wearing a very nice suit. That brought action! It was all can I help you sir, whatever she wants is hers.

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sometimes you have to walk away from the problem and then go back to it to fix it. Have fun!

gzbird,
How funny. We named ours also. "Lucy"

congrats sometimes we just have to go back to step one and begin again many happy hour of quilting for you

Good Luck !!!
Walk away, always back, Breath !!!
You'll get it worked out.. :)

I don't have any quilting machine, but glad "whatever" worked for you.
Have had something similar happen with my sewing machine.Grrrrrr

Of course it can't be MY fault :-D but after I calm down, rethread & check to see if bobbin is seated & no lint around, it goes back to running perfectly.You'd think I'd learn, but it's always Grrrr.No patience is me.

You're nicer than I am. That dealer WOULD have helped me after I had driven all that way. Glad your problems are resolved.

Ditto :)

If the thread is off (looping) on the bottom of the sandwich, then it's a top threading problem. If the thread is off on the top of the sandwich, then it's a bobbin problem.