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I tossed all the rayon thread I had. I won't let it in the house. LOL

Just wound a couple bobbins of poly thread - also figured out the issue I'd been having getting that tension right. Turns out you have to go through the bobbin winder tension disk/guide. Duh. (I'm simultaneously thrilled at myself for figuring out the problem - and mortified that it took me so long. Ah, the joys of sewing without a manual...)

Quiltingcandy, I do have the thread in a stand behind the machine - and the very, very nice lady I bought it from did stress that I should always use cross-wound thread for it. Something about how it twists (or doesn't) coming off the spool? It made sense when she explained it.

Does your machine require the bobbin case to be put in only with the thread going to the back? I had a lot of breakage problems including breaking needles until I discovered that.

Whoops, just saw you figured it out!!!

I love your quilting machine set up! How ingenious!

At a quilting class I was told to piece with 60 wt. thread, quilt with 50 wt. and embroider with 40 wt.

Seems to work well.

Rayon is a hard thread to,work with. It is weak to begin with, and when you add in the age I am betting that is your problem. Buy a quality thread like Superior or Aurifil. You can use a 60 weight thread in the bobbin (I like Superior's bobbin thread but there are others). It sounds like a fabulous machine!

Pam

Don't beat yourself up because you don't know about tension/thread/ quilting on a track frame! Just think of each new issue solved as a learning experience. I had a new system, but no classes. There were MANY tears...but I kept going. Now (diff system ...) I am happier with my quilting. It was a journey.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CatD (Post 7661070)

OK, tried a different thread and it seemed to work fine. (Although I left the rayon in the bobbin. Wonder why it's fine there but breaks in the upper?)

The top thread goes through the needle about 70 times - back and forth - before it gets laid down as a stitch, so that is why you can use more fragile thread in the bobbin then on the top...friction will wear it to breaking point unless you have a strong thread. My favorite threads are all Superior Threads - King Tut (cotton), SoFine (poly) and for the bobbin I love BottomLine. We pay a ton for a longarm, fabric, batting...don't skimp on cheap thread for quilting, it just doesn't pay off! Specialty threads like Rayon have their place, but they are too fragile for use in a longarm. Without a bobbin in or thread in a needle, run your machine at the slowest speed and just watch how fast the bobbin race goes around and it takes 2 complete revolutions of the bobbin race to make a single stitch...and it is the upper thread that is going around and around!

rayon thread is not good for what you are doing

Quote:

Originally Posted by quiltingcandy (Post 7661134)

Also, I am wondering if you have the top thread sitting vertical or horizontal? Or do you have it on a thread stand behind your machine? Superior Threads has a video and explanation why you use one direction over the other. Depending of the type of thread on the spool determines the way it should be on the machine. I use rayon for my embroidery machine and it has to be on the horizontal thread holder.

Good point, Candy. I bought a vertical thread post for my machine years ago because sliver thread needs to come off a vertical spool to not break. I've found that a lot of thread does better on a vertical spool.

I also wonder about quilting a quilt with rayon. I use it often to quilt garments because I like the look, but my garments don't get washed at all and don't get subjected to much real use.