Longarm Quilters
 

I have been sewing for over 50 years and have had the opportunity to sew on several makes and models of sewing machines including embroidery and midarm quilter. A little over a month ago, my husband had purchased a sitdown longarm machine for me to enjoy free motion quilting on applique quilts. With no support, besides my husband, question: What thread (weight & brand) are used on a longarm machine? No domestic machines, longarm. The frustration, wasted hours I have gone through to get the machine to sew due to tension problems and proper thread, I am at the point this was a very bad investment. Any help would be appreciated. Thank You!

The simple answer is that you can use any brand of thread to longarm with that you used on your domestic machine. The longer answer is more machine specific. You should tell us what machine you have. Some machines don't like some threads. I don't think your problem is thread, since you've tried many brands and are still having tension issues. There are tons of youtube videos on longarm tension..some are general, some are machine specific...I found them very helpful when starting out. What type of tension issues are you having? Also..with a new machine, you may not have threaded it properly, be sure to check that, and make sure you are using the correct needle.

Is it possible e to visit the shop where the machine was purchased to get a lesson in tensioning the machine? I use all types of threads in my longarm. Each thread needs to be tensioned and the needle needs to match the weight of the thread as well. There are many great You Tube videos on this subject as well. Your dealer should give this info with the sale of the machine.

I started with a very inexpensive machine (bailey) that is basically a stretched domestic machine and the tension was the same as a domestic machine and I had no problems with it. I loved quilting so much I upgraded to a HQ Fusion - and started having all kinds of tension problems. After several months of ungoing frustration and quilts with lots of tension problems I was really regretting what I'd done and felt I'd possibly wasted $10,000 (not a good feeling!)

There is a good ending to my story, I bought a towa gauge so I could make sure I had my bobbin tension correctly. I'd tried the drop tests and all that, and even bought a second bobbin case. Turns out I had two problems, some of my bobbins were bad and so I didn't get a good, even pull coming out of the bobbin, and the second was that I wasn't setting them correctly. Now I set them at 180 no matter what thread is in there - and then adjust the top tension.

The other thing I did was get a digital readout for my tension (you may not have that option) and know I have much better idea of where my tension is. I found I was often turning it the wrong way or not turning it enough.

I also discovered my new machine didn't like all the thread (Connecting thread's cotton) I'd bought that they Bailey loved. I do much better with poly thread, though now that I've got the other problems figured out I've only run into problems with Issacord embroidery thread (only thread I had backlash problems with). I use Maxi-lock most often, and the dealer that sold me the machine stocks it as he said it seems to be pretty universal that the HQ machines really like it and it's not expensive.

Though this does not pertain to a sit down machine as much, I also learned that my Bailey liked a tight quilt, and my Fushion likes a loose quilt, so I had to learn that difference too.

I love my Fushion now - and want to encourage others to just keep working at it and trying different things until you get it resolved.

I like the glide thread. my machine does really well with the magna bobbins. Jamie Wallen has a good video on tension issues https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1mRhcquZTM I also suggest these forums for help with longarm issues and general fun http://mqresource.com/forum/ I agree that maybe the dealer can come out and get it running smoothly. hang in there

I bought my HQ16 from craigslist. It did not come with a bobbin winder. I use Bobs prewound bobbins from Superior and I believe they have on Bottomline. I use Connecting Thread Essential Pro. I quilt for myself and lots for charity. I am totally self taught before there were many videos. I stick with this combo as it works all the time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1mRhcquZTM

This is how I learned to get good tension.

great information!

I am by far no expert, I have a Janome Artistic 18 sitdown. I have found that I need 2 different bobbin holders, one for polyester thread, one for cotton thread. With the polyester thread, I have to use a thread net or I have all kinds of tension problems, keep trying, I did. I have only had my machine for 6 months, and I am fairly new to free motion, about a year or so. I have faith in you. You can do it

I have heard getting a towa guage helps. I am a newbie to my longarm with same issues. I do like superior threads and glide

Towa gauge--well worth the $$. I check every bobbin in insert even when there is some consistency in my winding them after 5 years. But changing thread does make a difference. Also, my tech said on my long arm that if you set the top tensioners about in the middle (if no # then where they are level with the screw)its usually the sweet spot--little adjustments from there. Most of the tension adjustment on long arms is done on the bobbin case. Definitely check for a FB page for the brand you have--other owners can be so helpful.