Need thread troubleshooting advice
 

I am a newb...

So my hubby has taken up clay shooting as a hobby and asked me to make him a cleaning mat for his shotgun out of some material we had laying around. It is a layer of canvas, double faced pre-quilted fabric, and PUL. (he had the canvas and quilted fabric left over from a brief desire to sew dog coats, and I had PUL from making baby changing pads)

I stitched the PUL to the quilted fabric, then put that right sides together with the canvas... flipped it right side out after stitching. I used straight stitches for everything with a 1/4" seam allowance. It ended with the laminated side of the PUL on bottom, the canvas on top. It looks good, the trouble is that the thread isn't behaving when I try to finish the edge with a top stitch.

While stitching the quilted material to the PUL the bobbin thread ran out, and I guess the second bobbin wasn't wound well because I started getting a lot of loose loops on the back side. I switched to a different bobbin and it fixed that right away.

Using that same bobbin thread (that did well on the PUL/padding layer) I tried to do a top stitch after turning it right side out. Same thing with the bottom thread, only worse. Lots of loops and messy threads. I ripped those stitches out and seemed to have a lot more bottom thread than I should.

I have never sewn anything so thick... Do you guys have suggestions on how to get the thread to behave? Or should I be trying a different thread, foot, stitch, whatever? I tried adjusting the tension a little, but it didn't help. I am using a cotton thread that I had from piecing a baby quilt. (which was my first ever project... a couple months ago) I only tried moving the tension from 4 up to 5, should I be trying some more tension settings?

Thanks for reading this long post...

Maybe try increasing your stitch length a bit.

Just guessing but it sounds as if your edge may be uneven, thickness-wise. I would try moving the topstitching over, so that the presser foot rests upon a thinner, more even thickness, rather than the edge. If you find that moves it too far away, consider using a zipper (or similar) presser foot - one which rests the foot on only one side (the thinner side) of the seam. You can then move only your needle closer to the edge (still keeping it on "level" thickness). Go slowly, when you stitch.

It may be too late for this . . . but when turning thick seams, it helps to first grade them. Make your initial seam at least 1/2" - 5/8" and then trim the various layers, to different widths (like tiers). This creates more of a slope, than a bump. Here's a better explanation - http://historicalsewing.com/tutorial...eam-allowances

What would be easier, is to take the layers apart and instead of right-sides-together-and-turning, just sandwich them, as you would a quilt. Then bind. For binding, I would use a single layer of the PUL, folding over and machine stitching it on. This way would result in sewing over only one layer (each) of the thicker fabrics, with no crazy bumps. :)

I agree with auntpiggy. The thicker the material you are sewing through, the longer your stitch length needs to be. Also, try a larger needle -- 90/14 or a jeans needle.

Yes, longer stitch length; try doing your topstitching a tad closer to the inside (so not going through so many layers); try a walking foot if you have one or a teflon foot if you have the PUL on the topside. I'd put your tension back to your original setting. You might also lessen your presser foot pressure a tad as well if you have that option. And the larger needle wouldn't be a bad idea either.

What machine are you using? I just read a review of a Janome on Amazon, and a one-star review mentioned this looping problem on the bottom. One of the comments said this happens when the bobbin thread path is incorrectly seated in the bobbin thread path. Maybe test on two layers of fabric to see if you get the looping on a regular sandwich? If so, it may be the bobbin thread path.

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Sorry it took a while for me to get back to you, I was busy and didn't get to work on it again until today. I lengthened the stitch and switched threads, and that seemed to work.

Thanks again!! I am learning new things all the time :)