A new thing to check when your tension goes wonky
 

This is a funny story, or at least it is now! I have a Handiquilter Sweet 16. Some people have problems with adjusting the tension, but I am quite competent in adjusting it for a nice stitch on front and back no matter what thread I decide to use. I am quilting a baby quilt, and suddenly the tension goes weird. Umm. It was fine to start, then went wonky. I rip out the bad stitches and check the bobbin thread for a bit of fluff. Nothing there, but I oiled the bobbin race and checked the tension on a scrap sandwich. Looks good so I start on my quilt again. I get a nice amount done, then weird things again. More ripping stitches out, more checking the entire thread path, etc. This happened four times before I realized my thread was looped around itself on the spool! Not on the spindle, but a slip loop around the spool itself. It was a fine thread, light gray, and I didn't notice it! I wasted so much time, ripped out feet of stitching, threw away what was probably a good needle, but at least I added one other thing to check when my tensions goes weird. I finished the rest of the background stitching and now I am on to the central design without any more problems.

What a silly thing to have happen.

Pam

Netting for thread spools helps a lot to control flow of thread. There is also a product called WonderFil WonderGuard for smaller spools. I use one or the other whenever I'm using a fine thread.

Now you'll be on the look-out, Pam. We learn something new almost every day, don't we?

Those kind of things are frustrating ... but great learning tools!
You'll never have that problem again!! :)


Just like on my DSM when I was having problems and could never understand. Would thread and re-thread top and bottom. Work fine and then ................. arrgghhhhhh
Turned out that the thread was sometimes catching in the little notch on the edge of the spool, and it would take a few revolutions before that happened each time.
I now mostly use Aurifil .... no notches, but at times there is a rough spot on the edge of the spool that the thread will catch on .....

They all keep our lives interesting!! :)

I was having tension problems on my janome, I finally got a $15 dollar thread holder and when I use that machine it lives on the right side of me with my thread and my tension does so much better! My janome is a great machine but it had the thread on its side almost in the middle of the machine. I don't think it allows for it to "flow" off the spool very well that way. My older singer has the thread post on the far right of the machine upright and it always seems to work well that way.

Austinite .... My Janome had the thread laying on its side too. For the most part I did not have problems. Mine had an extra hole, in the horizontal thread holder area. With the accessories, there was a plastic spool holder that fit into that hole, to allow for the spool to sit upright. Check and see if your machine has that hole, and you can eliminate the thread stand next to your machine.

Thread is wound on the spool two ways and depending on how it is wound will dictate whether you put it on a vertical or horizontal spool. If the thread is wound on the spool in a round and round (straight wound or stacked) fashion use a vertical spool. If the thread is wound in a cris cross fashion then use a horizontal spool or a thread holder so the thread comes off the top of the spool when being unwound. My older machines only have a vertical spool spindle but I think when they were made thread only came wound in straight wound fashion.
Here's what I'm talking about. https://auribuzz.wordpress.com/2016/...urifil-spools/

Thanks for sharing your experience, Pam. I constantly battle tension issues and will watch for that.

THATS what that net is for!!!!

Folks, I literally had a loop of thread around my spool when I put it on the spindle. Nothing but lack of stupidity and watching what I was doing would have helped. I just got a laugh at how I tried all these traditional things, wasted over an hour, and it was just sheer stupidity. I thought others would get a laugh out of it, not take it seriously.

Pam

[QUOTE=QuiltE;7735154]Those kind of things are frustrating ... but great learning tools!
You'll never have that problem again!! :)



>>>>Turned out that the thread was sometimes catching in the little notch on the edge of the spool, and it would take a few revolutions before that happened each time.<<<<

I remember this happening back when I made most of my clothes. Now I always remember to turn the spool the other way......if a spool has a notch. Now the end of thread just seems to be embedded in the spool end.

My Janome 4000 used to have a vertical and horizontal thread holder, however, after one of it's check-ups the bar would not go vertical, which creates some problems from time to time. I do love my Janome, it has served me well all these years. Thankfully, when she needs to go in for a check-up and a check, I have an old Brother that I got for free at the local recycling center and it has always worked well for me in a pinch.

Good tips. Sometimes we don't even think about the thread itself.

I never knew this, I just always put the thread horizontal as it said but I will try this next time and see what happens. Some sewing thread I use is like that, straight wound. Guess I should try using better thread. Thanks a million, I learn something everyday on here.

I never knew all this good information so thank you Citrus country quilter for the link!

Now, can someone tell me about using the nets? Don't they restrict the thread from coming off the spool? Do you loosen the tension when you use them? And does it still follow the vertical or horizontal use of the spool holder we just learned about in that link? So many questions huh? Sorry.

I got a laugh out it because I too have chased geese when I could have used my brain! It' a mixed batch of humble pie and relief when a big problem turns out to be nothing but an oversight.

The two machines I use all the time have a built in spool holder and a thing that goes up from the thread spool that holds the thread. For regular thread each machine has a cap that holds thread away from any kind of roughness on the spool.