Tell me what's happening to my stitches......Please!
 

I just finished a free motion design using my HandiQuilter Avante. I am using a #18 needle and Superior King Tut thread. I always check the tension before I start and everything looked great. I worked from side to side on a first pass with no problems. About halfway through third pass, I had a thread break (upper) followed by another and another and another. I changed the bobbin, checked the tension again, and managed to get through the quilt with about 3 more thread breaks. When it was all done, I turned to the back and found several of these little "knots". They actually are the upper thread, twisted, and a skipped stich. I'm depending on you ladies to help me out here; WHY is this happening?

Also, I was using a #19 needle a few weeks ago, but my technician said to stick with #18. Doesn't it make sense to use a bigger needle if I'm using a thicker thread? I'm always learning new stuff and love it when you offer your expertise.

Thanks!

Oops looks like an extra loop. I have no idea why I would just sew it in but mine are just for fun. Recently I have had thread with knots in which kept breaking . I will keep watching to find the answer from the experts.

could it be something in the way the thread feeds? Would a thread net help? Just a thought.

When all else fails start over - change the needle, re-thread the machine, put in a new bobbin and make sure the machine is clean and oiled.

A size 18 is the correct size needle to use with King Tut. Go here and download the "Longarm Machine Thread Reference Guide" http://www.superiorthreads.com/reference-guides/ Hang it up near your LA machine and use it. Remember it is the thread you use that dictates what needle size to use.

Have you tried changing the needle? Did you completely rethread the top? A top thread break can cause the thread path to jump out of whack, had that happen to me once, it double wrapped around the needle take up. Also you may wish to try slowing down. New LAQ who do a loopy design like you pictured tend to go way too fast and then slow down to complete the loop. These drastic changes in speed causes backlash to happen in the bobbin. The bobbin is spinning inside the bobbin case and it causes these loops/skipped stitches to happen. You can switch to magna glide bobbins which help backlash issuses. But, more importantly, you need to try to regulate your speed so you are going a more even speed without the drastic slowdowns and speed ups. Yes your stitch regulator is keeping up with you but the bobbin isn't. This isn't a race so try slowing down a bit.

Is the needle in backwards? The long scarf comes to the front (opposite of the dsm) Is the bobbin in upside down? Bobbin should unwind clockwise. Are you is stitch regulator mode? You may be slowing down enough for the regulator to prepare for a stop, then when you speed up it is taking a stitch or two extra creating the knot.

excellent advice about the speed change when doing a loopy design. I noticed that myself when I first started.

I usually get thread breakage if I try to run the machine too fast and the knots on the back when I need to tighten my top tension.

I use King tut with an 18 needle. If tension is correct, needle good, threaded correctly, bobbin area clean, I would watch my speed. I would also make sure the bobbin is not warped this can cause stitching to be bad.

Thanks for your input.........yes I had done all the checks and rechecks on threading path, needle size and new, bobbin direction, and rechecking tension. I am thinking the speed must be the issue. I'm getting ready to start a new project, so will report back on results. Thanks again; you Ladies rock!

On my Tiara, when I get the little knots on the back, it is always a tension problem. Even though I may think I have the tension right, I need to tweek it a little more. Good luck resolving your problem.

..and check for lint.clean out that bobbin area thoroughly. Machines hate lint and can cause many burbs!

If a tech said to use size 18 with every thread, I would just as soon ask my butcher his recommendation. LOL. Surely he couldn't have meant that.

I have no answer but thanks for the link. Feline fanatic. Added to my favorites

I use a Superior 100/16 top stitch needle when I'm using King Tut threads. It improved my quilting a lot. I quilt on a Bernina 930 or Viking Sapphire 875.
Sharon

A couple of thoughts (I'm fresh from a 3 day class with Jamie Wallen and comment #1 is from what he taught us)

1. If you can see stars when you hold your quilt up to the light, and you're using no larger than an 18 needle: your tension is too tight. Do his tension test, and probably lower the upper tension. We tend to run our tension -way- tighter than we need to. KingTut is a 40wt cotton thread. It's thick, but it's easier to break than a comparable poly. I would run it as loose as I can get away with.

2. Some KingTut is crosswound, and some is stack wound. Which spool/cone do you have? If it's stack wound, it needs to unwind with the spool turning, not from the top of the spool. If it's a cone, it's probably alright on your machine. My LA dealer told me that if I check their forums that by far the most "difficult" thread to work with - based on the posts - is the KingTut. He also told me that by far the most loved thread to work with - KingTut.

3. I agree that it looks a lot like bobbin backlash on the back of the quilt. Can you load a test sammie and try with 2 different colors and do a significant amount of the same pattern? The reason I say significant is that we often quilt a little differently when we "test" than when we do an actual quilt. (I tend to be a little smoother around corners during a test than when I first start on a quilt, because I don't "care" about the test, and I don't have to think my way out of a jam. Of course if my brain would just get out of my way, I'd do a lot better all around... I digress.)

What a good thread, I am just starting on a long arm and appreciate all the info I can get. Thanx guys

This has been an interesting thread (pun intended). I have an HQ16 and experience this type of frustration occasionally. One thing that seems to help is using a Magic Genie bobbin washer. I also use them in my Janome (they come in two different sizes, one for domestic machines and one for longarm machines...but you can probably use the smaller one in both machines with no problem). I have heard that the magna glide pre-wound bobbins are also helpful.

There are two excellent online resources for HandiQuilter users: the yahoo group for HandiQuilter, and the HQ Forum (which you can get to from the HandiQuilter website...I think you look under education). The HandiQuilter staff monitor the latter and jump in with suggestions as needed.

MagnaGlide bobbins are great! They take up a lot of the backlash. I would use them before the washers. The other thing that makes me ask is: are your bobbins pre-wound or are you winding your own? The ones you wind can be less consistent and could be causing you some grief. If you're using pre-wound, make sure you clean under your bobbin tension spring more often. Whatever the "glue" is that they use to make the thread stay in a doughnut gets under the spring and causes funky tension too.

Also, I was using a #19 needle a few weeks ago, but my technician said to stick with #18. Doesn't it make sense to use a bigger needle if I'm using a thicker thread? I'm always learning new stuff and love it when you offer your expertise.


Absolutely makes sense! My Gammill dealer told me to use a very large needle and slow down when using metallic thread on my machine. . . . best wishes.

seriously? King Tut is a dream to work with, for me. I love it.

Great thread! I was just in a long arm class today with Pat Barry (a really good teacher) and asked this very question. She suggested, beyond the normal checking tension, lint, etc, that I check 2 things: that tension on intermediate tensioner was not too tight--if it is, the top thread may be pushed out of the discs and then slides back in--but leaves a loop of thread on the back. The second reason she said this happens is that the thread may have a twist in it (not visible) that could even be from the factory--but when it comes through the thread path it stays twisted and,again, causes this loop on the back--the solution on this is to use all 3 of the guide holes (we were working on a Gammill and that is what I have--not all machines apparently have 3 holes in the thread guide between the intermediate tensioner and the front tensioner--but on the Gammill you typically skip the middle guide hole when threading). She said this gives enough extra tension to smooth and untwist the thread.

I've noticed this problem more on king tut than on so fine thread, so think that the 2nd reason may be what is happening for me--although I do htink I had the tension set too tight when I was using Glide--it kept popping out of the tension disc. One other thing she said was that most of us probably wind our bobbins too tight--a comment I had also heard from a Gammill dealer at the Des Moines AQS show.

Don't forget the great customer service with HandiQuilter. If you continue to have issues, I would give them a call or send them an email with the link. I had an issue on a Friday afternoon. I thought I wouldn't hear until Monday, but they called back right away and of course user error and I happily quilted all weekend.