Quilting a Batik Quilt and Tension Issues - Update at #16
02-22-2016, 03:30 PM
#31
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Location: East Kootenays, BC
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I don't have a long arm, but do have two machines in which the bobbin is oriented vertically that I use for Fmq. On one of them I had a backlash that looks exactly like what you are showing and realized I'd accidentally put the bobbin in backwards-- it happened right after I'd finished piecing a quilt on my machine with a horizontal drop in bobbin (p orientation for the bobbin) and moved over to my Fmq machine with the vertical bobbin (q orientation for bobbin insertion).
Rob
Rob
that's really interesting! I would say it's something I always check, because I always look at my bobbin when I replace it to ensure that when I pull the thread off it, it should rotate clockwise. But I will keep it in mind. I don't know if mine would even work if I put it in backwards and I can stitch for a long time between backlashes. Thanks for mentioning this point tho'.
K
02-23-2016, 09:31 AM
#32
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Location: Las Vegas, NV
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Thank you so much, I understand now and will watch the video 
My colors are all similar, so I'll try just washing with the synthrapol & color catcher, I've used both at times. I just hate to put a lot of work into a quilt and then have it ruined. I like the wash & wear types better as gifts, lol!
My colors are all similar, so I'll try just washing with the synthrapol & color catcher, I've used both at times. I just hate to put a lot of work into a quilt and then have it ruined. I like the wash & wear types better as gifts, lol!
Hi. There is a HQ Webinar on Tension Tug of War on the Handi Quilter website under the Education link. Vicki Hoth discusses this but I'm not sure she demonstrates it, but have a look at that. Essentially instead of only flossing your thread through and up from the bottom of the tension discs, you continue to have your thread travel completely around them before continuing threading the machine. I pretty much always prewash all of my fabric, batiks included. I throw a colour catcher in to see if anything gives off dye enough to wash it again. Someone suggested I wash the backing a few times, but I found the backing was flimsier than the regular batik I used on the top anyway, so didn't think it would be an issue after one wash. I tried Retayne once and didn't find it worked that well for setting the dye and after discovering it is not a permanent fix as you mentioned, don't plan on using it again. I think you're probably better off using synthrapol or colour catchers in the subsequent washings to deal with any further bleeding issues that could happen, but that's just my opinion.
02-23-2016, 09:34 AM
#33
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Location: Las Vegas, NV
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My Janome has the drop in bobbin, but what's interesting is what I found in some of my on-line searches trying to fix the tension problem with fmq on batik. Someone suggested to actually put the bobbin in backwards...I was so frustrated, I gave it a try and it was much better! Not sure this would be helpful on a Sweet 16, but it worked in my Janome
Hi Rob,
that's really interesting! I would say it's something I always check, because I always look at my bobbin when I replace it to ensure that when I pull the thread off it, it should rotate clockwise. But I will keep it in mind. I don't know if mine would even work if I put it in backwards and I can stitch for a long time between backlashes. Thanks for mentioning this point tho'.
K
that's really interesting! I would say it's something I always check, because I always look at my bobbin when I replace it to ensure that when I pull the thread off it, it should rotate clockwise. But I will keep it in mind. I don't know if mine would even work if I put it in backwards and I can stitch for a long time between backlashes. Thanks for mentioning this point tho'.
K
02-23-2016, 10:07 AM
#34
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,665
I have no answer for you, but had an incident recently where I sent my batik quilt off to a quilter in another city. I bought my wide backing at Joann's and even washed the backing to get some of the sizing out. Well, she returned it to me and said she tried to quilt it and her stitches kept skipping and she changed needles several times, but she just couldn't do it; felt I wouldn't be happy with the results which I wouldn't have. She didn't charge me anything, but now I have an unfinished quilt just sitting here and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. Don't know if it was the top or backing that was the problem so I'm thinking another backing for it.
02-24-2016, 09:45 PM
#35
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: East Kootenays, BC
Posts: 947
I have no answer for you, but had an incident recently where I sent my batik quilt off to a quilter in another city. I bought my wide backing at Joann's and even washed the backing to get some of the sizing out. Well, she returned it to me and said she tried to quilt it and her stitches kept skipping and she changed needles several times, but she just couldn't do it; felt I wouldn't be happy with the results which I wouldn't have. She didn't charge me anything, but now I have an unfinished quilt just sitting here and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it. Don't know if it was the top or backing that was the problem so I'm thinking another backing for it.
. Good luck with your quilt!
03-26-2016, 05:18 PM
#39
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
Most of the batik quilts I've done on a long arm are not backed by batick. That has not caused any tension problems but I do find when I have an all batik on the frame , that I don't want as much tension on the rollers as that does seem to cause more thread shredding, especially when using a very fine thread (like Bottom Line).
03-26-2016, 07:29 PM
#40
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Central Iowa
Posts: 2,347
I have also had problems with the baticks being on the front and the back. They are both very tight weave.
I am not a real fan of the glide thread. I usually use aurifil 50wt. I do wind my bobbins until the bobbin wider stops on it's own.
I am not a real fan of the glide thread. I usually use aurifil 50wt. I do wind my bobbins until the bobbin wider stops on it's own.
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