I have just finished a nice quilt and used King Tut top, Sew Fine bottom. No problems....

I started to do some charityquilts and changed to a different less expensive thread and it shreads and breaks after 9-10" of quilting. So here I go. I spent the entire afternoon trying to get it to stop doing that. The stitches are beautiful but the thread shreads and breaks. I've tried everything.

Are all Long Arm machines this tempermental? or is it just the Tin Lizzie?

So sorry for your problems. I don't have tension problems very often, but a new dealer cleaned my machine and it took me all day to get the tension back to where I like it. I will stick with my regular dealer from now on...

it could be the thread-some threads just do not work for quilting no matter what machine you have.

The APQS Millenium I use at work is like that and worse depending on the day. When it quilts, I just don't want to stop...when it doesn't quilt, I might as well leave and try again another day. I've talked to the representative about it and have used other machines, it seems like the problem is most likely the age of our thread combined with in-proper storage. Any chance that could be your problem? Our main "shredders" are King Tut and Rainbow...not the normal for shredding.

Don't have one but I think some are finicky about threads from what i hear

my tin lizzy is a sisters to yours. it dont like any thing but good good thread, the little miss smarty pants lol

I also have a tin lizzie and have the same problem. It seems like I spend so much time working with this problem. I sure wish I had an answer.

Well, I guess I'll just have to let my Lizzie be a thread diva and feed her nothing but King Tut. Spoiled Brat!

I don't have the Tin Lizzie but an HQ.

When the thread shreds it is usually because of the needle. Evidently the industry standard for quilting machine needles is that 3 out of 10 needles are defective! Only for us would that be so high.

If the thread breaks it is usualy a thread problem. I have had defective thread and returned it and the LQS confirmed it was defective thread.

It is sooo dry here that many LAer's put their thread in the refrigerator or spray mist the thread with water [just a bit and let it sit in a plastic bag or use that thread lubricant [I forget the name of that one, sorry.]

Many LAer's also use the TOWA to check the bobbin tension with each new bobbin winding. That way they only have to adjust the top tension.

Hope this helps.

ali

I have a Bailey not a tin lizzie however when my thread breaks often if I change my needle it usually solves the problem. Good luck with yours.