Fusible batting and tension
11-13-2017, 12:28 PM
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Fusible batting and tension
Have a weird problem with batting and tension
A king size duvet cover was cut up to make 3 wholecloth Linus quilts (it was brand new from the local charity shop). It is an opportunity to practice FMQ and ruler work on a HQ Sweet 16.
The batting in the first quilt was really top quality cotton batting from my own stash, poly thread and a using a size 16 needle. Tension was spot-on and the quilting a joy to do.
The second has fusible batting that my local guild provided; same spool of thread and same bobbin thread as above, but new needles. The tension is rubbish, erratic and will not hold. Thread is shredding, skipping stitches with a 16 needle. Here and there are tiny little thread loops on the back which I can pull through later (boring!). I have already gone up to a size 18 needle and the same problems happen.
The machine is just back from servicing and so I tested some duvet off cuts with my own batting - tension is perfect, so it isn't the machine.
When quilting through that fusible batting, the needle piercing the fabric sounds funny... sort of a thwap thawp like sewing cotton padding then snap snap snap like sewing through plastic. The fabric was only lightly fused as I had already marked it up for quilting and didn't want to heat set the marks.
Any ideas what is going wrong? I don't have much experience with fusible batting. I have a lot of unpicking to do and I don't want faff about on the third quilt using this batting. Is this just duff batting?
Many thanks
HettyB
A king size duvet cover was cut up to make 3 wholecloth Linus quilts (it was brand new from the local charity shop). It is an opportunity to practice FMQ and ruler work on a HQ Sweet 16.
The batting in the first quilt was really top quality cotton batting from my own stash, poly thread and a using a size 16 needle. Tension was spot-on and the quilting a joy to do.
The second has fusible batting that my local guild provided; same spool of thread and same bobbin thread as above, but new needles. The tension is rubbish, erratic and will not hold. Thread is shredding, skipping stitches with a 16 needle. Here and there are tiny little thread loops on the back which I can pull through later (boring!). I have already gone up to a size 18 needle and the same problems happen.
The machine is just back from servicing and so I tested some duvet off cuts with my own batting - tension is perfect, so it isn't the machine.
When quilting through that fusible batting, the needle piercing the fabric sounds funny... sort of a thwap thawp like sewing cotton padding then snap snap snap like sewing through plastic. The fabric was only lightly fused as I had already marked it up for quilting and didn't want to heat set the marks.
Any ideas what is going wrong? I don't have much experience with fusible batting. I have a lot of unpicking to do and I don't want faff about on the third quilt using this batting. Is this just duff batting?
Many thanks
HettyB
11-13-2017, 01:13 PM
#2
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Location: home again, after 27 yrs!
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hmmmm, i wonder if turning the quilt over and trying from the back would make a difference. i never worry about my 80/20 batting going in. which ever side goes in top side, is what works for me. good luck. Oh and fusible hasn't caused me problems yet!
11-13-2017, 02:31 PM
#3
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Location: Western Wisconsin
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Sounds to me as if the fusible is sticking to the needle, which will certainly throw off tension erratically on stitches. Fusing melds the fusible with fibers. My bet is that your light fusing left a lot of the fusible unmelted. The needle is sticking to the fusible, and the thwack-thwack is from the fabric top and backing sort of peeling the fusible off the needle as it goes up and down.
What kind of marking did you use? I would experiment with fabric scraps to see if you can use higher heat on the markings and still be able to remove them later. Other than using higher heat to actually melt the fusible in the quilt batting, my only thought is to change the batting. Better to unpick everything now and change the batting than try to deal with this problem throughout the quilt (assuming you are unable to use more heat).
What kind of marking did you use? I would experiment with fabric scraps to see if you can use higher heat on the markings and still be able to remove them later. Other than using higher heat to actually melt the fusible in the quilt batting, my only thought is to change the batting. Better to unpick everything now and change the batting than try to deal with this problem throughout the quilt (assuming you are unable to use more heat).
11-13-2017, 02:43 PM
#4
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,571
Sounds to me as if the fusible is sticking to the needle, which will certainly throw off tension erratically on stitches. Fusing melds the fusible with fibers. My bet is that your light fusing left a lot of the fusible unmelted. The needle is sticking to the fusible, and the thwack-thwack is from the fabric top and backing sort of peeling the fusible off the needle as it goes up and down.
11-13-2017, 03:30 PM
#5
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Lincolnshire, UK
Posts: 175
Prism99
You are probably right about the fusible sticking, but regretfully I can't use a higher heat setting as I know the marking won't wash out if I do. (I always pre-wash and wash the quilts before giving to Linus.) Think I will skin it, bin the batting and start again with my own batting and go back down on needle size.
Will do a fusible test on scrap before attempting to use it in quilt 3. If the problem persists, I will use my own batting again. I am not a fan of fusible and a number of other guild members were not thrilled when this batting was purchased.
HettyB
You are probably right about the fusible sticking, but regretfully I can't use a higher heat setting as I know the marking won't wash out if I do. (I always pre-wash and wash the quilts before giving to Linus.) Think I will skin it, bin the batting and start again with my own batting and go back down on needle size.
Will do a fusible test on scrap before attempting to use it in quilt 3. If the problem persists, I will use my own batting again. I am not a fan of fusible and a number of other guild members were not thrilled when this batting was purchased.
HettyB
11-13-2017, 03:43 PM
#6
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Location: Ontario, Canada
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HettyB ... before you strip it, try a different type needle.
One with a sharper point .... embroidery? topstitch?
Like the others, I am thinking it is the not fully melted glue that is causing the problem.
Try the sharper needle first before you go to all that extra work.
One with a sharper point .... embroidery? topstitch?
Like the others, I am thinking it is the not fully melted glue that is causing the problem.
Try the sharper needle first before you go to all that extra work.
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