Okay, Count me in!

[Reetzbobeetz]

Well I have just stepped away from the quilt because my thread was breaking and annoying me :x I have done the ditch work and I had just changed my thread to do the FMQ but it kept shredding. I had decided to use one of the Rainbows threads from Superior, which I love, but my machine seems to think otherwise. I have Bottom Line in the bobbin, I am using a Topstitch 90/14 and I did reduce my tension. In fact I tried the thread beforehand on a practice piece with every single gauge of the tension dial to be sure that I had the right one for FMQ. Oh, it's enough to make your hair curl :x :x

[Margo]

Well I have just stepped away from the quilt because my thread was breaking and annoying me :x I have done the ditch work and I had just changed my thread to do the FMQ but it kept shredding. I had decided to use one of the Rainbows threads from Superior, which I love, but my machine seems to think otherwise. I have Bottom Line in the bobbin, I am using a Topstitch 90/14 and I did reduce my tension. In fact I tried the thread beforehand on a practice piece with every single gauge of the tension dial to be sure that I had the right one for FMQ. Oh, it's enough to make your hair curl :x :x

Rita, did you see this troubleshooting video on the Daily Blog by Dr. Bob? http://daily-blog/104-superior-threa...ng-guide-video

[Needleware]

I am halfway done with my blocks - love this method. Gyleen spoke and did a workshop at our guild in 2011 - it was wonderful

[Renata]

Well I have just stepped away from the quilt because my thread was breaking and annoying me :x I have done the ditch work and I had just changed my thread to do the FMQ but it kept shredding. I had decided to use one of the Rainbows threads from Superior, which I love, but my machine seems to think otherwise. I have Bottom Line in the bobbin, I am using a Topstitch 90/14 and I did reduce my tension. In fact I tried the thread beforehand on a practice piece with every single gauge of the tension dial to be sure that I had the right one for FMQ. Oh, it's enough to make your hair curl :x :x

Rita, my mantra is TNT: Thread/Needle/Tension. The last time I encountered the problem you're experiencing, it was with Sulky threads and they kept on shredding no matter what I did with the tension and I did slow down the machine speed. I know it sounds like heresy, but I tried a Schmetz universal needle (I believe it was 80/12) and the shredding stopped. I've never looked at Rainbow threads so you would have to determine the size of the needle based on the thread. Might be worth a try.

[Reetzbobeetz]

Thanks Renata. The needle recommended for Rainbows is a 90/14 topstitch. The tension has just gotten worse in the last few minutes. Now I have huge loops coming up from the bobbin and no matter what I do nothing is changing that. I think it's time for bed and I will look at it with fresh eyes in the morning. I might even try an 80/12 needle too. Goodnight. Rita.

Yes Margo I did look at Dr. Bob's tutorial on troubleshooting. I will also try my other machine in the morning and see if it is happening there too. Thanks for the link. Rita.

[Scoopie]

Rita, I know you have probably checked this, but I thought I'd mention it, because it has happened to me. I thought my top tension was getting tighter and tighter, only to find out the thread was wrapping around the upright machine thread holder. If you are using a cone on a cone holder, then this is probably not your problem. (And, I can't remember if you are on a long-arm or not.)

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[pam7040]

I have only done a few very small pieces using free motion quilting but my biggest problem is that I forget to lower the foot on my Elna machine and because the tension doesn't engage properly when that happens, I get huge loops at the back. :roll: :roll: :roll: Rita is it possible that this is what happened to you late in the day when you were tired :wink:

Whatever is causing the problem I hope that you can find the answer in the morning when come back to it afresh.

[fiquilts]

I just finished quilting a quilt using Superior Highlights thread with my HQ 16, and had the thread start breaking after quilting two rows with no problem. I've done whole quilts with Rainbows and Highlights without the thread breaking, so I know it works. Changed the needle,checked tension, watched Bob's video, still no luck. Then I remembered "thread net" (I was using a cone). Put one on and no problems after that.
Fi

[fiquilts]

Thanks Renata. The needle recommended for Rainbows is a 90/14 topstitch. The tension has just gotten worse in the last few minutes. Now I have huge loops coming up from the bobbin and no matter what I do nothing is changing that. I think it's time for bed and I will look at it with fresh eyes in the morning. I might even try an 80/12 needle too. Goodnight. Rita.

Yes Margo I did look at Dr. Bob's tutorial on troubleshooting. I will also try my other machine in the morning and see if it is happening there too. Thanks for the link. Rita.

hi its toni. when having a problem with thread . Stop have a coffee and a pill and lie down. rethread the machine,clean machine change needle, Put tention back to normal and try again, I hope that helps a little.
good luck toni

[Reetzbobeetz]

Ladies, and Toni the Rabbit :lol: , I think that without this forum and all your very valuable help I would have given up this hobby at least 6 months ago. I cannot tell you just how wonderful it is to have this kind of information available at my fingertips. My local dealer is 3 hours away by car so he's not much help really.

Dawn, I wasn't using a cone of thread and the thread was not caught on the spool pin. Fi, I will remember that bit of advice about putting a thread net on with a cone. Pam, I had dropped the feed dogs and released the IDT so that wasn't the problem. And Margo, I did watch Bob's video but that didn't help either. Toni, I did stop and went to bed. Got up this morning re-threaded everything, checked my tension, changed to another 90/14 needle in case it was the needle and still no joy. So I had a break went back and tried Renata's suggestion of a Schmetz universal 80/12 needle. THE SCHMETZ UNIVERSAL 80/12 NEEDLE WORKED!Thanks for all of your suggestions I really appreciate them. I am now going back to wobble my way through this quilting design with less dread in my stomach. Rita.

[Margo]

WHOO-HOO!! So glad you got that figured out!

[Margo]

hi its toni again, The rabbits name is mixy which we adopted several years a go and my full name it toni-anne , I am really glad the all worked out well. Now i am asking how do i get my signature on screen ops: ops: Thanks toni-anne

[Margo]

hi its toni again, The rabbits name is mixy which we adopted several years a go and my full name it toni-anne , I am really glad the all worked out well. Now i am asking how do i get my signature on screen ops: ops: Thanks toni-anne

toni-anne, for tips on using the TQS forum (including signatures and posting photos) check here: http://forum/forum-questions-and-sug...-the-tqs-forum

[Renata]

Good morning, Rita!
Glad things worked out for you with Rainbow thread. Before I read the posts this morning, I found another possible solution if this happens again. I have not tried it but it makes sense to me. I found it on the Bernina website.

I don't know what kind of machine you have so I don't know whether this is relevant to you. My Bernina 380 bobbin case has a finger protruding. If you thread the bobbin thread through that finger, often that will compensate for the differences in thread weights between your upper thread (Rainbow 40 wt) and lower thread (Bottom Line 60 wt).
Renata

[Reetzbobeetz]

Thanks for that Renata. One of my machines has a bobbin like that so it's useful to know anyway. The one I am using has a top-loading bobbin so it's completely different. The machine is a Pfaff Expression 02.