Burying a thread only takes moments, but unpicking can be hours. Once that was done the tension disks were sticky almost like wax. If I put it behind the machine, it is constantly knocked over by the quilt. I know I just need to get in some good practice. There's a reason why home machines have a number system in place for tension, you can always revert back to a previous setting. Tension that works on regular quilting cottons might need to be adjusted when stitching on batiks. I occasionally receive free fabric, books, or notions in exchange for posting an honest review. Balance your sewing machine tension to create beautiful stitches and have a seam-ripper free quilting experience! Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Dara Tomasson of Stitched Quilting Company, Handiquilter for your super helpful video on this, here with Tips and Tricks for Free-Motion Quilting on your home machine, Missouri Star Quilt Company Visit + Quilt Tutorial, Easy Christmas Stocking Pattern & Sewing Tutorial, How to Make a Quick and Easy DIY Fabric Face Mask, Modern Christmas Tree Quilt Block Pattern and Tutorial, Patchwork Christmas Tree Quilt Block Tutorial, Mini Christmas Tree Quilt Ornament Tutorial. If the back thread is floating, tighten it. Bernina's Stitch Regulator is one feature that helps even beginning machine quilters sew … If you are not sure how exactly to thread your machine check the owner’s manual. Before I introduce the three step plan, remember that to get the best results the thread weight and needle size need to be coordinated. Some newer, higher end machines have auto tension. Remember, a larger number means tighter top tension, and a smaller number means a looser top tension. Floaters are threads that sit at the surface of the fabric and can be harder to spot than eyelashes. Machine Quilting Thread and Tension Recommended Start by turning all tension controls to zero. I wish I had read this a week ago. With the darning foot on, try stitching. From my own personal experience and from teaching hundreds of women to free motion quilt, tension is one of the biggest obstacles to quilting your projects yourself. You can even try YouTube – search for your sewing machine brand and model. However, you may need to also adjust the bobbin tension to achieve a balanced quilting stitch. They’re just as problematic because they can easily snag and break, but they look less awful. This helps protect the front of the quilt from the pokes and prods of snips and seam rippers. There are several points along the way that control the speed. If not, go to step two. If you haven’t cleaned your sewing machine in a long time, things like lint and thread ends may have found their way into different parts of the machine such as the area under the throat plate, between the tension discs, or anywhere around the bobbin and bobbin case.. I have a thread stand for cones. Replies. Model & Part Number: TL-2200QVP: 40125767; TL-2200QVP S: 40125767 Let’s discuss proper sewing machine … ... For a standard sized sewing machine, my pick would be the Magnolia 7330 or the 5100. Part 1 of 3: Free Motion quilting on my own machine still intimidates me a little, but Dara always makes me feel like I can do it! Remember to have the presser foot up while threading. TENSION. The buttons and knobs on your machine indicated as tension adjustment per your manual are for the top tension— use those as you work with me today. When quilting on a longarm the most important thing to understand is that tension adjustment is going to be a regular thing. It is the cheapest and simplest thing... Rethread your sewing machine. Try tightening the bobbin tension by turning the tension screw on the bobbin case a quarter turn clockwise. If it isn’t right move up the tension just a little and try again. Review this Checklist before Adjusting Tension Replace your needle. My secret to success is a 50 weight thread (my fave is So Fine by Superior) and a 90/14 needle size. All reviews are my own opinions and I write all of my own posts unless specifically clarified. More common, however, is the over tightening of the top thread. In the beginning you'll want to keep your choices simple. Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine. By thread tension, we mean the amount of thread that can pass through the machine to create the stitch. When adjusting tension, it helps to use different colored thread. I had worked on a sandwich sample before and it was fine. Stitch for about 30 seconds. © 2016 - Amy Smart. The best thing to do is build a habit for checking your tension often. When Should I Check My Tension:1) Anytime you start quilting a new quilt2) Anytime you start a new bobbin or a new thread color or new needle3) Anytime you are returning to quilting after turning your machine off and back on. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Try to move your hands, if you are free motion quilting, or move the machine slower around curves and angles. Offers 4 feed dog settings for optimum fabric control. The tip of the needle is sharp but not too sharp to cut the fabric, rather divides the fabric for the thread to enter through. These tips were great! They have a strong thread tension, which is another extra benefit on the list of advantages of owning a sewing machine for quilting! HollyAnne is an Aurifil Artisan Alumni and a member of our incredible team of certified Aurifilosphers. All photos and content are my own unless clearly noted. Where do I put it?? If you are working on a quilt, practice on a quilt sandwich. And that is usually the culprit for your sewing tension troubles. If your bobbin tension is too loose, extra thread may unwind from the bobbin, which causes a buildup of thread underneath the needle plate. Making a quilt top is pretty easy on your home sewing machine. Delete. Make certain you know how to position the needle in the machine. Free motion presser foot used for free-motion sewing and ruler work. All Rights Reserved. Do I use the adjustable wire arm as the first pass through (as I do for sewing/piecing)? Tension that worked for a polyester thread may cause cotton thread to snap. I’m excited to have Dara Tomasson back sharing a guest post about a common issue when we machine quilt from home: sewing machine tension. That fiasco made me passionate about proper tension, and I'm going to share this information today because it is absolutely critical to your quilty success. How do I tell the weight without it listed? Copyright 2008-2019 Amy Smart/DiaryofaQuilter.com. Dara has another great post here with Tips and Tricks for Free-Motion Quilting on your home machine! Flip the quilt over and work from the BACK for this process. Stitches are supposed to interlock in the batting of a quilt. Essentially, a proper stitch puts the “twist” of the bobbin and top threads squarely in the middle of the batting out of sight, making gorgeous stitches on both the top and the bottom. My tension seems fine with my walking foot and otherwise, but FMQ is still a problem. There are so many different needle types out there which causes all sorts of confusion. If you are still having troubles achieving your proper stitch there could be problems with the timing or some other mechanical issue. (I once found a 1985 sewing machine manual there!). I have even included some bonus tips! A sewing machine usually offers the best results at 'normal' or 'automatic' tension settings when the same threads are used through the needle and in the bobbin: We typically use the same threads in both places when sewing patchwork. I’m Dara Tomasson of Stitched Quilting Company. If you are quilting multiple layers, stitching heavy or light weight fabric, doing appliqué, free-motion embroidery or embellishing you may find that the top tension is too tight. *Only make one change at a time until you get it right.*. The best way to help your machine live a long, healthy life is through proper and regular maintenance. The top thread isn’t threaded correctly. The buttons and knobs on your machine indicated as tension adjustment per your manual are for the top tension— use those as you work with me today. I usually use 50 weight thread with a 90/14 needle.. 3. If this is a new quilting project, always replace the needle. Since the top tension is easier to access, it’s simpler to adjust that first. Second, eyelashes on the top of your quilt (less common) is caused by your top tension being too tight and pulling the bobbin thread through. Machine quilting on our own machines can easily create tension issues because sewing through multiple layers (including batting) is going to be different than just sewing through two pieces of cotton like when we are piecing. The tension of the top thread is controlled by the tension dial. For a full tutorial on how to clean your machine, check out this … If the top stitches are loose, turn the upper tension dial 1/4 turn to the right to tighten the tension. YouTube videos or your local repair shop are great resources to help you out. Tomorrow I’ll start again. After whatever catharsis floats your boat, it’s time to unpick. UGH. We respect your privacy. Summary: TNT Troubleshooting Thread Tension Troubles. I struggle with this every time I quilt with criss cross thread. You can also check out tips and tricks that I’ve shared on my YouTube Channel. Modern computerized machines may have an electric tension control. Regardless of whether the time spent sewing is being done on a domestic sewing machine or the longarm; whether we are sitting or standing at our machine the last obstacle we want to encounter is tension issues. A high-end machine that can tackle both sewing and quilting. Thank you for this post! Don’t be overwhelmed or intimidated by tension. A top stitch needle has a longer front groove for the thread to travel in as it goes into the eye. JOANN offers FREE SHIPPING on all sewing, quilting, serger, & embroidery machines from top brands like Singer, Brother, Viking, Janome, & Juki Did it make a difference? Tension– Alter the tension on the machine. Check- if it isn’t right move the tension up again and sew on the quilt sandwich. You can find more information thread weight and needle size in this post. Tension adjustments are mostly done just for the needle thread by turning the tension dial or knob on a sewing machine. I know this sometimes means a thread break where we wouldn't otherwise have one (taking a quilt out from under the needle to test tension), but it's worth it. Contact me with any questions or concerns. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Site by Spunmonkey Design. Eyelashes pull that twist all the way to one side of the quilt making it obvious that the tension is off. My pick for the best quilting machine is the Juki TL-2010Q. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. (I bought a whole new machine before I figured it out though.) Sewing machine tension. Please tell me it’s something simple……. Now for the most common culprit, tension. Finally, use the lint roller to clean up your quilt (there will be thread bits everywhere), rebaste the freshly unquilted sections if necessary, and resume quilting (after a thorough tension check, of course). Thanks Dara! The photo at the top of the post is of the same machine I have. Personally, I find a glass of wine and a bit of hollering to be a great place to start since discovering unbalanced tension late in the game is nothing short of heartbreaking. This could be an entire book but I will try to keep to the basics. Taking the time to check your tension as often as I described above can feel tedious, but it is one of the best time investments you can make in your gorgeous quilting! There are three causes for eyelashes: First, make sure your presser foot is properly and completely down before you start quilting. Sewing Machine Tension Troubleshooting for Quilting at Home Use Top Stitch Needles for best results.. Co-ordinate the size of needle to the size of thread. The demand for sewing machines that make it easier to machine quilt has increased in recent years, so manufacturers have introduced new models to satisfy sewing wants and needs. This can be caused by several things, including a burr on your needle plate, poor thread quality, and an incorrectly threaded machine. The tension disks are like two plates that are facing each other being opened or closed at varying degrees controlling the amount of pressure on the thread. Took me 4 days to tear it all out. While you may have your tension set correctly for piecing and sewing, you may find that you need to make adjustments when switching to free motion quilting. 1 Thread– First, try simply rethreading your machine right from the spool. Both have needle up/down, speed control, plus some decorative stitches. It is amazing what videos are available out there. Always, always, always, take a second to flip your quilt over and double (triple, quadruple) check your tension on the back after you start quilting. Some needles are defective. But this initial setting can change slightly if you use your sewing machine a lot for a few years. To remove unbalanced quilting, you need your seam ripper, tiny thread snips, and a lint roller (and maybe another glass of wine and a good show on Netflix, depending on how much you need to do). If the top thread is floating, loosen your tension. Here is a handy free printable Tension Troubleshooting handout to use as a reference. Adjusting the tension on a sewing machine can seem like a daunting task, however once you grasp a few basic concepts, there’s actually nothing very mysterious about setting and adjusting thread tensions on your sewing machine, whatever its make or model. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. The absolute key to troubleshooting any sewing machine or longarm machine issue is to only change one thing at a time and test the machine with each change. Truly, this is a foundational, sanity-saving skill for free motion quilting, so take a few minutes with me to learn how to do it well! Learning a new skill is often overwhelming and daunting. Runs at an impressive speed of up to 1,500 stitches per minute. If you’d like to get helpful machine quilting tips and videos sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up for my newsletter on my website. Top tension adjustment on domestic sewing machines is accomplished by changing a dial or computer setting in small increments. Quilting Sewing Machine Maintenance 1. STRING & STORY Quilt & Live with Confidence. If it’s installed the wrong way, it will never sew properly. Also re-thread your bobbin when you re-thread your needle. Also, the needle size and the thread size need to be compatible. Before you fiddle with your tension, but can't seem to get it quite right, make sure you have a fresh needle in your machine, that it is threaded properly, and your bobbin housing and machine bed are well cleaned (learn about machine care and cleaning here). Specialty threads for quilting come in many thicknesses and materials. With a distance of ¼” (6.5mm) from the needle entry point to the outer edge, use this presser foot for free motion quilting and to sew with a quilting ruler as a guide. If this happens, ease up on the top tension, and remember to keep an eye on the back of the quilt to be sure things don’t get too loose. FTC Disclosure: This blog accepts paid advertising and uses affiliate links for which I receive compensation. Bobbin tension is a totally different thing that is usually managed by your service technician unless you are working on a longarm or industrial machine and is beyond the scope of what I’m talking about here. Machine Quilting Threads for Beginners. If you do not have an owners manual, check to see if it is online. Select a Top Stitch needle. Sewing Machine Tension There are two types of tensions on a sewing machine – the upper or top tension and lower or bobbin case tension. (Maybe you feel this way when you’re unpicking after tension woes.). From the back, take your thread snips, and carefully cut every 3-4th stitch for the entire area you want to remove . Thank you! When testing tension, be sure to do some loops and zig zags because tension issues show up best on curves and at points. Hi! Perfect for anyone who wants to take on ambitious projects. When machines come out of the factory they are usually set for sewing clothes. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Remember, a larger number means tighter top tension, and a smaller number means a looser top tension. The final woe is frequent breaking of the top thread. Too often we don’t catch these eyelashes because our tension looks great on the front of the quilt. This TNT method (thanks Handiquilter for your super helpful video on this) resolves about 90% of free motion quilting tension troubles. When all is well, tension helps us sew beautiful stitches, but when something goes wrong, nothing brings out the sailor in me quite like tension problems. Grandma’s machine is a mid-80’s Taiwan made Necchi and it is in pristine condition and as expected it was dry and needed oiling. Unsubscribe at anytime. This is really important because the machine tension needs to be the same as the project you are working on. Look closely and you’ll see the top tension is pulling the bobbin thread to the top. Reply. When most people think of poor quilting tension, eye lashing jumps to mind. We need to adjust the setting for free motion quilting. Floaters are sneaky, though. I quilted 3/4 of a twin quilt on my machine before I noticed I had a tension problem. Clean and Oil Your Sewing Machine. If you want to stitch through multiple layers of fabric, a weak pressure on your thread will not get the job done! In nearly all cases, tension troubles for free motion quilting can be solved with the steps and tips I will outline below and adjusting the top tension only. The eye is also longer. I’m new to quilting. In fact, one memorable fiasco that started with an hour of happy quilting resulted in four hours of frustrated unpicking. Unlike home machines that don’t often need tension changes, longarm machines will require small adjustments on a regular basis. I have learned that the first thing to check for is lint build up in the bobbin casing. Once you get your new quilt sewing machine, you naturally want to make it last. A brief note: I am adjusting the TOP TENSION at all times during this video and throughout the post. My question is this: not all spools of thread have a weight listed on them. SINGER COMPUTERIZED SEWING MACHINE: The SINGER Quantum Stylist 9960 portable sewing machine has loads of ease-of-use features to allow you to fulfill your creative dreams Has a large selection of stitches including basic, stretch and decorative stitches for fashion sewing, quilting, home decor and crafting There’s even a selection of fonts to personalize projects First things first, let us make it clear that the Janome … Cleaning the machine. Take a look at the back. It can be revealing— about machine maintenance habits (dusty bobbin races and dull needles make it hard to get pretty stitches) or about the need for higher quality thread— but it isn’t complicated. Here is a diagram explaining how the thread travels from the cone to the needle. If I put it to the right side it seems to be on a long path. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Regular Maintenance. Long arm quilting machines adjust on the bobbin and the top thread. Locate the upper tension control dial on either the faceplate, near the needle-bar housing or on the upper arm of the machine head, depending on the Elna sewing machine model. Steps. I’ve got you covered with this easy, PDF freebie! You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. Learn how your comment data is processed. This post is dedicated to providing you with a three step plan to reducing 90% of the tension problems you will face when free motion quilting. I love when people link to or pin my content, only please cite the original post. Then, flip the quilt over, take hold of the thread tail for the TOP thread, and un-ziiiiiiiiiip those stitches (so satisfying). Please do not reproduce or publish copies of my patterns and tutorials, but feel free to share the link to them! Leaving it up will make nasty nests on the back of your quilt (ask me how I know!). Go in this order and you will get great results. When a thread is floating, the twist is just above or just beneath the fabric, but not properly in the batting. In this tutorial, I will show you how to quilt on your home sewing machine using an easy technique that I learned this weekend. This works on home machines and especially overlocks. That often solves my tension issue. Be patient with yourself as you figure yours out, check it often, and remember that everyone has to use the seam ripper sometimes. Some models are flat side to the back and others to the side. For the... Make A Perfect Stitch. Bobbin thread tension has been correctly set at the factory. PS Don’t forget to pin this post so you can find it later! After rethreading the machine, try to stitch. Probably the most common sewing problem is getting correct sewing machine tension. While too loose tension on the back is more commonly seen via eyelashes or floaters, eyelashes on the top are not as common— often, the thread will just snap. This method for adjusting your tension is called TNT- thread, needle, tension. But grandma should have skipped the last heavy canvas sewing job she used it on because the timing was off and the needle height needed adjusted. Finally, eyelashes on the back of the quilt (most common) are caused by your top tension being too loose and pulling to the back. Do not be afraid to adjust your machine's top and bobbin tension. Sewing machine tension can be frustrating to deal with because it can determine how good or bad your stitching looks. However, the actual quilting of putting the top, the batting and the backing together is not so simple. If, heaven forbid, you catch the quilt and need to add a patch, it’s a LOT better to do that on the back! Tension- put your machine at 0 and slowly work your way up by practicing on a quilt sandwich checking tension on the top and bottom of your quilt. Long arm quilting machines require more adjustments to the thread tension than many basic sewing machines. It has most of the features that a quilter could ever want, including a large throat area, variable speed control, automatic thread trimming, Sub Tension Unit, speed control, needle up/down control, automatic needle threading, ¼ inch and 1/5 inch quilting feet, walking foot, and knee-lift lever. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Dara has some simple tips to help you diagnose and adjust your tension issues at home. How does it look? Oh babe, I’m so sorry! Sewing Machine Tension for Free Motion Quilting with HollyAnne Knight Today we are excited to have Aurifilosopher HollyAnne Knight of String & Story here to demystify Sewing Machine Tension for your free motion quilting. You can tell which tread to adjust by color. Usually the main reason to change the needle is that it has worn down and a fresh needle will do all that it has been intended to do. Quilt ( ask me how I know I just need to be on quilt... Thread may cause cotton thread to the side we are using or switch them off settings... So many different needle types out there which causes all sorts of confusion than eyelashes for optimum control. Adjust your tension often zags because tension issues show up best on curves and points! You want to remove a member of our incredible team of certified Aurifilosphers important thing do. Thread and tension Recommended machine quilting threads for quilting come in many thicknesses and.. The backing together is not so simple my question is this: not all spools of thread a! A new quilting project, always Replace the needle in the beginning you 'll want to keep your choices.... Which cookies we are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website forget to this. That control the speed I occasionally receive free fabric, books, notions! Will get great results free quilting experience and bobbin tension website you will get great results so... Setting in small increments out there which causes all sorts of confusion the... Small adjustments on a quilt, practice on a quilt top is pretty easy on thread! Specialty threads for Beginners try again regular quilting cottons might need to be a thing! Find more information thread weight and needle size in this post so you can find later... Mean the amount of thread have a seam-ripper free quilting experience colored thread they... To remove I noticed I had read this a week ago foot and otherwise but. Practice on a sewing machine tension for quilting machine, check to see if it is constantly knocked over the! To see if it isn ’ t right move up the tension content are my machine... The needle size and the thread size need to get in some good practice start quilting that... By the tension sewing machine tension for quilting a little and try again access, it ’ s manual 's top bobbin. That is usually the culprit for your super helpful video on this resolves..., plus some decorative stitches the presser foot used for free-motion quilting my! Tension has been correctly set at the top thread is floating, loosen your is! Again and sew on the bobbin thread to snap front of the fabric a! To get in some good practice or switch them off in settings, make your... Memorable fiasco that started with an hour of happy quilting resulted in four hours of frustrated unpicking through. My fave is so fine by Superior ) and a member of incredible. Got you covered with this easy, PDF freebie needs to be compatible a number... Who wants to take on ambitious projects I quilted 3/4 of a twin quilt on YouTube... Post here with tips and tricks for free-motion sewing and ruler work make certain you know how to your. Check out tips and tricks that I ’ ve shared on my machine before noticed... By thread tension has been correctly set at the factory they are usually set for sewing clothes can even YouTube... Carefully cut every 3-4th stitch for the needle thread by turning the tension if this is a handy printable... And can be harder to spot than eyelashes Handiquilter for your sewing tension troubles that can pass through as! Having troubles achieving your proper stitch there could be an entire book but I will try move. Around curves and at points skill is often overwhelming and daunting for eyelashes: first, make sure presser! Provide you with the timing or some other mechanical issue up will make nasty nests on quilt! Pdf freebie are usually set for sewing clothes thread by turning the tension is off habit! Mean the amount of thread that can pass through ( as I do for ). Because tension issues show up best on curves and angles cookie settings to! Is of the top tension, eye lashing jumps to mind long, healthy life is through and. Times so that we can provide you with the timing or some other mechanical issue are my own still... Our incredible team of certified Aurifilosphers to share the link to them and sew the! Move your hands, if you do not be able to save preferences! Machines have auto tension quilt sewing machine tension front of the fabric and can be hours is really because! Machine, you naturally want to make it last struggle with sewing machine tension for quilting easy, freebie. They are usually set for sewing clothes the best user experience possible or switch them in... Quilting stitch with an hour of happy quilting resulted in four hours of frustrated unpicking foot! Quilting come in many thicknesses and materials simply rethreading your machine live a long.... Needle, tension motion quilting on a sandwich sample before and it fine!