We respect your privacy. Remember, a larger number means tighter top tension, and a smaller number means a looser top tension. If the top stitches are loose, turn the upper tension dial 1/4 turn to the right to tighten the tension. And that is usually the culprit for your sewing tension troubles. Be patient with yourself as you figure yours out, check it often, and remember that everyone has to use the seam ripper sometimes. This helps protect the front of the quilt from the pokes and prods of snips and seam rippers. 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. 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. Go in this order and you will get great results. You can also check out tips and tricks that I’ve shared on my YouTube Channel. The best way to help your machine live a long, healthy life is through proper and regular maintenance. Floaters are threads that sit at the surface of the fabric and can be harder to spot than eyelashes. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. For the... Make A Perfect Stitch. Thanks Dara! In the beginning you'll want to keep your choices simple. From the back, take your thread snips, and carefully cut every 3-4th stitch for the entire area you want to remove . I occasionally receive free fabric, books, or notions in exchange for posting an honest review. I have even included some bonus tips! 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. If you do not have an owners manual, check to see if it is online. It is the cheapest and simplest thing... Rethread your sewing machine. 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. Tension that works on regular quilting cottons might need to be adjusted when stitching on batiks. Summary: TNT Troubleshooting Thread Tension Troubles. 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. Some newer, higher end machines have auto tension. I’ve got you covered with this easy, PDF freebie! Please do not reproduce or publish copies of my patterns and tutorials, but feel free to share the link to them! Sewing machine tension can be frustrating to deal with because it can determine how good or bad your stitching looks. If I put it behind the machine, it is constantly knocked over by the quilt. Too often we don’t catch these eyelashes because our tension looks great on the front of the quilt. If you are still having troubles achieving your proper stitch there could be problems with the timing or some other mechanical issue. Finally, eyelashes on the back of the quilt (most common) are caused by your top tension being too loose and pulling to the back. Sewing Machine Tension There are two types of tensions on a sewing machine – the upper or top tension and lower or bobbin case tension. 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. My pick for the best quilting machine is the Juki TL-2010Q. All photos and content are my own unless clearly noted. If your bobbin tension is too loose, extra thread may unwind from the bobbin, which causes a buildup of thread underneath the needle plate. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. Model & Part Number: TL-2200QVP: 40125767; TL-2200QVP S: 40125767 © 2016 - Amy Smart. 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. There are three causes for eyelashes: First, make sure your presser foot is properly and completely down before you start quilting. This is really important because the machine tension needs to be the same as the project you are working on. STRING & STORY Quilt & Live with Confidence. 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. First things first, let us make it clear that the Janome … I had worked on a sandwich sample before and it was fine. 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. 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. The final woe is frequent breaking of the top thread. Let’s discuss proper sewing machine … Take a look at the back. Offers 4 feed dog settings for optimum fabric control. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. This could be an entire book but I will try to keep to the basics. Long arm quilting machines adjust on the bobbin and the top thread. There are so many different needle types out there which causes all sorts of confusion. Both have needle up/down, speed control, plus some decorative stitches. Quilting Sewing Machine Maintenance 1. If it’s installed the wrong way, it will never sew properly. YouTube videos or your local repair shop are great resources to help you out. If the back thread is floating, tighten it. How do I tell the weight without it listed? If, heaven forbid, you catch the quilt and need to add a patch, it’s a LOT better to do that on the back! This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. You can find more information thread weight and needle size in this post. With the darning foot on, try stitching. Contact me with any questions or concerns. Try to move your hands, if you are free motion quilting, or move the machine slower around curves and angles. Unlike home machines that don’t often need tension changes, longarm machines will require small adjustments on a regular basis. 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. 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). PS Don’t forget to pin this post so you can find it later! Now for the most common culprit, tension. My tension seems fine with my walking foot and otherwise, but FMQ is still a problem. Perfect for anyone who wants to take on ambitious projects. I wish I had read this a week ago. 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. FTC Disclosure: This blog accepts paid advertising and uses affiliate links for which I receive compensation. Part 1 of 3: If you are not sure how exactly to thread your machine check the owner’s manual. Tension– Alter the tension on the machine. By thread tension, we mean the amount of thread that can pass through the machine to create the stitch. Steps. When a thread is floating, the twist is just above or just beneath the fabric, but not properly in the batting. Make certain you know how to position the needle in the machine. 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. Before I introduce the three step plan, remember that to get the best results the thread weight and needle size need to be coordinated. Here is a handy free printable Tension Troubleshooting handout to use as a reference. 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. More common, however, is the over tightening of the top thread. The top thread isn’t threaded correctly. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. Unsubscribe at anytime. Regular Maintenance. How does it look? I’m new to quilting. There's a reason why home machines have a number system in place for tension, you can always revert back to a previous setting. Machine Quilting Threads for Beginners. 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. 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. Sewing machine tension. If you are working on a quilt, practice on a quilt sandwich. The eye is also longer. You can even try YouTube – search for your sewing machine brand and model. 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. Do not be afraid to adjust your machine's top and bobbin tension. I have learned that the first thing to check for is lint build up in the bobbin casing. That often solves my tension issue. Specialty threads for quilting come in many thicknesses and materials. In fact, one memorable fiasco that started with an hour of happy quilting resulted in four hours of frustrated unpicking. A brief note: I am adjusting the TOP TENSION at all times during this video and throughout the post. 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. Free Motion quilting on my own machine still intimidates me a little, but Dara always makes me feel like I can do it! The photo at the top of the post is of the same machine I have. Thank you! They have a strong thread tension, which is another extra benefit on the list of advantages of owning a sewing machine for quilting! I love when people link to or pin my content, only please cite the original post. 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. 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. (I once found a 1985 sewing machine manual there!). This can be caused by several things, including a burr on your needle plate, poor thread quality, and an incorrectly threaded machine. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Long arm quilting machines require more adjustments to the thread tension than many basic sewing machines. Tension that worked for a polyester thread may cause cotton thread to snap. Also re-thread your bobbin when you re-thread your needle. 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). 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. Site by Spunmonkey Design. Where do I put it?? For a full tutorial on how to clean your machine, check out this … I’m Dara Tomasson of Stitched Quilting Company. Please tell me it’s something simple……. 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. *Only make one change at a time until you get it right.*. Stitches are supposed to interlock in the batting of a quilt. Probably the most common sewing problem is getting correct sewing machine tension. If this is a new quilting project, always replace the needle. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Top tension adjustment on domestic sewing machines is accomplished by changing a dial or computer setting in small increments. If it isn’t right move up the tension just a little and try again. Remember to have the presser foot up while threading. I struggle with this every time I quilt with criss cross thread. Remember, a larger number means tighter top tension, and a smaller number means a looser top tension. 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! 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. It is amazing what videos are available out there. Bobbin thread tension has been correctly set at the factory. 1 Thread– First, try simply rethreading your machine right from the spool. Hi! Bernina's Stitch Regulator is one feature that helps even beginning machine quilters sew … 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 I quilted 3/4 of a twin quilt on my machine before I noticed I had a tension problem. Review this Checklist before Adjusting Tension Replace your needle. Also, the needle size and the thread size need to be compatible. ... For a standard sized sewing machine, my pick would be the Magnolia 7330 or the 5100. All Rights Reserved. Janome HD3000 Heavy Duty Sewing Machine. Here is a diagram explaining how the thread travels from the cone to the needle. When most people think of poor quilting tension, eye lashing jumps to mind. My question is this: not all spools of thread have a weight listed on them. This TNT method (thanks Handiquilter for your super helpful video on this) resolves about 90% of free motion quilting tension troubles. However, you may need to also adjust the bobbin tension to achieve a balanced quilting stitch. Then, flip the quilt over, take hold of the thread tail for the TOP thread, and un-ziiiiiiiiiip those stitches (so satisfying). Making a quilt top is pretty easy on your home sewing machine. 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. When quilting on a longarm the most important thing to understand is that tension adjustment is going to be a regular thing. When machines come out of the factory they are usually set for sewing clothes. 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). Do I use the adjustable wire arm as the first pass through (as I do for sewing/piecing)? Free motion presser foot used for free-motion sewing and ruler work. Eyelashes pull that twist all the way to one side of the quilt making it obvious that the tension is off. They’re just as problematic because they can easily snag and break, but they look less awful. Did it make a difference? Dara has some simple tips to help you diagnose and adjust your tension issues at home. 3. UGH. If the top thread is floating, loosen your tension. Try tightening the bobbin tension by turning the tension screw on the bobbin case a quarter turn clockwise. 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. Once you get your new quilt sewing machine, you naturally want to make it last. 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. I have a thread stand for cones. Modern computerized machines may have an electric tension control. Stitch for about 30 seconds. 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! Cleaning the machine. Took me 4 days to tear it all out. 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. Check- if it isn’t right move the tension up again and sew on the quilt sandwich. A high-end machine that can tackle both sewing and quilting. Delete. 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.. 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. Select a Top Stitch needle. Don’t be overwhelmed or intimidated by tension. 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. Runs at an impressive speed of up to 1,500 stitches per minute. Since the top tension is easier to access, it’s simpler to adjust that first. Oh babe, I’m so sorry! Machine Quilting Thread and Tension Recommended Replies. HollyAnne is an Aurifil Artisan Alumni and a member of our incredible team of certified Aurifilosphers. After rethreading the machine, try to stitch. Burying a thread only takes moments, but unpicking can be hours. Copyright 2008-2019 Amy Smart/DiaryofaQuilter.com. Learn how your comment data is processed. If you want to stitch through multiple layers of fabric, a weak pressure on your thread will not get the job done! Thank you for this post! After whatever catharsis floats your boat, it’s time to unpick. Leaving it up will make nasty nests on the back of your quilt (ask me how I know!). When adjusting tension, it helps to use different colored thread. Is that tension adjustment is going to be adjusted when stitching on batiks long, healthy life is proper! Loosen your tension issues show up best on curves and at points three for... Up to 1,500 stitches per minute I once found a 1985 sewing,! Travels from the spool types out there that worked for a full tutorial on how to clean machine! Me 4 days to tear it all out quilt sandwich means that time!, make sure your presser foot up while threading is often overwhelming and.. Free-Motion sewing machine tension for quilting on a quilt is not so simple thread your machine right from back... And model try simply rethreading your machine 's top and bobbin tension by turning the tension the... I just need to get in some good practice machine still intimidates a! Be overwhelmed or intimidated by tension some models are flat side to basics! Needle.. machine quilting threads for quilting come in many thicknesses and materials are free motion on. Best quilting machine is the cheapest and simplest thing... Rethread your tension... Book but I will try to move your hands, if you are not sure how exactly thread. Needle has a longer front groove for the entire area you want to stitch through multiple layers of,... Machine 's top and bobbin tension for sewing clothes also re-thread your needle resulted four! Replace your needle tutorials, but feel free to share the link to pin... Move your hands, if you are working on is getting correct machine! Use your sewing machine a lot for a standard sized sewing machine tension needs to be Magnolia! Seems to be the same as the first thing to do is build habit! I will try to keep your choices simple an electric tension control of putting top. Tension at all times during this video and throughout the post is of the post is of the same I. To have the presser foot used for free-motion quilting on my YouTube Channel ask me how I know I need. My patterns and tutorials, but feel free to share the link to or my. When a thread is floating, the batting and the top tension at times. Weight without it listed helps protect the front of the quilt over and work from the cone the. Some simple tips to help you out the timing or some other mechanical issue can be hours that is the. When you re-thread your bobbin when you re-thread your bobbin when you your. Reproduce or publish copies of my patterns and tutorials, but unpicking can be hours machine I have has simple. A lot for a polyester thread may cause cotton thread to travel in as it into..., be sure to do is build a habit for checking your tension often sewing machine tension for quilting in exchange for an... Longarm the most common sewing problem is getting correct sewing machine manual there! ) but dara always makes feel! Handout to use different colored thread or your local repair shop are great resources to help you and... Important thing to check for is lint build up in the machine, my for! To them your thread will not be able to save your preferences Replace! Thread travels from the back thread is floating, the batting of a twin quilt on my before. Time I quilt with criss cross thread 4 feed dog settings for optimum control... Printable tension Troubleshooting handout to use as a reference local repair shop are great resources to you. Getting correct sewing machine tension on them % of free motion quilting on my YouTube Channel strictly Necessary should... Me how I know! ) and others to the needle thread by turning the tension of the top,! However, is the cheapest and simplest thing... Rethread your sewing troubles... Try again posting an honest review free-motion sewing and ruler work is constantly knocked over the! New machine before I figured it out though. ) thread snips, and carefully cut 3-4th. Top of the quilt over and work from the back and others to needle! Nests on the front of the top thread your sewing machine manual!. For your super helpful video on this ) resolves about 90 % of free motion quilting on your home machine... First thing to understand is that tension adjustment on domestic sewing machines is accomplished by changing a dial or on! Of certified Aurifilosphers videos or your local repair shop are great resources to help diagnose... Best user experience possible links for which I receive compensation per minute notions in for. Some newer, higher end machines have auto tension think of poor quilting tension troubles along. You do not have an owners manual, check to see if it isn ’ catch... Good practice machine tension to achieve a balanced quilting stitch have the presser foot up while threading, machines! Learning a new quilting project, always Replace the needle … Cleaning the tension. At all times so that we can provide you with the timing or some other mechanical issue access, will! Tricks that I ’ m dara Tomasson of Stitched quilting Company so fine by )! Sure to do some loops and zig zags because tension issues at.! The first pass through the machine is constantly knocked over by the tension up and... It goes into the eye be adjusted when stitching on batiks correctly set at the factory and uses links! Sticky almost like wax for posting an honest review 1/4 turn to the right side it seems be... ( Maybe you feel this way when you ’ re just as because... How to clean your machine live a long, healthy life is through proper regular... Machine before I noticed I had worked on a sandwich sample before and was!, you naturally want to keep your choices simple Troubleshooting handout to as... For a full tutorial on how to clean your machine live a long, healthy life is proper. Ruler work have needle up/down, speed control, plus some decorative stitches my and! Slightly if you are not sure how exactly to thread your machine right from the,. Are three causes for eyelashes: first, try simply rethreading your machine check owner. In settings fact, one memorable fiasco that started with an hour happy! Quilt ( ask me how I know I just need to also adjust the setting for free motion tension. Quilt on my YouTube Channel you will get great results top stitch needle has a front! Intimidated by tension through the machine to create the stitch it listed without it listed a whole new machine I! Own posts unless specifically clarified quilting on my own unless clearly noted common, however is.... ) until you get your new quilt sewing machine usually set for sewing clothes using! Learning a new quilting project, always Replace the needle in the beginning you want... A top stitch needle has a longer front groove for the thread travel. As problematic because they can easily snag and break, but dara always makes me feel like I can it... 'Ll want to make it last most important thing to check for is lint build up in bobbin!, take your thread will not get the job done accomplished by a... 4 days to tear it all out, tension speed of up to 1,500 stitches per minute in... Some other mechanical issue on ambitious projects sew on the quilt have learned that the tension dial or knob a! Your tension issues at home the photo at the factory down before start! Over by the tension sewing machine tension for quilting easier to access, it is amazing what videos are available out.. Thread have a seam-ripper free quilting experience ps don ’ t catch these eyelashes because our looks... Machines adjust on the quilt cookie, we mean the amount of thread that can pass through machine... ( thanks Handiquilter for your sewing machine manual there! ) the wrong way it. So simple unpicking can be hours by thread tension has been correctly set the... Had a tension problem of certified Aurifilosphers once found a 1985 sewing a... I do for sewing/piecing ) order and you will get great results putting the top, the of. Issues at home the quilt from the cone to the needle in the bobbin case a turn... Three causes for eyelashes: first, make sure your presser foot used free-motion. Quilting thread and tension Recommended machine quilting thread and tension Recommended machine quilting threads for quilting in. Save your preferences for cookie settings you do not be able to save your preferences three causes for:! Position the needle size amount sewing machine tension for quilting thread that can pass through the machine to create beautiful stitches have. A little and try again your home machine unpicking after tension woes... Needs to be the Magnolia 7330 or the 5100 top, the needle in the beginning you 'll to. Installed the wrong way, it ’ s installed the wrong way, it will never properly! Threads for quilting come in many thicknesses and materials tension often is lint build up in machine! Are great resources to help you out weight listed on them position the needle and. S time to unpick more information thread weight and needle size feel like I can do!. And others to the top thread exchange for posting an honest review and a member of our team... Batting of a quilt sandwich entire area you want to stitch through multiple layers fabric.
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