Long Arm Thread Breaking…

I’ve been practicing on many charity quilts and now that I’m actually doing a quilt that is going to be a keeper my thread has started to break…

It all started with the bobbin thread as I had just wound a new bobbin.. This has been going on for quite a while but I finally got fed up and asked a FB group Beginner LongArm Qulters for some advice.

My question went like this:

QUESTION:  I Have a HQ Sixteen on a frame and could someone please give me some ADVISE PLEASE, each time I change my bobbin and I start sewing (this only happens At the beginning of re inserting the bobbin) it will sew for a few inches then its like the bobbin thread breaks… It quits sewing with bobbin. I have no idea what I may be doing wrong. Its inserted into the bobbin so it unwinds clock wise and the i put it in the slit so it comes out of the spacing for the thread.

SOLUTION: From the responses I got I came to conclude that

1.Do not over fill the bobbin,

2.Hold your top and bottom threads always

3.Check the bobbin tension and that its treaded properly.

 

I got this problem figured out but now the top thread was shredding.

So Back to the group for advise,

QUESTION:  I’m working on a hq16 on a frame… my top thread keeps shredding or coming out of the needle I’m not sure wich happens 1st, I’ve changed the needle, retreaded it thru the tension discs everything looks correct. I just purchased the tread at the beginning of September 2017 … Any suggestions on this?

SUGGESTIONS: Not in any particular order

1. Change your needle. I had already done that.
2. Change needle size use larger.
3. Bad or old  thread spool
4. Slow down your movements.
5. Make sure your thread is going through all the tension discs, hooks and eyes correctly.
6. Is your needle backwards or not inserted properly
7. Is tread twisted around the thread holder at the top of the machine
8. Turn eye of the needle to 5 O clock or 530
9. Glide thread is slick. When you stop, it just keeps on going. To counteract, place a small piece of batting in the thread guide above the spool holder. This adds to the friction and slows the thread down just enough.
10.  pull out 24 to 30 inches of thread after a break … a break will often weaken the thread
11. Use thread conditioner
12. Clean tension discs
13. Is the quilt too tight on the frame. Loosen it a bit.

SOLUTION:

1. Changed needle to bigger size 18.
2. Moved eye to 5 o clock 
3. Loosened the tension on the sandwich.
4. I’m slowing down.

It now seems to be working better.  I was able to finish the on point background with no issues.

I sure hope this will save some grief for someone else who is experiencing this issue with their long arm.