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From: HeatherL
Date: 02-14-2005, 01:47 PM (1 of 10)
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The problem is this: my needle thread frequently frays and breaks. That is, as I'm sewing, the strands of thread shred apart until there's only a spider-web's thickness left threaded through the eye of the needle (and the rest is a bunched-up mess!). I am constantly having to cut the thread and rethread the needle. Is this caused by too-high needle tension (a default problem on my machine, alas)? Or is there another issue? Right now, the fabric I'm using is a standard quilter's calico, and I'm using a size 14 needle...but I've had the problem with other fabrics and needle sizes as well. |
User: HeatherL
Member since: 03-13-2004 Total posts: 102 |
From: Catalina
Date: 02-14-2005, 02:17 PM (2 of 10)
| Hi! I think it may be your thread is worn and dried out. Try a brand new spool of good quality thread. Penny |
User: Catalina
Member since: 01-06-2005 Total posts: 119 |
From: HeatherL
Date: 02-14-2005, 02:31 PM (3 of 10)
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...it's brand new thread and high quality. And I've had it happen with a number of different threads. I've had my tension slider all over the map; would it be worth it to take my machine in for service? Is it possible that the tension adjuster itself could be in need of attention? |
User: HeatherL
Member since: 03-13-2004 Total posts: 102 |
From: DorothyL
Date: 02-14-2005, 03:08 PM (4 of 10)
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Can you see where it is shreading -- where it stops being spider web thin and starts being a bunched up mess? It seems like that would be your trouble spot. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: HeatherL
Date: 02-14-2005, 05:15 PM (5 of 10)
| Yeah...it actually is shredding either at the eye of the needle OR down below in the bobbin assembly. Could something under the throatplate be affecting it? |
User: HeatherL
Member since: 03-13-2004 Total posts: 102 |
From: Sewhappie
Date: 02-14-2005, 05:21 PM (6 of 10)
| It sounds to me like you have a burr somewhere on your bobbin casing or the throat plate at the needle opening. If you can take your bobbin casing out, use your fingernail and go around both the bobbin casing and the shuttle ( what holds the bobbin casing into the machine, also do this with the throat plate, if you feel anything that catches your nail you have a burr there. Use very fine emory cloth and file in one direction. Do not use a finger nail file, this can cause more damage than good. You can get the emory cloth at any hardware store. |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
From: HeatherL
Date: 02-14-2005, 07:08 PM (7 of 10)
| I will try that!! |
User: HeatherL
Member since: 03-13-2004 Total posts: 102 |
From: paroper
Date: 02-14-2005, 11:30 PM (8 of 10)
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I went to a class today where the teacher spent a lot of time discussing threads and needles. She says that before each stitch, your machine moves the thread an average of 37 times back and forth through the needle before it actually makes the stitch. She says that matching the needle size to the thread is very important. The higher the thread number, the lower the needle number should be. According to her, a very large number of people who have a lot of broken needles tend to push or pull the fabric through the machine instead of allowing the feet to do the work....this puts stress on a delecate needle and causes it to move too far in one direction or another and break. She says that thread nests are a problem with upper thread tension but many times, broken thread has to do with a mismatch between needle, thread, and fabric that is being sewn. This teacher is a retired home ec teacher and retired sewing machine shop owner. Using her logic, you might want to change your needle size (sometimes even the type)and/or thread.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: mamadus
Date: 02-15-2005, 05:13 AM (9 of 10)
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I think that sounds pretty logical to me Pam...I also think that sometimes the thread we buy can be old or dried out... which will contribute to the problem... Just my 2 cents.. MO life is too short, not to explore
|
User: mamadus
Member since: 12-31-2004 Total posts: 492 
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From: paroper
Date: 02-15-2005, 09:24 AM (10 of 10)
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It was rather funny. She spent about an hour talking about breaking needles, tension, etc. When we finished, we went out to the new Bernina Aurora 440 where they did a brief demo of the Bernina Stitch Regulator and then asked for volunteers to play with the machine. Only about three of us did, but the third one was a fabric pusher, you could just tell by the way that she guided the fabric. The teacher was trying to get her to relax and let the machine work...but after years of doing it there was no way she could easily stop, nor did she quite understand what she was doing. It was rather interesting. it rather stresses the importance of forming good work when we are learning. When you put the fabric under the presser foot, your guide hand should always be flat on the fabric to keep it from slipping to one side. If you are doing free motion work, both hands should be flat and relaxed on top of the fabric. In free motion work, you should just guide the direction, The machine will do the rest.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
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