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From: bridesmom
Date: 12-06-2005, 08:22 PM (1 of 13)
ARRGGHH  I am making a pair of denim camo shorts for the oldest son and have been trying to topstitch using topstitch thread on the top spool, regular thread in the bobbin. I have adjusted my tension to 5.5 on the top, left bottom alone. New 110/16 needle. Stitch length 4.5 I am still having problems with the topstitch thread looping on the bottom, though not all the time, just in certain areas. I've tried going tighter on the tension but it doesn't make any difference. I'm sewing SLLOOOWWW. Any suggestions out there before I rip the whole mess out?? 
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: Chrysantha
Date: 12-06-2005, 09:13 PM (2 of 13)
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Denim needle and bobbin wound in the same thread....stitch set on 3. (worked for me on a jumper) Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: bridesmom
Date: 12-07-2005, 12:57 AM (3 of 13)
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Kath, both spool and bobbin with the topstitch thread???
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: Sancin
Date: 12-07-2005, 04:07 AM (4 of 13)
Are you skipping or looping stitches when you go over thick seams, common with denim? Try a 'humper jumper' under the back of your sewing foot as you approach the thickness and then move it to the front as you exit the thickness. I could never shorten pants evenly until I discovered this trick. Thread tends to loop when you come off the hump. There is probably some physics answer but I can't think of it. 
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895 
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From: bridesmom
Date: 12-07-2005, 04:39 AM (5 of 13)
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I'm looping all along the seam that I am topstitching, which is only the edge of a pocket but not in every stitch and really badly looping at the beginning and the end as well as on a corner, the thickness of the fabric is the same all the way along. I have the little jean thing-a-ma-jig but wasn't using it cause I'm not on a hump at all.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: Sancin
Date: 12-07-2005, 04:58 PM (6 of 13)
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Do you need a new needle? and/or are you holding your threads at the beginning and ending of the seam?
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895
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From: bridesmom
Date: 12-07-2005, 09:32 PM (7 of 13)
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Yes and yes. I'm going to go down and try again for a while before totally giving up. Wish me luck.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: bridesmom
Date: 12-08-2005, 01:12 AM (8 of 13)
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I tried again doing the side seams and gave up, I have now ripped out all the topstitching I did. Any one have any suggestions as to what I can do now?? Would doing a triple stitch work to give it the same look?? Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: Sancin
Date: 12-08-2005, 03:01 AM (9 of 13)
Ripping out triple stitch would be more work.  Sorry, but I have no more suggestions. The only time anything like that happened to me I took my machine to repair shop, got it fixed, and tech told me not to use coats thread on a horizontal post.
*~*~*~* Nancy*~*~*~* " I try to take one day at a time - but sometimes several days attack me at once."
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User: Sancin
Member since: 02-13-2005 Total posts: 895
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From: MaryW
Date: 12-08-2005, 07:11 AM (10 of 13)
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I always thought you were supposed to have regular thread in the bobbin for topstitching. Is it a jeans needle you are topstitching with?
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: bridesmom
Date: 12-08-2005, 07:27 AM (11 of 13)
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I do have regular thread in the bobbin Mary and I am using a denim needle. I have done some surfing to see what is suggested and I think I may try using two threads at a time on the spool and see if I can get a similar effect. I've never really tried the topstitching thread before except in small items and it's worked fine. But this time it made a horrible mess on the underside. That's why I was wondering if I used a triple stitch with regular thread, if it would give me a denim topstitch look. I guess I'll just experiment some more.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D |
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004 Total posts: 2026 |
From: dmoses
Date: 12-08-2005, 08:51 AM (12 of 13)
The first thing I do whenever I get stitching problems is clean out the bobbin area. I had to do it a couple of nights ago after finishing some quilting projects...there was a ton of lint in there!  Have you tried a 'topstitching' needle...it has a larger eye to accommodate the thicker thread(it shouldn't be used for regular thread). I think a denim needle is sharp enough to go through the layers, but I don't know if it has a large enough eye for the topstitching thread. If you are sewing over a particularly bulky section, you may want to place a wedge of fabric under the back of the presser foot to keep the presser foot flat...apparently if the foot isn't riding flatly over the fabric, the feed dogs can't do the work of pulling the fabric through. Also, I looked in some of my books, and it was suggested that a different presser foot may be needed...you could try a walking foot or a zipper foot. Hope this helps. Take care,
Donna |
User: dmoses
Member since: 02-22-2002 Total posts: 964 
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From: MaryW
Date: 12-08-2005, 08:58 AM (13 of 13)
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I haven't tried it but Julie from Timmel says the triple stitch looks very nice on denim. Here is her article.http://www.timmelfabrics.com/denim2.htm Try the triple stitch on scraps first to be sure it will be ok. Everything is sewn three times. I would hate to have you rip that out!!! 
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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