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From: skoochybug
Date: 06-16-2007, 08:32 PM (1 of 11)
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I'm hoping someone here can help! My Janome embroidery machine just started acting up after 2 years and lots of use. I have already cleaned it out, changed needles, rethreaded, adjusted tension, etc, to no avail. It is sewing fine, but when I try to do embroidery, the top thread starts popping up and then bunching up underneath. It seems like some kind of a tension problem. I am using the same thread, bobbin, fabric, hoop, and stabilizer I have used successfully many times. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks! |
User: skoochybug
Member since: 06-16-2007 Total posts: 4 |
From: Tom Land
Date: 06-17-2007, 09:58 AM (2 of 11)
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Skoochy, It sounds like you've covered all the bases of what we call "operator error". My next suspicion would be that either there is trash between your tension discs or you have used a low grade thread like Coats & Clark and ruined your bobbincase.
Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: MissTaraTara
Date: 06-17-2007, 01:35 PM (3 of 11)
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you have used a low grade thread like Coats & Clark and ruined your bobbincase. Please explain how this can happen. 
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User: MissTaraTara
Member since: 01-24-2006 Total posts: 227 |
From: skoochybug
Date: 06-17-2007, 02:47 PM (4 of 11)
| I only use genuine Janome bobbins and Superior Highlights thread- my machine prefers this brand over all others. So I'm using high quality thread. I did clean out the tension disks as best as I could.... |
User: skoochybug
Member since: 06-16-2007 Total posts: 4 |
From: skoochybug
Date: 06-17-2007, 02:50 PM (5 of 11)
| If the top thread is popping up randomly, is that related to the bobbin tension or the sewing thread tension? What I can't figure out is why it sews the complicated sewing stitches perfectly, and only on the embroidery the thread pops..... |
User: skoochybug
Member since: 06-16-2007 Total posts: 4 |
From: paroper
Date: 06-17-2007, 04:35 PM (6 of 11)
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The major thing I had to learn was to raise the presser foot when I thread the machine EVERY TIME. I guess that I usually thread the machine only once when I sew and I always raise the presser foot when I finish a piece...that is automatic. However, when the color finishes, there is no motivation to lift the presser foot when doing embroidery. I you are skipping this step when you are embroidering, the result should be exactly as you describe.
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: Tom Land
Date: 06-17-2007, 07:03 PM (7 of 11)
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Please explain how this can happen. Low quality thread can cause a number of problems. Most often this is due to an inconsistent thread size or excessive lint. In the case of Coats and Clark they wrap their thread instead of twisting it. This makes for a rougher thread so it doesn't pass through the machine as smoothly... hence increased tension. With the increasing number of plastic and metal alloy parts it can actually cut or shave parts like a plastic bobbincase. Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: skoochybug
Date: 06-17-2007, 08:44 PM (8 of 11)
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Hmmm....good point. I'm thinking I generally raise the presser foot in order to use the auto needle threader, but I'm not positive. What exactly would it do to the machine if I were skipping this step? (what part gets damaged?) The major thing I had to learn was to raise the presser foot when I thread the machine EVERY TIME. I guess that I usually thread the machine only once when I sew and I always raise the presser foot when I finish a piece...that is automatic. However, when the color finishes, there is no motivation to lift the presser foot when doing embroidery. I you are skipping this step when you are embroidering, the result should be exactly as you describe. |
User: skoochybug
Member since: 06-16-2007 Total posts: 4 |
From: paroper
Date: 06-17-2007, 08:53 PM (9 of 11)
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I don't know that anything necessarily gets damaged, although I imagine that you could be in danger of bending something from the pressure of the thread nests. They can get large pretty fast. I've had a couple where I had to remove the stitch plate to get rid of the nest. When you raise the presser foot on a serger or machine, you open the tension disks and allow the thread to pull freely through the channels to the needle. When you close the presser foot, the pull of putting the thread into position has placed the thread within the tension disks and lowering the presser foot then allows the disks to close around the thread. Now, other things can come into play here....things like old thread left in the disks from thread breakage, whatever can keep the disks from closing correctly. For the most part, about 85-90% (I would guess...after all about 90% of all "statistical percentages" are made up...)...are probably related to the thread not being properly seated in the tension disks. This is not necessarily the ONLY cause, probably just the most common. 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: Tom Land
Date: 06-18-2007, 06:10 AM (10 of 11)
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Re-reading your posts. It is possible that your embroidery unit is dirty. Your embroidery arm has a slot that allows lint to get down into the unit. (This is one reason all the other brands use a seperate embroidery unit). If this is the case you will need to take it in for servicing. If the machine sews perfectly and the problems only arrise when embriodering that pretty much narrows it down to needles, stabilizer or a dirty embroidery unit. When the unit gets dirty the hoop will hang momentarily then move too late after the needle is already back down in the fabric. The result would be exactly what you are describing.
Have fun or don't do it, Tom
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User: Tom Land
Member since: 09-21-2005 Total posts: 514 |
From: Dianne Walker
Date: 06-27-2007, 05:13 PM (11 of 11)
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Hi Skoochy I'm sure this will be of no help what soever in solving your problem but just to let you know that you are not alone with this problem with a Janome MC 10001. Mine has always brought bobbin thread to the surface when I wind the bobbins myself even with the proper Janome bobbin thread. The prewound Janome bobbins work fine. I can wind my own for anything else except embroidery and they work fine. Like yours all the fancy stitches cause no problem at all so I have now got used to keeping bobbins separate and always putting a pre wound for embroidery and one of my wound for all other work. Don't understand it. It is a nuisance though as it means frequently buying prewounds which are obviously a lot more expensive. I have been through all the cleaning and checks you've mentioned all to no avail. Will watch with interest to see if you get to the bottom of it. Cheers Dianne Dianne
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User: Dianne Walker
Member since: 01-05-2005 Total posts: 59 |
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