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tension problems
Posted: Nov. 24, 2008, 9:59 PM
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| I'm new to this forum and new to my HQ 16. My tension was fine until I changed the thread and now it's awful and I can't seem to fix it. It looks fine on top and looks like railroad tracks underneath. What do I do??? Help?! |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 25, 2008, 5:56 AM
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| I know how frustrating this can be. Have you done the tension test on the bobbin by holding it in the palm of your hand and gently trying to lift the bobbin case off your hand by the thread? It should almost lift off your palm as the thread pulls out. If that is good the top tension might need adjusting. Also check your machine and make sure you have it threaded correctly. Pin a scrape quilt sandwich on the rails and adjust until your stitches look good top and bottom. Good luck. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 25, 2008, 9:38 AM
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| Thank you for your reply. Now I know this is a very basic question, but tell me, if after the bobbin tension is adjusted and it's still bumpy underneath my fabric, do I loosen or tighten the top tension? And by how much, a couple of clicks or a whole turn? |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 25, 2008, 10:28 AM
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From your description, sounds like you are getting "eyelashing" on the back side of your quilt.
If this is happening, you are sewing a curve and you are going too fast on the curve. Just like driving a car, you have to slow down when sewing in a curve. When we all started quilting with the machine this is a very common problem. Try slowing down on the curves to see if this helps. Keep us posted on your progress. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 25, 2008, 10:41 AM
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Start with tightening the top tension. Turn the knob to the right(righty tighty, lefty loosey). Remember that the top tension is not as sensitive as the bobbin, so turn more it more that a hair. A couple of the lines on
knob at a time. Eventually you will find the right tension. Then it's all worth the trouble. Happy quilting. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 25, 2008, 6:54 PM
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| I've checked everything and still have "eyelashes" on the back side of my practice quilt sandwich. They are on the curves as well as on the straighter runs. Did I really mess up something or what? |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 25, 2008, 7:48 PM
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You didn't mess it up bad. Tension problems are more difficult sight unseen for many of us.
Have you called HQ? They are awesome at helping sight unseen and can help you. What do you mean by bumpy? What does it look like? Is it caused by top or bottom thread? More info please :) |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 25, 2008, 11:27 PM
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I'm not sure which thread is the biggest problem. The bottom thread is almost a straight line like you could almost pull it right out and the the top thread pokes through the bottom and looks like railroad tracks. The top of the piece looks normal to me, it's just the underside that is a mess.
Thanks for all the help so far - just hoping to get it right soon. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 26, 2008, 4:50 AM
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Excellent description! Eyelashes look exactly like eyelashes and railroad tracks look exactly like railroad tracks. Either one tells whats happening.
What you're seeing is the bobbin thread is pulling the top thread too tightly and to the bottom. It may be the top thread is too loose, or the bobbin thread is too tight. Because it's easier to adjust the top thread, lets start there. Turn top tension to the right to tighten it up (pulling it back to the top). So, righty-tighty, by 1/4 turn. Test and see if it's better or worse. If worse, return back to original setting. If better, continue until it's back to normal. If worse, then loosen the bobbin tension by turning it 'lefty-loosey' in 5 minute increments and testing. This should do it. (Small adjustments here have huge impacts on the bobbin! Only do 5 minutes at a time.) Repeat until it's back to normal. I think this is the one that will solve your problem. Just keep working with it. Adjust and test. It takes patience :) Once learned, you will know next time. This is common for all quilting machines and users, so everyone deals with it :) It's not just you or your machine! Do know the HQ Helpdesk is awesome and could have solved this for you in 10 minutes :) They're used to helping us learn to work with our machines - and this a common problem. Do not be afraid to call them. Let us know how this works :) Deb |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 27, 2008, 6:05 AM
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| dgroby that was a great description of tension correcting. Maybe you should work for HQ16. Sometimes it takes a quilter to talk to a quilter and make perfect sense. Happy Thanksgiving. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 27, 2008, 9:02 AM
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I was surprised at first by how much I had to turn the top tension control knob to see a change in the tension. I was doing just tiny turns til I got alittle frustrated one time and did a whole turn of the knob. What a difference that made (for the good!). Now I just need to tweak it alittle here and there at times.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 29, 2008, 6:21 PM
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Well, it's me again, and still with problems. I've tried all of the very helpful hints that you have given me and they all sound like they should have worked. But the only way the tension is even close to looking good is when the top tension knob is all the way tight and the bobbin tension is very, very loose. I'm sure that can't be right. I'm so frustrated that I wish I hadn't gotten into this. Of course, the help desk is not available until Monday, so I'm in tears.
Thanks anyway to all of you who have tried to help. I wish I would have had a class or some kind of instruction on setting the tension. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Nov. 30, 2008, 6:10 AM
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It's me again also :) It's quite all right for the bobbin to be very loose and the top to be very tight. Nothing wrong with that as long as it sews well. Many machines sew best with this type of setting, and frequently my own is set like this, depending on the thread. Whatever tension setting it is sewing well at, is the correct one. It will not sew well if it's not. It's that simple.
You never said what brand of thread you have in the top and bobbin, and that does make a difference in how tight the top thread must be. The stronger the thread, the tighter the top tension. King Tut will be very tight, So Fine looser. So, there are times that this is the proper setting. The proper setting is...if it sews well, that's it! The way I read your message it sounds like it's sewing better, but your concerned the tensions can't possibly be right. But if it's sewing OK, they are! So, is it still off a little? If so, have you tried turning the tension knob more? It's OK to do that! Keep turning and adjusting until it's better. That's the secret, and don't be afraid. When it gets too tight it will cause the bobbin thread to come to the top - when that happens turn 1/2 turn the other way and test. This is how you adjust it. Keep turning until the bobbin comes to the top, then back it off a little - and you're perfect :) And don't worry - this is the worst thing you will experience with any quilting machine - but you will learn :) Deb |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Dec. 2, 2008, 5:12 AM
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| On the old forum someone suggested turning the top tension knob all the way one way, left or right. Then turn it the opposite way and count the turns. Placing a mark on the knob will help. Then turn it back 1/2 the number of turns to find the middle of the range. She said this was a good way to start with the top tension. Then test your bottom tension like HQ16 tell you and try sewing. It seemed to work for her if my memory serves me right. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Dec. 2, 2008, 10:25 AM
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I would recommend if you haven't looked at the videos on this site as to how to check your bobbin tension they are good and we had a demo at our local store and the bobbin tension is very loose.... and if you have that bobbin tension correct it is always the top... go to Superior Thread's web site and print off the paper on tension and you'll learn whether to righty tighty or lefty loosey... and in this month's Machine Quiilting Unlimited it has a great article on tension... I was afraid of adjusting tension too until I actually saw the demo at our store.
judy |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Dec. 2, 2008, 11:16 PM
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Just want to say thanks to all of you have given helpful comments and encouragement. I finally broke down and took my machine to the local dealer, and found out that the tension spring was faulty. They replaced that and now all is well! I've printed out all of your comments to keep for further reference and have signed up for a class for a hands-on lesson on tension and other mechanical problems that could arise.
This is a great site! Thanks for being here. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Jan. 20, 2009, 12:40 PM
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| I've tried all the suggestions about tension and adjusting...doesn't work. I don't have a dealer in this state so I have noone to contact. I'm really sorry I have this machine....it's more trouble than it's worth. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Jan. 20, 2009, 4:15 PM
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| Contact HQ via their toll free number. They are great and will talk you through any problem on the phone. Don't give up. |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Jan. 20, 2009, 5:43 PM
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Oh, please don't be so down! Help yourself by calling HQ helpline. Really - there is no reason to be that frustrated with this machine. It's not as hard to fix as you think, it's just that it's new to you. And that means it's harder for you to adjust as you haven't learned how yet. That's all. Every one of us had to learn.
The Helpline can walk you through this in no time flat. They deal with it all the time. Please give them a call. There is just no reason to continue to deal with this level of frustration. That's what they are there for...and they can't help you if they don't know you have a problem. Hope you take this advice :) Debbie in Austin |
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Re: tension problems
Posted: Jan. 21, 2009, 9:48 AM
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Bev
Would you please call Handi Quilter and ask for someone in the Education department (Vicki, Hatty, Cheryl or Kathi)? You have not stated what the problems are, but we would be happy to talk you through any issues you are having. The Education Department is open Monday - Friday 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Hope to hear from you soon. Kathi Salter Handi Quilter Studio Educator |
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