Monday, January 26, 2009

Stashbuster report Week #4

Same song, 4th verse. Zero in, Zero out.

I did get the paint this week, though, and hope to get it all done on my dribs and drabs of offdays. Seems there's always an appointment or errands or housework that takes up my one full day off.

I have been sewing a little, since I moved the Bernina and table into a corner of the master bedroom when the family was here. I've been trying to sew that binding on DD's flannel quilt, but the thread breaks about every 6 inches. I changed the needle and found a burr on it, and thought that would stop the breaking, but it hasn't. I've fiddled with the tension, but that didn't help, either. As the master bedroom has pretty dim lighting, it's driving me nuts re-threading that needle every 6 inches! I finally found one of those little aluminum threaders, and that has helped some, but nothing else does.

The thread is Sulky variegated, and is no more than 3 years old, and the bobbin thread is not breaking, so I don't know what else to do. Suggestions, anyone?

6 comments:

MightyMom said...

did you adjust the bobbin tension? make sure the bobbin isn't in upside down or the needle backwards? normal "idiot checks" of is the spool on the peg right...machine threaded right...thread going through the tension plates the right way...

OK, to the book, Here's what my Kenmore's OM says for when the needle thread breaks

1 - the needle thread is not threaded properly
2--the needle thread tension is too tight
3--the needle is bent or blunt
4--the needle is incorrectly inserted
5--the needle thread and the bobbin thread are not set properly under the presser foot when sewing is starting
6--the fabric is not drawn to the rear when sewing is finished
7--the thread is too heavy or too fine for the needle

so there you have it.

audreypawdrey said...

I think MightyMom covered every possibility I could think of concerning the broken thread! Good luck with the painting. I love a freshly painted room. It just feels clean and fresh!:)

Libby said...

Broken thread *argh* In addition to the other very excellent suggestions - sometimes I think my machine has PMS (happens to the best of us *s*) When that occurs after all other ideas have been exhaused, I just turn it off, let it rest and come back another day.

Lori in South Dakota said...

try a different bobbin, rethread your machine. I had the same problem once, and I took my whole machine apart to find out my bobbin had been stepped on and was a bit "out of round". The first three things I check are rethreading, different bobbin, and new needle. usually solves most all problems!

Arlette said...

Sorry to hear about the sewing machine problems. Thread breaks every 6 inches? That's got to be so frustrating. Hope you figure out what is causing it.
Take care!
Aloha!

Anonymous said...

I had this problem once when my bobbin wasn't wound smoothly. For some reason, when I threaded the bobbin (wound it), the thread was all crooked and yucky and even had a few loops and loose areas inside. This caused irregular tension.