Making the Perfect Stitch

We use our sewing machines a lot.  For quilters (even the most avid hand piecer and hand quilter) this is probably the understatement of the year.  But we do.  We rely on them to assemble quilt tops and sometimes even quilt them.  We sit down at our machines, switch on the power, and just assume everything is going to work well…

Until it doesn’t

Then we thread and re-thread the machine, turn it off and on, and mutter under our breath how wonderful technology is – as long as it works.  When it doesn’t work, it’s a real pain.  So, today what I’d like to do is troubleshoot some areas with our sewing machine (and a few with a long arm) which may help us avoid frozen mechanics and irregular stitches.

The first thing I would like to define is what it takes to make a beautiful stitch.  Guaranteed you have a straight stitch setting on your machine, and a good majority of those machines will allow you to move your needle over to the right or the left to accommodate the quarter-inch seam allowances most quilt patterns call for.  But what exactly makes a “pretty” straight stitch?  An ideal stitch is even and consistent. The top and bottom threads should interlock neatly in the fabric’s middle, forming a straight, flat line. They should not have any puckering or looping, which indicates tension issues. Straight stitches should have uniform length and spacing.  That said, if you own multiple machines, you may have a preference for which machine makes the prettiest straight stitch.  For me, hands down, it’s my Featherweight 222.  That is followed by my old Janome (the one I’ve affectionately named Big Red), and then my Continental M7. 

However, if something is going “wonky” inside your machine, not only will your straight stitch be off, but every other stitch will also be off.  There are several actions we can take to keep our machines on track and working well.

Know Your Machine

This one sounds so simple, but it’s incredibly important.  Take time to know your machine.   Maybe even read through the manual – especially the troubleshooting section.  The better you know your sewing machine, the easier it is to fix any issues it may be giving you.  Each machine has its own set of quirks.  It’s important to know what they are.

One of the most problematic, quirky areas is thread selection.  Some machines prefer certain types/brands/fibers over others.  For instance, Layla the Longarm doesn’t play nice with Glide thread.  She hates it.  She’ll hiccup and balk and generally give me a fit until I replace it with something else.  My M7 generally will play well with whatever thread I put on her.  Knowing this tidbit of information helps me to avoid tricky situations before I sit down to piece or quilt.

Before Beginning to Quilt, Pull the Bobbin Thread to the Front of the Quilt Top

Before you take the first quilt stitch, be sure to drop your needle through all three layers of the quilt sandwich and bring it back up.  The bobbin thread should come up with the needle and form a loop on the surface of the quilt top.  Grab this loop and pull up the bobbin thread before starting to quilt.  This prevents any thread nests from forming on the back of the quilt.  I do this on both my domestic machine and long arm.

Bobbin Tension/Bobbin Winding

Whenever a quilter mentions tension issues, most folks assume we are talking about the thread tension and the minor adjustments we may need to make for stitch tension.  However, bobbin tension is just as important and needs to be given consideration for domestic, mid-arms, and long arms. 

There are three ways to wind bobbins.  First is your machine’s winding apparatus.  This is usually found on top of the machine.  Generally, these work pretty well and most come with an automatic cut off, so your bobbin doesn’t get too full.  It’s important that your thread set correctly in the  bobbin, so your bobbin looks like this:  

And not this:

The second way to wind a bobbin is an external bobbin winder, like this one:

These are kind of handy-dandy because you don’t have to unthread your machine, re-thread it to wind a bobbin, and then re-re-thread it to sew again.  The issue with these external bobbin winders can have “drag” which can occur as the machine gets older.  What I mean by drag is the bobbin winder will speed up and slow down as it winds a bobbin, which can tamper with the bobbin’s tension. 

The third way to wind a bobbin – which does not depend on you winding the bobbin – is to purchase pre-wound bobbins.  And honestly, this is my favorite way to wind a bobbin!  I use Super Threads pre-wounds and have always had a great experience with them.  I use them in both my long arm and my domestic sewing machine.  I keep a supply of my most-used thread colors so switching out bobbins is easy, and I don’t have to unthread and re-thread my machines.  Put in a new bobbin and just keep stitching.  The trade-off for the pre-wounds is this:  My M7 does not recognize the bobbin.  So while it has no issues sewing with the bobbins, my bobbin alarm won’t work. 

Here are a couple of other thoughts about bobbin tension before we leave this topic. 

1.  It’s better to wind a bobbin at a slower speed to make sure it winds correctly and evenly, no matter if you use an external bobbin winder or the one on your machine. 
2. As you wind a bobbin, make sure the thread doesn’t slip out of any tension disks.
3. If you plan on using the bobbin for quilting, it’s a good idea not to wind the bobbin too full.  A little space from the thread to the edge of the bobbin can increase the resistance and actually make quilting a little easier.
4. If you do wind your own bobbins and want to make super-sure the bobbin is wound correctly and with good tension, there is this little apparatus:

The  TOWA bobbin case tension gauge.  The TOWA comes in two different gauges – one for M-style bobbins and one for L-style bobbins. Depending on how much you’re willing to spend, and if you want the standard gauge or the LED digital, they run from roughly $60 to $120 on the Superior Threads website.  Self-disclaimer here: Since I use pre-wound bobbins, I don’t need one, so I cannot vouch for how good or accurate they are.  Read the reviews before purchasing.

Use the Appropriately Sized Needles for Both the Thread and the Fabric

This really sounds like a lot to remember, but it’s easier than you think.  Yes, there are two factors determining the needle size; however, all you need to do is think logically through your stitching situation.  If you’re using a lightweight fabric, chances are good you’ll use a lighter weight thread, somewhere around a 50 weight or higher.  For this, you’ll need a needle with a smaller eye, because you want the thread to glide through the eye of the needle, not bounce up and down like it would if you used  a needle with a large eye.  Likewise, if a heavier fabric such as denim is under your needle, a heavier thread, such as a 40 weight, should be used.  This thicker thread needs a needle with a larger eye so it will move easily through the eye.  A needle with a smaller eye would cause the thread to shred and break.  To break it down to the Reader’s Digest Condensed Version: Match the thread to the eye of the needle.

Make Sure Your Machine is Threaded Correctly

I gotta admit, this sounds like a no-brainer, but hear me out.  A lot of us – I would venture most of us – use more than one sewing machine, even if we bounce only from a domestic machine to a long arm.  And it’s easy to kind of get on that mental “automatic” train of thought and default to the way our primary machine is threaded which may not be the way the machine we’re currently using is threaded.  So if my machine starts fussing when I try to sew, the first action I take is to make sure I have it threaded correctly. 

Once I have verified the machine is threaded correctly, I check to make sure the thread is seated properly in the tension disks, and that it has not fallen out of the thread take-up.  Finally, I make sure the needle is threaded correctly.  Some needles are threaded front to back, some from left to right, and some right to left. 

Lint is the Archenemy of Your Sewing Machine

Ask any sewing machine technician what’s the number one troublesome issue with all sewing machines, and I’d bet you a dozen of your favorite doughnuts, they would say lint.  However, the fact remains, if you sew, you have lint.  Despite the fact if you use long-staple cotton or some other low-lint thread, your machine will still get linty.  This is why it’s so important to clean your machine.  Even the new machines that declare themselves “non-oiling” still have a plan in place for cleaning your machine.  Be sure to read your machine’s manual so you know exactly what areas to clean. 

There are lots of gadgets on the market you can use to clean out the lint.  I use Q-Tips, a soft toothbrush, soft make-up brush, and a clean mascara brush.  But about a year ago I found these silicon lint-cleaning tools and absolutely love them. 

While you’re cleaning the feed dogs and other areas, be sure to take out your bobbin case and thoroughly clean that, too.

The question of how often you clean your machine depends on how often it’s used.  If you’re an occasional sewer, you may need to clean your machine every few months.  If you sew regularly, once a month (I always clean mine on the first day of the month – it’s easy to remember).  Keep in mind some quilting techniques are “lintier” than others – such as quilting with flannel, paper piecing (you get a lot of lint from the paper), and quilting.  If you’re working on such projects, you may want to clean your machine immediately after you’re through.  And no matter what, do not use canned air to clean your machine.  It looks like an easy way to get rid of the lint, but the force of the canned air can force the lint deeper into parts of your machine and make it difficult to get out.  In addition, some canned air contains moisture, which can be particularly devastation to some machines.

And regardless of how regularly and faithfully you clean your sewing machines, remember to schedule a “spa” day for them with a sewing tech every 12 to 18 months for a thorough cleaning and oiling. 

Practice, Practice, Practice

For some quilters, dropping the domestic sewing machine feed dogs and quilting makes them really uneasy.  Let me assure you, it’s really fun, but you have to put in the practice time to make your stitches smooth and even-ish.  Once you drop the feed dogs, it’s you who controls the length and appearance of the stitches.  So make up some practice squares and practice – but be sure to spread those practice sessions out.  Shorter, frequent practice sessions have proven to be more beneficial than one long one.

Long arms are a bit of a different story.  With a long arm, you use your arms to move the quilting machine, verses quilting on a domestic machine when you are moving the quilt sandwich and the sewing machine remains stationary.  Be sure the height of the quilting surface is good for your own height and find your comfort zone for the height and reach of the head.  Also be cautious about the tension of the quilt.  Once the quilt is all loaded on the rollers, you don’t want to be able to bounce a quarter off the top.  You do want the quilt sandwich to sag just a bit.  I find side clamps help a lot not only to keep the tension correct, but also hold the edges of the quilt steady.

Regardless of what kind of machine you’re quilting on, be sure to warm up a bit before putting your quilt under the needle.

I hope these hints help you in the pursuit of the perfect stitch.  Keep in mind all sewing machines have their own quirks even between those of the same make and model.  But by following some basic checklist items and good machine maintenance, you go a long way to make sure your machine will make the perfect stitch for years to come. 

Until Next Week –

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix