Terry in the ADK

Yes 16 needles. Check to see if all the bobbins are the same. I have a Tiara which I love. I bought some extra bobbins on line and they didn't work. My husband used a micrometer and found them to be just a little thinner which made them wiggle in the case and caused tension problems. Only use ones from lad now. Have heard they make washers for this but haven't tried them.
Don't give up! I love my tiara.

QuiltE

To clarify ... the Tiara and Sweet Sixteen, are more than kissing cousins. HQ makes both machines and then just paints them up for Tiara, and?? .... sorry, there is a 3rd one, but I forget whose it is. I am thinking either Pfaff or Husqvarna. Without a doubt someone will answer this.

Another suggestion ... call the HQ 1-800 Hotline #. Their customer service is exceptional, and they will actually guide you step-by-step in front of your machine. Having a portable handset with a speaker can be very handy.

You mentioned that the original owner gave you extra bobbins. Were these the pre-wound disposable bobbin types? If so, I would recommend going just with the metal ones until you know things are working OK. As already suggested, ensure you have the correct ones for your machine. Also, that they are the Tiara branded bobbins. This way you have eliminated a lot of issue-causing possibilities.

As for thread, you can use any kind of thread in it ..... even as fine as 100 wt right up to quite coarse threads. To answer your question about spool size .... any size is fine. I have used a lot of Aurifil 50 wt., both the small and large for a regular machine, as I wanted to downsize my thread inventory before I built up more. Just not as convenient as the super-sized cones, as they soon empty out when quilting. You travel a lot of miles!!!

You have been given a lot of other really good suggestions in the previous posts, so I will not repeat. I have found when I get into problems, it is often because I just did something wrong in the threading. A key, as others mentioned, make sure your thread is flossed right into the discs .... it is easily thought that it is, when it is not.

Good LUck!

mkc

Pfaff PowerQuilter 16.0 and Viking Platinum 16. Plus the newest Janome Artistic, the SD-16, looks identical to all of these machines (and has the same stitch regulator puck), but with a "traditional sewing machine" orientation to the user.

Michelle

Annaquilts

I just wanted to encourage you. It sounds like it all needs some tweaking but I think in the long run you'll get the hang of it.
Polly thread like OMNI
http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/...EvGRoC-QXw_wcB
tends to work really well for my INNOVA machine. When I run 100 percent cotton it breaks way more. There is a definite learning curve to finding the right tension and it takes some time. Having the timing set the right way on your machine and having the right places oiled are all very important. The type of needle ( I usually use 18), how sharp, size and the way it is put in is very important. How the machine is threaded.
Best wishes. You have a really nice machine. I hope the issues will be resolved soon.

QuiltE

These ones that you mentioned are not the same as the S16 you sit at the end, not facing like a regular sewing machine.

ragamuffin

Thank you all for your suggestions. Yes, I have the metal bobbins, and after watching the various tutes on Youtube, I may have the bobbin too tight as well as the top tension messed up. I have been ruler folding fabric and now have that all done except the panels and my double closet is full to overflowing. My kids will not be home for Christmas for the first time and I am going to do "my thing" and go out for dinner and work at my machine. Hopefully, I will get it running smoothly. Merry Christmas to all of you, and again, thanks for your help.

Gay

If you find the bobbin thread tangled round the bobbin, a simple fix is to cut a circular piece of cotton fabric small enough to fit into the casing (with a hole in the middle for the post) like a washer, then put the bobbin in. This should stop any backlashing.
If it is just the top thread loose underneath it is your top tension, and you will probably have to adjust it for different thread thicknesses. I always use threads on a cone, anything from monopoly, embroidery, polyester and cotton, and must test every change, finer threads need a looser tension.
Hope I have helped some

quiltedsunshine

When you say the needles are a size 10, the pack probably has a big number 10 on the right corner, but that just means it has 10 needles in the pack. The size is right by it, only smaller.

mkc

The machine is the same, it's just the orientation that's different.

Just like the Artistic 18 has both a traditional and a forward-facing version. Same machine, just oriented differently in the table (and with the controller display moved).

quiltingshorttimer

does your bobbin case have a metal backlash "spring"? If not you can add a "Magic Genie" plastic washer that will prevent backlash when you are zipping along quilting. Also, thread problems underneath are almost always top tension issues and vice versa. Don't be afraid to adjust your bobbin tension either. On my Gammill, I almost never adjust the top tension but do adjust the bottom tension when I change the type of thread. Like others, I seem to have more thread breakage with cotton than with a poly (Permacore is a poly that feels/looks like a cotton). Since you were doing fine before you switched bobbins, I'm guessing that either you have a dud bobbin (it happens, or it could be the bobbin you have in was dropped and is now "out of round") or it was wound too tight. I use a Towa gauge to measure bobbin tension--they are pricey but I've found it's worth my sanity! Jamie Wallen has a great YouTube for adjusting bobbin tension if you don't want to purchase a gauge. Good luck! You will get this figured out--a long or mid arm is just not the same as a DSM and it will be well worth it.

Also--Superior Thread has a downloadable guide for matching needles and thread (theirs--but it gives you enough info that you can figure out other brands, like Glide, etc).