Swannie

I'm not finding my mega quilter user friendly at all, and the manual does not cover enought information on using the machine. I thought I had the thread tension problem solved only to discover that the top thread continues to break when quilting. Could this be related to the type of batting I'm using? Tried an all cotton ( warm and natural, I think). The thread I'm using is sulky variagated, 30 wt. I'm wondering if anyone else out there is having issues with their mega quilters. Are there better machines available, should I decide to dump this one?

dunster

One of the joys of quilting is knowing that whatever machine you have, there is a better one available, or there soon will be. So don't stress over that. 30 wt is a heavy thread, so your problem might be that your needle's eye is not large enough. Have you tried a bigger needle?

pw6

no it is not your batting, these machines have a long line of tension problems, I have had one for 6 years now and you just have to rethread everything and clean out the bobbin area often, change thread size that also has an effect on tension, be sure to use the same weight of thread upper and lower... you just have to walk away from it sometimes for your sanity..LOL... check your stitch regulater also.. I usually run mine just to the left of the top centerjust before the screw on the left top side.. my speed just before the last three dashes and I do not use a heavy batting, it does well on cotton or poly batting. email me if I can be of help.. Good luck..

Prism99

Have you tried a different brand of thread? I have seen posts about frustrations using Sulky thread in a longarm. My recommendation would be to try Glide thread (http://www.bobbincentral.com/ ), or King Tut, or Signature.

Swannie

I was using a size 14 needle, but maybe a topstitch one would work better. Afraid of leaving big holes in my work with a heavier needle.

Homespun

Be sure your bobbin is in correctly and the needle is in correctly. I have one and these were the 2 things that made mine go bad. Also it is thread sensitive. I can't really say which thread works but when I have breaking problems, I change thread. I've had mine about 6 years.

letawellman

OK, so I have a question - is your MegaQuilter the smaller one (like a regular sewing machine) or is it the mid-arm (18inch) machine? I have the 18 inch one, so if you want to tag me off-list, you can.
Other than that, here's my thoughts...
First of all, I wouldn't worry about using the larger needles - once the quilt is washed, those holes will close up. Also, even without washing, eventually the fabric will "relax" enough that those holes won't show. So, using a larger needle could help.
Secondly, is the top thread just breaking, or is it "shredding"? If it's breaking, you may still need to tweak the tension just slightly, if shredding, check the throat plate for any burrs or even check the needle.
And lastly, it could also be the thread weight. I've had issues with the heavier weight threads off and on, I find that my best success is with 50wt or 40wt threads. Anything heavier and I have major issues with tension consistency... it will be too tight on top for awhile, then too loose for awhile, without me even TOUCHING the tension. And it COULD be that particular spool of thread!! Just like with automobiles, you would think that they're all the same, but every once in awhile, you find a lemon. Same with spools of thread. I had to toss a pretty large spool myself (I gave it to someone who hand-quilts) because it just did NOT like my machine.
Hope this helps...

Swannie

I have the Mega Quilter 1200. The top thread breaks, doesn't shread. The problem is I'll be going along fine (at the low speed setting) and things are great for several rows, then bang! I'll take your suggestion and switch to 40 wt, King Tut spools that I have. It's frustrating that the manual is no help at all regarding tensions, thread wt, speed, etc.

letawellman

You could also check with the Viking MegaQuilter yahoo group (https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/...gaQuilter/info)
They have lots of helpful information, mostly for the model machine that you have.
And yes, it IS frustrating when the user manuals don't have enough information. I'm on both the yahoo group listed above, AND one that is for the larger VMQ18x8. Thank goodness for the internet and Yahoo groups and the Quilting Board - otherwise, we'd all be very upset with our tools/toys.

And, yes, I had a very similar situation with the thread breaking - I'd be stitching along just fine, then for no apparent reason, the thread would break. Again, in this case, it was some bad thread. I tried using it for piecing, and still had the same issue. Gave it away to a hand quilter.
My personal preference for my longarm is Aurifil or Superior threads. The other stuff just does not seem to be as reliable... or at least my machine has a preference for those threads.

pw6

thanks for the info, I have had tension problems and all sorts of things go wrong, you cannot get help from the Viking sewing centers in Joann's they act like they never heard of them.. sometimes I have not touched my quilter for months