Sailorwoman

I was recently doing some SID, using Superior Threads monofilament as a top thread and their Bottom Line in the bobbin. The monofilament was smoke in colour but since my backing was a light cream, I used that colour in my bobbin. No matter how much I played with the tensions, I could not prevent the bottom thread coming through a little wherever the needle (top stitch #14) pierced the fabric. I tried Magnifco (black) and again the light coloured Bottom line as my bobbin thread and had the same problem. I know that my machine will soon qualify as a relic but is this something that I should expect in a new, upper-middle range of sewing machine?

Peckish

Well. I hate to break it to you, but sometimes you just can't fix it. There is a quilt shop owner in my area who quilts professionally. She has two top-of-the-line Gammills in her shop, and she always uses the same thread top and bottom because it disguises the "pokies". Sometimes even the expensive machines, run by experienced quilters, do this.

Sometimes it's easier to pick a busy backing fabric that the thread disappears into. Or, realize that your quilting design will be visible on the back, but since no one ever looks at the back, who cares? (unless you plan on showing it).

quiltingshorttimer

Peckish is correct that sometimes you just have pokies--but a possible remedy is a thicker batting which allows the thread stitch to bury in the bat.

Onebyone

When I have pokies I reset the bobbin tension until the stitch is balanced. A quilter in class one time about had a faint when I started changing my bobbin tension. LOL If the bobbin tension is not right for the thread wt and ply, batting thickness, and stitch design you have to change it. Its simple, turn the tiny screw head to loosen or turn to tighten.

quiltedsunshine

Yes! The tensions are made so you can adjust them. Sounds like you need to loosen the top tension or tighten the bobbin tension.

Bree123

Using a higher loft batting can help with that, but at the end of the day, there is a reason why so many competition quilters use the exact same color & fiber for top and bobbin. Fidgeting with the tension can help, but it's not a guarantee and the more different the threads are the more likely you are to notice those pokies. They are present on every quilt, but when you use matching cotton threads, they will blend in the most. At least you used 2 poly threads, but I can't imagine any machine that would get them perfectly buried in a mid-low loft batting 100% of the time.

Jane Quilter

I agree with OnebyOne, adjust the bobbin tension, then readjust the top tension. THEN consider using a sharp needle instead of a top-stitch needle. The top stitch needle is larger in diameter, and leaves bigger holes every time it pierces the fabric giving room for the thread to be seen or emerge through. This is tiny, but so are pokies.

ManiacQuilter2

If you take you machine in for service, tell him what your problem is and he should be able to get your tension set properly. You should only have this problem if you are doing FMQ. That is why so many instructors who taught machine quilting in the 90s said to use the same thread top and bottom. I still think of what threads I will be using to quilt a top when selecting the backing for the quilt.

Geri B

..and with mono on top that top tension should be loose so that the bobbin pulls it through to the bottom, rather than it pulling the bobbin to the top.....it's like a tug of war..remember mono has more stretch than regular thread, so it cannot tug, it has to be tugged down under.....

Sailorwoman

Thank you, ladies. Your responses were very helpful. Today I ordered matching bottom thread and a sharp, size 10 needle.