Breaking Thread while FMQ

[Lois B.]

I am using King Tut thread and have trouble shot all the usuals- rethread, cleaned bobbin case and new needle. I was going along fine until the last little while and all of a sudden I have breaking thread with increasing frequency. I notice that the tension of the thread on the spool has changed. See the photo. As I got near the center of the spool the thread is very wavy and not wound as tight on the spool. Check out the photo. I am ready to try the new spool even though there is lots left on the first spool. Do you think the way this thread is wound is contributing to the thread breaking problem? Lois

[Lois B.]

I don't know if that is the cause of the problem, but I would send this picture and your comments directly to Bob at Superior Threads. They are a very helpful company and I know he'd want to see this and I bet he can help with your problem.

[E.M. T.]

Lois..I'm hoping to see your resolution( we certainly hope!) I have 2 spools of King Tut that look just like that !! Now,
I can't say that I had any problem with the thread...but surely thought that it was not up to snuff, so to speak ! Good luck
and those folks at Superior are just the best ! They've helped me with other issues!

[Lois B.]

I changed spools and started in with the new spool. So far there is not breakage. Yes, the people at Superior Threads have helped me with questions before. They were prompt and helpful. I will do that tomorrow. Lois

[E.M. T.]

Fingers crossed !!

[Norma H.]

I would be very interested in answers to this problem. I think King Tut looks like this, at least I have seen it on all of my spools. I love to quilt with that thread, and I had the same problem with breaking thread and I thought this was the problem just a few days ago. I went on sewing more slow and I did complete the quilting. I did not have a replacement spool, so it was just do it or not getting it done for quite some time. I get my thread from UK and it takes a while from ordering to delivering

[Lois B.]

As I promised, I informed Bob the Thread Guy about this problem. The following is what I sent.
Bob,
First of all, let me tell you that I've been to your seminar (Quilt Odyssey - Hershey 2011), follow all your appearances on TQS, and I receive and read the newsletter. Doing all those things has contributed to greater success with my sewing/quilting. However, I am having some difficulty FMQ/quilting with King Tut thread. It's breaking. Now this problem did not occur until after I got well into the spool. See the attached picture. You can see that the condition of the wrap on the spool has changed. Because it was late at night when the problem began occurring I went to my fellow TQS members on the Forum. I think you would be interested in the discussion that followed. Here's the link to the thread. You'll have to cut and paste because I don't know how to embed the link so you can just click on it.

http://forum/i-need-quilting-related...read-while-fmq

If you read the thread on the Forum you will learn that after I switched to the new spool I had no problems with the breaking thread. With the first spool the breaking did not occur until I was well into the spool. When it started it continued with increasing frequency. I'd appreciate anything you might be able to do to help me with this matter. I love the the thread and want to finish my quilt with it. Thanks so much for all you do to help educate quilters. Lois Bruno

[Rita C.]

It looks like it was the way the wavy thread was wound onto the spool that was causing the problem Lois. I am curious? Did you have the spool lying on it's side or did you have it upright on the thread stand? Did you try changing the thread's orientation? Anyway, I am glad that you had a spare spool and were able to get on with the job. We will all be interested to know what Bob Purcell has to say about it. I can't wait to see that quilt when you are done.

[Lois B.]

Rita, I can't wait to see the finished quilt either. I have run into so many glitches with it. First the backing with the holes now this. The orientation of the thread was as is recommended. The spool was on a vertical spindel and the thread remain horizontal until it reached the thread intake slot - no extra twists in the thread delivery. It seems to me the problem did not occurr until I got well into the spool and into the wavy thread. So far I have had no difficulty with the second spool but the thread is also not wavy. According to Norma, her King Tut has similar waviness. I am wondering if I will find waviness in the center of this spool too. The first spool was not wavy at the start either. It will be good to hear what Bob says. Lois

[Margo C.]

Bob is a member of TQS community/my-profile/ThreadGuy so maybe he will answer here.

If not, please let us know what he says!

[Rita C.]

Yes it will be good to hear what Bob says. If, in the meantime, you get to a point in the second spool where it begins to go wavy I wonder if putting it on a thread cone and putting one of those nets over it might help? Just a suggestion. I have not had this problem with thread so I am probably clutching at straws here.

[Lois B.]

Bob is a member of TQS community/my-profile/ThreadGuy so maybe he will answer here.

If not, please let us know what he says!

I was hoping he might. That's why I gave him the link to this Thread on the Forum. I have to take a break from this project once again. It's Mother's Day weekend and we are taking a road trip to visit my mother-in-law. Then it's to NJ to visit the Grandchildren Monday and Tuesday. I wanted to take the finished quilt with me but that is not going to happen. I won't get back to it until mid-week and by then I am sure we would have heard from Bob. Thanks for all your ideas and help. Lois

[Rita C.]

Safe trip and enjoy your weekend Lois.

[Renata L.]

Have a safe trip to NJ, Lois and Happy Mother's day to all! As I read your thread, Lois, and some of my spools of King Tut look like yours toward the end but have not had thread breakage, I was wondering: because of the waviness of the thread, we are all thinking about the thread as the problem, but could it be the needle? I would at least try changing the needle and seeing if I still have the same problem. Just a thought.
Renata

[Lois B.]

Have a safe trip to NJ, Lois and Happy Mother's day to all! As I read your thread, Lois, and some of my spools of King Tut look like yours toward the end but have not had thread breakage, I was wondering: because of the waviness of the thread, we are all thinking about the thread as the problem, but could it be the needle? I would at least try changing the needle and seeing if I still have the same problem. Just a thought.
Renata

Been there. Done that! I have been to the Thread Guy's seminar and I am following his instructions. Top stitch 90 needle - new one & changed it again. Thread delivery is what is recommended and it is working with the smooth part of the new spool. Cleaned lints out of the bobbin area. Did you note Norma is experiencing the same thing. I have King Tut in the bobbin also. I don't want to use Bottom Line there for design reasons. Lois