thread balling up on lycra
Ryoko
using a stretch needle (14), and a stretch stitch on my machine. I'm using
decent quality polyester serging thread. When I sew a sew the bobbin thread
balls up and makes loops of thread. This often leads to the machine
becoming "stuck" and unable to move forward. The top thread shows stitching
that looks fairly normal. It seems to move along better if I pull a little
on the fabric while I sew (almost stretching while I sew), and sew slowly.
This becomes exceptionally bad when applying elastic (3/8"). It does it
whether I'm using a straight stretch stitch, or a three-step zigzag. I wish
to apply my elastic by just folding around it and stitching (elastic is
sandwiched in between fabric). I don't want have to resort to sewing a
casing as I'm sewing panties, and there just isn't room :) Even if I sewed
a casing, the stitching will still look ugly on the bobbin side, even if I
take it slow...
Nope, I don't have a serger. Though I might be able to gain use of one, I
don't see how this would help me apply regular elastic - I'd still have to
eventually stitch with a regular machine.
I have to wonder if:
a)the fabric I'm using is too tight a weave
b)the elastic is too tight a weave (maybe too "rubbery")
c)my machine needs servicing (probably 'bout time for that anyways) - maybe
something in the bobbin section is out of sync... maybe there's crud in
there somewhere I can't find.
d)my machine just isn't capable of sewing this stuff
e)the thread isn't good enough (though I don't know what else would be
appropriate)
Or some combination thereof. I'm thinking maybe a&b. I don't see what
other needle I should use. Playing around with presser foot pressure
doesn't seem to make a difference.
I'm really sick of removing stretch stitches out of lycra. If you've done
this, you know exactly how fun and tedious it is.
Any ideas?
See what I mean (picture is only 10k):
http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~umscrup0/extras/sew3.jpg
Kate Dicey
then it's the top thread where the problem lies: try 'flossing' your
tension disks to clean them and rethread: adjust the tension.
Also change the needle: a size 14 is probably too big. Ball point
needles, Jersey needles and Stretch needles are all slightly different:
try the different ones and see if that helps.
Sometimes elastic DOES grab the thread and hang onto it! I have
suffered this: the problem went when I changed to a different elastic!
I have used serger thread successfully in an ordinary machine, but get a
better result with standard thread, which is a little thicker. Try an
ordinary good quality poly thread like Guttermann.
Taut sewing is a fine technique for this sort of thing, but pull equally
on the back and front (i.e. each side of the needle) and let the machine
dictate the speed it goes under the presser foot.
For seams, use a narrow zigzag and finish the raw edges with a 3 step
zigzag: some combinations of fabric/needle/elastic don't like the more
advanced stretch stitches! ;(
Let us know if this helps!
Kate XXXXXX
H Kang
news:3CE2D755...@diceyhome.free-online.co.uk...
For seams, use a narrow zigzag and finish the raw edges with a 3 step
zigzag:
Let us know if this helps!
Kate XXXXXX
Is a 3 step zigzag a function of a machine? I have no idea what this is,
but would like to do it. Thanks for the help.
Holly
Roberta
sparkly goopy stuff)
It's your thread. Don't use serger thread, it's too rough, you need a
good quality 100% polyester (smoooth) in the bobbin like Gutermann or
Mettler. Make sure the upper tension is clean too.
Don't try to force it by pulling on the fabric, you'll mess up your feed dogs.
I've been using a jersey needle lately.
Try using clear elastic also, more professional look.
Roberta
Kay Lancaster
> I'm sewing a fairly tight-knit lycra (has some cotton in it, I think). I'm
> using a stretch needle (14), and a stretch stitch on my machine. I'm using
> decent quality polyester serging thread. When I sew a sew the bobbin thread
> balls up and makes loops of thread. This often leads to the machine
> becoming "stuck" and unable to move forward. The top thread shows stitching
> that looks fairly normal.
I'd suspect the thread and the top tension. Serger thread is generally of
lesser quality than sewing machine thread... more lumps, bumps, thin
spots and shorter staple, as well as thinner, than standard sewing machine
thread. Thread problems on the underside of the work generally means
that there's problems in the top tension.
Ryoko
"H Kang" <hkang20...@earthlink.net.invalid> wrote in message
news:P2EE8.1271$HE2.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> "Kate Dicey" <ka...@diceyhome.free-online.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:3CE2D755...@diceyhome.free-online.co.uk...
>
> For seams, use a narrow zigzag and finish the raw edges with a 3 step
> zigzag:
> Let us know if this helps!
>
> Kate XXXXXX
That doesn't work. Neither stitch does.
> Is a 3 step zigzag a function of a machine? I have no idea what this is,
> but would like to do it. Thanks for the help.
>
> Holly
Yes. It's another type of stretch stitch. Very stretchy. It's wonderful.
It does what is says it is: instead of going *left, right, left, right*
like a normal zigzag, it goes *left, left, left, right, right, right, left,
left, left, right, right, right*
I'm using an Kenmore machine my mom got when she was married (she's
50-something).
Ryoko
> good quality 100% polyester (smoooth) in the bobbin like Gutermann or
> Mettler. Make sure the upper tension is clean too.
Interesting. I never had a problem with serger thread before - I've been
pretty happy with it - but it's probably noticable on certain projects.
Like this one :)
I'll try everyone's suggestions tommorow.
On a related note, did you know Fruit of the Loom is thinking of marketing
Underoos again, and for adults as well? Go to their web site and let 'em
know you want some :)
Joanne
I think I might try a dab of Sewer's Aid too -- it always
seems to me that my needle hangs up in elastic and the
Sewer's Aid might help with that. If you try it, put a bit
of cotton or a que-tip head below the tension disks and put
your dab on that and let the thread ride over it.
Joanne in Reno
--
Joanne <mailto:joa...@singerlady.reno.nv.us>
Visit here today: http://www.thehungersite.com/index.html
http://members.tripod.com/~bernardschopen/
sewingb...@webtv.net
1) Use a good quality thread;
2) Switch to a Yellow band, or ball-point needle;
3) Tighten the top tension (not the pressure knob, but the thread
tension dial) until the thread quits looping up on the underside.
(Sometimes I have to set it at 5 or 6 on the tension dial. Every machine
has it's own little quirks.) Pulling from behind the needle will bend
the needle, and can throw your needle-set timing off. Also, if you are
using an open, or zig-zag plate in combination with a straight-stitch,
you might get better stitch formation if you switch to a straight-stitch
plate, where the hole is much smaller. The work does not get drawn into
the smaller hole.
Generally, though, serger thread is not meant to be used in your
regular sewing machine. The thread is thinner, weight is less, with much
less strength. It is durable used in a serger, as the combination of two
to five (and more) threads gives it great flexibility and strength.
Cea
---
thread balling up on lycra
spanm...@hotmail.com (Ryoko)
spilsted
There are a couple of things that I would do differently than what you are
doing. First and foremost, I would not use a serger thread on a regular
sewing machine except as a last resort. Secondly, I almost never use a
stretch stitch as they make too much of a mess of the fabric. Two lines of
narrow zigzag (one for sewing and a slightly wider one as the 'safety' in
the seam allowance) is all you really need. I always stretch the fabric
slightly while sewing the seams. In sewing the elastic, you are best off to
attach the elastic with a wider and longer zigzag (not the 3 step) and then
fold that over to the inside. To sew it down, use a shorter and narrower
stitch right on the raw edge of the fabric that barely catches the elastic,
if at all. For most lycras, a size 14 (90) is too big - you should be using
an 11 (80) or better yet, a 'Schmetz' brand size 75 stretch. The 90 is more
of a weight for jogging or polar fleece or heavy-weight biker shorts
material.
My other guess is that your bobbin case needs a good cleaning out with a
brush and vacuum.....
Good luck! You might also want to invest in the 'Kwik Sew" pattern book
"Sewing Activewear" - it has some really good patterns and tips and
techniques that make it well worth the price. Singer also has an activewear
book out, but I find that the KwikSew ones are more to the point.
Cynthia
"Ryoko" <spanm...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:abufoq$dq3$1...@canopus.cc.umanitoba.ca...
crussell0
mao...@bellatlantic.net
I don't know if you solved your problem yet. If you didn't, try looking between
the tension disks and see if there is lint or pieces of thread wraped around
them. Serger thread is very fuzzy and can accumulate in the tension disk. Used
to use only serger thread and I kept having the same problem, use a pair of
serger twizzers to get the pieces of thread from between the tension disks if
you find it. Once I found this out I stoped spending lots of money in
"emergency service".
(I sew with lots of lycra and elastic also). Good luck
Amparo
spilsted
The three step zigzag is a stitch function of your machine. Most machines
have this stitch as it is one of the most basic stitches. I use it most
often for stitching together seam allowances on items that I'm not serging
(as Kate so wisely suggested), or as extra strength over top of a serged
seam (very useful on chiffon skirts!), but haven't used it in elastic
placement for years. I used to use it when working with braided or knit
elastic, but since switching to predominantly clear elastics, I don't use it
as often. Why? Because with clear elastic, it is essential to maintain the
integrity of the elastic by piercing it as little as possible.
Cynthia
"H Kang" <hkang20...@earthlink.net.invalid> wrote in message
news:P2EE8.1271$HE2.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
Ryoko
someone else may encounter the same problem
I tried good thread, smaller size stretch needle, different needles,
cleaning the machine. I changed from the polyester-like elastic to a
cotton-based one... and tried clear elastic and others. Stitching was still
a mess. I gave in, and used a plain, fairly narrow zigzag stitch to make a
casing for the elastic (as opposed to stitching into the elastic itself).
Stitching fabric on fabric with no elastic worked perfectly fine (stretching
the fabric while stitching). All the other elastics I tried were ones I had
tried before (successfully) on other projects with lycra.
I guess this specific fabric just didn't want to behave with *any* of my
elastics.
I wonder what a serger would do... not that I have a serger. Maybe I should
go visit my parents sometime :)
Kitty
avoid it there as well? Kitty
Kate Dicey
to run through all the extra thread guides at a much higher speed more
smoothly. Standard serger thread is finer than ordinary sewing thread,
which is why some sewing machines don't like it.
You can use a variety of different threads in the loopers for different
effects. As with any thread, with better makes, you get better
results. And remember, the only threads that go through the fabric are
the needle threads: the looper threads don't have to match the fabric so
closely!
There are some good serger books mentioned on my web page Book List: pop
over and get a few details! I don't sell them, they are just reviews,
but all the details needed for ordering from bookshops are there.
Happy sewing!
Kate XXXXXX
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
sewingb...@webtv.net
fuzz, so it is important to keep the machine clean. Clean underneath,
the machine body and loopers, and use a wee bit of soft cotton to floss
between all tension discs.
Oh, the serger gives you lovely professional finished seams and edges
which flex and give, much better, more polished workmanship than simply
using a home machine, especially on the newer stretchy sports fabrics.
Change the needle(s) often (!!!), and do check the upper cutting
blade for wear, replacing it if it shows shiny wear spots, as wear on
the blades affects how the blades mesh, and interrupts even, smooth
feeding of material past the blade.
Fuzzy nylon thread is probably your best choice for sewing on lycra,
spandex, and elastics. You'll get better coverage, stretch recovery, and
even feeding of material under the foot.
Try to leave enough seam allowance so that you let the serger blades
trim a rime of fabric of as you sew. Stitch formation is always better
if you trim a bit as the machine overedges. With my serger, if I don't
trim, the stitches 'fall off' the edge of the fabric.
Many sergers have auto differential feed, and excessive stretching of
elastic might cause the stitches to stack up in the manner described.
Try experimenting with stitch widths/settings on scraps. Work up a
notebook of settings and fabric/elastic samples for future reference,
and it will save you time, aggravation, and trips to the repair shop.
When applying elastic with a regular home machine, many of the same
suggestions apply:
clean machine, use only good quality thread, a new needle (!!!): try a
yellow band, or a stretch/ball point needle, torque the top
needle-thread tension (not the pressure) to about #5, (if the stitching
pulls the bobbin thread to the top of the elastic, you know you've
tightened top thread tension too much), lengthen the stitch length,
stretch the elastic slightly as you sew, or try a wide zig-zag stitch.
Always experiment on a scrap till you've perfected the stitch, before
starting on your project.
If you've already had lots of gnarlies underneath, start fresh with a
newly wound bobbin, too, and re-thread your top thread, pressure foot in
the raised position. HTH.
Cea
---
Re: Serger Thread, WAS: thread balling up on lycra
(Kitty)
avoid it there as well? Kitty
mao...@bellatlantic.net wrote:
Hi Ryoko
I don't know if you solved your problem yet. If you didn't, try looking
between the tension disk
Amparo
crussell0 wrote:
"Ryoko" <spanm...@hotmail.com> wrote in <snip>
When I sew a sew the bobbin thread balls up and makes loops of thread.
This often leads to the machine becoming "stuck" and unable to
Nope, I don't have a serger. Though I might be able to gain use of one,
I don't see how this would help me apply regular elastic - I'd still
have to eventually stitch with a regular machine.
Playing around with presser foot pressure doesn't seem to make a
difference.
I'm really sick of removing stretch stitches out of lycra.
Kay Lancaster
> spandex, and elastics
Before you invest heavily in wooly nylon, there's a polyester version I
like even better. Looks and handles like the regular Wooly Nylon, but it's
much more heat resistant and doesn't act like a dye magnet like nylon does.
It's sold under the trade name of Polyarn in the US:
http://www.superiorthreads.com/products/product.php3?product=Polyarn
It's a little harder to find (usually at a machine dealer) but about the
same price.
Kitty
this machine is a Juki, and I'm not sure if I have a book for it or
not. I'm going to excavate it from the box soon, and see just what I
need. I'm not even sure how many threads it uses, but I think it had 4
spindles so I would say some combination of up to 4.
I am excited but a bit bummed that I don't have anywhere to sew yet.
I'm doing a major cleaning here and not getting ANY sewing done for lack
of space and time.
I do have one Serger book called Serger Secrets which seems pretty
helpful. I just can't wait to get going with it.
Kate Dicey wrote:
As with any thread, with better makes, you get better
> results. And remember, the only threads that go through the fabric are
> the needle threads: the looper threads don't have to match the fabric so
> closely!
>
> There are some good serger books mentioned on my web page Book List: pop
> over and get a few details!
thanks for that too, I will then. Kitty in Somerset, PA
Emily's Sewing Room
The book that I call "My Serger Bible" is Chris James's The Complete Serger
Handbook. I happened on it in a BookStar years ago and it has helped a lot
with both sergers and is always next to the manual when serging. Although I
have been sewing for over 60 years, I still keep my manuals near me when
sewing, especially now that I sometimes have 'senior moments'.
Emily