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shantell Oct 21, 2005

I have two sewing machines...one I've had since the dark ages and is pretty basic...straight stitch, zigzag, etc.  I've used it to death.  Last Christmas my parents bought me a fancy schmancy Baby Lock which I LOVE...however, it doesn't like the upholstery thread AT ALL.  I've tried new needles, playing with the tension, etc. and it just gives me fits...it works fine with polyester or cotton thread.   I'm hating to go back to my old dinosaur because I've gotten spoiled with my new machine but am wondering if I should because of the fur etc. rather than risking doing something to my electronic dream.

What's your experience?

Daphne Oct 21, 2005

Shantell,
I use polyester thread in my machine for sewing bears together.
I only use upholstery thread when closing seams by hand. Machine stitching is a lot stronger than hand stitches so the machine stitches will hold with just regular old polyester thread. Polyester is stronger than cotton so be sure to use poly.
I could never get upholstery thread to work in my machine either and it's a Husqvarna/Viking!
Daphne

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorOct 21, 2005

Ooooh, Daphne, I have a Husqvarna/Viking, also!!  LOVE it!

Deb Oct 21, 2005

No experience w/ BabyLock Shantell.  I'd pack it up and head to a shop that sells and services them.  They should be able to make some suggestions.

I know this won't help you now, but next time, consider a Janome.  Handles everything like a dream.

shantell Oct 21, 2005

Deb, I looked at a Janome when I was "wishing" for a new machine.  But this was a gift...and very expensive gift I might add and I love it for my quilting habit.  It works like a dream...it just doesn't like the upholstery thread and I don't think all machines are made to use them.  I would not have chosen this particular brand myself but now that I have it I really like it...alot. 

I've drug out the dino and am going to try it and see how it goes.  My aunt borrowed it from me years and years ago to redo my mom dining room chairs so I know it can handle the thread.

These electronic machines can be persnickity I think...kinda like the electronics in your car...one thing goes wrong and it's $$$$$$$$$$$.

Deb Oct 21, 2005

I hear ya ... can't look a gifthorse in the mouth or something like that.  I did break my needle threader with the upholstery thread, but other than that, it runs through there just fine.  There have been a couple of times that I felt the upholstery thread was too heavy/bulky for the mohair fabric.  Daphne, I may just dig out the ol' polyester ... or try my poly embroidery thread in it.  My dinasaur finally died.  Had a Kenmore for 20+ years that belonged to Grammy before that. 

We have a new shop in town that sells Husqvarna sewing and embroidery machines.  All I have is a Husqvarna chainsaw!  But I loooooovvvve my Janome ... Janomes.  My embroidery machine is a Janome too.

shantell Oct 21, 2005

Deb, may I be nosey and ask what model of embroidery machine you have...I've wanted one of those too...not that I know what I would do with it but...can't have too many sewing toys can you? 

Well...hmmmm...I had forgotten that the ol' machine was mad at me and seems to have an incurable tension problem...needs to go to the sewing doc so that was a bust.  So I'll continue with the polyester thread as I have been and just using the upholstery for hand stuff, etc.  I've been trying to go through all the old posts and had noted that most seem to use upholstery for most everything so I was giving it a whirl.

So I'm off to sew up a bear...waiting for my new stuffing tool to arrive so I can work on the head...and got some clear eyes coming to make what I refer to as "Shelli Eyes".  Maybe I need to work on a mini or two...

Sew Sew Sew...oh and I still have a that Aloha shirt quilt to finish...I probably should work on that...but I just haven't been in the mood.

Thanks for the info...

Dilu Oct 21, 2005

Shantell

Are you using upholstery thread in your bobbin as well?

If so there is a tiny screw that you will need to loosen to allow for free flow of bobin thread,.

When you have your bobbin in the bobbin case,  hold it up by the thread. You should be able to give your thread a little bounce while it dangles in the air and the thread will feed out smoothly
-2-3 inches

However, it begs the question, why are you using upholstery for machine stitching?  Polyester core with cotton covering should do you just fine, and if you are too worried use your triple stitch or stretch stitch (the one that does 2 forward one back and so on)

I use polyester core all the time. For gollies and bears.  Not for quilts.  Remember you aren't making an heirloom quilt, where you want all the fabrics to shrink the same and you don't want the polyester to cut through the cotton fabric.

You should be able to use the upholstery in your bobbin if you adjust the screw to allow for out flow.

But the other question begging to be asked, is why not leave your fancyshmancy machine set up for fancy sewing and use your work horse machine for the bears?

Thats what I do

a caveat:  the screw in the bobbin case is finiky and you can not loosen and tighten it too many times-

I have extra bobbin cases...one that is loooser for the longerie thread I use in the bobbin for machine embroidery, one set up for thicker threads for bizaar off the wall projects, and one for regular sewing, which includes pieceing and teddies.

I would think sewing the bodies with upholstery thread would be a little more expensive than necessary...

Did this help at all?

Your fancy machine will have some sort of special stiitch for knits etc...keep your tensions where you like them for teddies and try it....of course should you make a mistake you will be driving south on I-5 looking for O'Brien so you can throttle me, because it will be an absolute bear  :lol:
to pick out the threads.....

:dance:

shantell Oct 21, 2005

I would never throttle you darling Dilu...

I don't know why...just because I thought I should...is that good enough?  I gave up on the upholstery thread in the new machine...and the old one is pissed that I even have a new machine so it must go to timeout for misbehaving when I tried to use it today.  Actually it's had a tension problem for a very long time that I keep having to take it in for...can't seem to get it to stay in place and once it goes...it's gone.  It's been heavily abused over the past 25-30 years.  I've had it for as long as I can remember.

What I REALLY want is an old Singer Featherweight...hmmmm...love those little beauties.

Okay...I'm off again...

Dilu Oct 21, 2005

Oh honey.....me too.....would love one......sigh

Donna Oct 21, 2005

Shantell,
I use the guetermann thread for all my machine sewing.  Won't that work in your machine?  I believe it to be the quilting strength that I buy.  I've never had a problem with it being strong enough or going through the machine.  Years ago I used the upholstery thread on my old machine.  I don't think the newer ones can or will handle it.
Donna

Just Us Bears Oct 21, 2005

I have recently inherited my Mother in Law's 222k Featherweight. I remember her showing it to me years ago and being so impressed with it. Alas, it has been hidden away in the cupboard for a few years and the belt has perished. :(
I have done some internet searches to try to find a replacement but come up trumps.
Deb,
I have a Janome...and it hates upholstery thread, so even they can be temperamental. :doh:

Deb Oct 21, 2005

Dilu ~ That was my plan until my workhorse died!   

Hayley ~ Other than it's dislike for upholstery thread, how do you like your Janome?  I bought mine a few years back from a sew-n-vac place here in town where I knew the people and trusted them.  I hadn't shopped for a machine in a long time, so wasn't up on all the brands, etc.  Just went with my trust of a local business and in what they were handling.  Worked out good.  I've been thinking about upgrading to a 6500 or 6600.  It's computers, not sewing machines in my world, where I am more likely than the average bear to get a temperamental machine, or even an all out lemon.  :/

Shantell ~ I chose the 300E (embroidery only) machine.  It's pretty basic.  Embroidery machines also can't sew and embroider at the same time.  (Well all the personal type ones I looked at don't.)  Some patterns take a very long time to stitch, and there just wasn't enough benefit or advantage (for me) in having a machine that sewed and embroidered since I already had a relatively new machine (5 years maybe) that I like.  It's electronic, but I wouldn't call it "fancy" at all.  It's a 3500.

Gail Oct 22, 2005

Hi Shantell
I have a babylock machine and sew all my bears with polyester thread but I also shorten the stitch length a little.( eliminates sewing seams twice ) You do not need to use upholstery thread so go back to your new machine and be sure to clean the lint out of it on a regular basis
Hugs
Gail

Gail Oct 22, 2005

Hi Hayley
Is your Featherweight a 222 or 221 model? The real ones are the 221 in the black case If it is a 221 there is a supplier in Illinois USA that supplies all the parts The belt is $6.50 plus S&H The web site is www.jslyle.com and the e-mail is jslyle@adams.net. If it is the 222 then I would ask him about the belt anyway. Hope this helps you
Hugs
Gail :dance:

jazzyrags Oct 22, 2005

Bernina Bernina Bernina thats what you need it's sews anything and everything

Daphne Oct 22, 2005

Fran.....
I'd need a very large bank account first! Not just for the machine but for all the 'extras' and if it ever needed a part...OUI!
My neighbor has a real fancy one and I go over and just watch her sew.... or we watch IT sew! It's amazing!!!
Daphne

melissa Oct 22, 2005

Featherweights are the best....my mum has one that was her first sewing machine when she started high school.  It's what I learnt to sew on...couldn't handsw for peanuts until I had to handsew when I started making bears.  When I was machining bears I used the featherweight - now it and I live in different islands!  I have a dream about stumbling across one of the incredibly rare white ones!  The are also perfect for patchwork and so portable and there's something magic about that black case with its special sewing machine smell!

I don't have a sewing machine at the moment  : (   My mum worked for bernina for over 30 years and my dream machine other than a featherweight is a bernina 930 or bernina 1130 - nothing fanch schmancy but second hand berninas are like the proverbial hen's teeth - Scarce!!