Sewing thread

[ajlelectronics]

I didnt realise one was supposed to?

That is likely to be your trouble then! If you don't the threads will pull out of the needle and likely cause the bobbin to foul up. You can either hold the tails when you start, or hold the tails and do a manual stitch to hold the tails, then carry on as normal.

 

[Beanwood]

I need some sort of teflon needle! I sew several layers of webbing, but it has rubber inserts - and the thread keeps tangling and/or snapping on my Bartack machine. I can't decide whether it's heat - or just friction that's 'wearing' the thread as it passes through and grabs. Slowed it right down, and still get the issue. Very frustrating.....

 

[Morris]

I'm just starting on the restoration of this. Sold by Wincycle Trading as Queen brand or model ( not sure which) it's actually a German Gritzner VS4 made in 1902. These were made for third party vendors for a variety of markets. VS indicates vibrating shuttle.

 

[Onoff]

All this keeping up with the Jones!

 

[Kram]

I need some sort of teflon needle! I sew several layers of webbing, but it has rubber inserts - and the thread keeps tangling and/or snapping on my Bartack machine. I can't decide whether it's heat - or just friction that's 'wearing' the thread as it passes through and grabs. Slowed it right down, and still get the issue. Very frustrating.....

For either issue, you might want to try kevlar thread, it is much stronger than normal threads upto 400c and abraision resistant.

I have heard of waxed thread, that might be a bad idea on a machine, no idea, but the wax may lubricate the rubber enough to avoid the problem?

 

[Kram]

That is likely to be your trouble then! If you don't the threads will pull out of the needle and likely cause the bobbin to foul up. You can either hold the tails when you start, or hold the tails and do a manual stitch to hold the tails, then carry on as normal.

The trouble was the bobbin tension, that is fixed, however I will try holding the tails and see if it improves the look of the stiches. Thanks for the suggestion.

If I don't it always unthreads the needle

If you have 6" or longer tails it will not unthread. The lower thread will have the material and presser foot holding it in place too.

 

[DAPPH]

I grew up around shoe repairs so i do machine and hand sewing, when i was a kid my dad said i would make someone a wonderful wife one day and he was not amused by my answer to his joke, a few days later he gave me a book about joining the army as a career

Thank goodness it wasn't about joining the navy

 

[Prajna]

Hand sewing leather you first make a hole with an awl. This is triangular, so pushes the fibres aside rather than tearing them, then you use two needles, one at each end of the thread (often waxed linen). Youngsters today drill the holes with a pillar drill

I use a sailmaker's awl. It has a bobbin of waxed thread in the handle and a sewing-machine-type needle. You poke the needle through the material, pull a length of thread through, a bit longer than the seam you want to sew, pull the awl out and back in for the next stitch. Then you pull it back a bit and it leaves a loop on the reverse. You thread the tail through the loop and pull the awl out, dress the stitch up and then carry on with the next. It's also sold as a 'speedy-stitcher'.

 

[Kram]

Yes I made one of those, literally a bobbin on a stick with a needle. I milled out a needle holder and fitted a double needle and two bobbins, to do a double stitch. Only used it once, far too much effort!
(A proper bought one would probably have been easier to use)