quilting with monofilament thread
08-13-2019, 05:40 AM
#1
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Location: Waterford Michigan
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quilting with monofilament thread
It has been more that 20+ years since I have used a monofilament thread for quilting and with this project thought it would be a good time to try it again.
My question is do I drop the feed dogs as I would with other FMQ on my DSM? The movement of the thread and the stretch are a concern to me I want this part of the quilt I am working on to be stippled without any color so it stands independent and making the quilting on this part the only thing that shows.
I am experiencing some thread breakage but to be expected with the monofilament thread. Of course I would like far less thread breakage. I am also experiencing the bobbin 'jumping' a great deal. I can hear it raising up and down in the bobbin case. Is this normal with the monofilament thread? Your help is appreciated.
My question is do I drop the feed dogs as I would with other FMQ on my DSM? The movement of the thread and the stretch are a concern to me I want this part of the quilt I am working on to be stippled without any color so it stands independent and making the quilting on this part the only thing that shows.
I am experiencing some thread breakage but to be expected with the monofilament thread. Of course I would like far less thread breakage. I am also experiencing the bobbin 'jumping' a great deal. I can hear it raising up and down in the bobbin case. Is this normal with the monofilament thread? Your help is appreciated.
08-13-2019, 05:54 AM
#2
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Location: Alberta, Canada
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What brand of monofilament are you using? What thread is in your bobbin? What size needle are you using?
When I use monofilament I use YLI. It is supple and doesn’t break. I use aurifil cotton in the bobbin and it behaves.
When I use monofilament I use YLI. It is supple and doesn’t break. I use aurifil cotton in the bobbin and it behaves.
08-13-2019, 06:00 AM
#3
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Do you have monofilament in the bobbin as well as the top? I never use it in the bobbin. It tends to stretch too much when winding it on to the bobbin. I use a fine 60 Wt thread (magnaglide in the LA and So Fine in the domestic). I usually use either Superior Monopoly (a polyester monofilament) or Filtec Essence (the same people who make Glide and it is a traditional nylon Mono). I run the top tension pretty loose when using mono in both my domestic and my LA and I go slow no matter which machine. I tend to only use it when doing ditch work (both SITD or ditching around applique). If it continues to cause you frustration you might want to consider a 100 wt thread. When I don't want the thread to show and only want the texture I opt instead for a 100 wt thread in a neutral color like Wonderfil Invisifil or silk. I have not tried Superior Microquilter but would assume it behaves much like invisifil as they are both 100wt poly. Surprisingly, a sage green seems to play nice with everything.
08-13-2019, 06:19 AM
#4
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Location: Waterford Michigan
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Do you have monofilament in the bobbin as well as the top? I never use it in the bobbin. It tends to stretch too much when winding it on to the bobbin. I use a fine 60 Wt thread (magnaglide in the LA and So Fine in the domestic). I usually use either Superior Monopoly (a polyester monofilament) or Filtec Essence (the same people who make Glide and it is a traditional nylon Mono). I run the top tension pretty loose when using mono in both my domestic and my LA and I go slow no matter which machine. I tend to only use it when doing ditch work (both SITD or ditching around applique). If it continues to cause you frustration you might want to consider a 100 wt thread. When I don't want the thread to show and only want the texture I opt instead for a 100 wt thread in a neutral color like Wonderfil Invisifil or silk. I have not tried Superior Microquilter but would assume it behaves much like invisifil as they are both 100wt poly. Surprisingly, a sage green seems to play nice with everything.
08-14-2019, 12:00 PM
#5
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Australia
Posts: 732
I use Monopoly with no problems....I loosen the top tension and usually use Decobob 80 or Invisafil 100 in the bobbin but have also used Aurafil 50 and Gutterman 50 in the bobbin with no problems. The only thing I have to be careful about is cutting my thread when finishing a line of stitching.....I don't use the thread cutter and I make sure that there is no tension on the threads when I have pulled my work out from the needle otherwise when I cut them the monopoly bounces right out of the needle and I have to re-thread it...which is a real test for old eyes!
08-14-2019, 01:58 PM
#7
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Central Ohio
Posts: 992
I cannot use Filtec Essence monofilament because Filtec warns not to iron over it (it is nylon) and you have to watch the heat when drying in the dryer. Monopoly is polyester, can be ironed, and since I use it mostly for art quilts that I layer-stitch-layer-stitch it works well. If you’re using a spool, make sure to use the vertical spool holder, not the horizontal. When I used the horizontal spool holder the thread stretched much more. The vertical spool holder allows the thread to come off the spool naturally.
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