The Sewing Place

Twin needle carnage

Acorn

Twin needle carnage
« on: September 20, 2017, 12:32:20 PM »
I have been making a top (knit and woven) on my 10 year old Pfaff Classicstyle 2027.  It has been sewing beautifully - straight stitch and zigzag - but as soon as I put the twin needle in it goes to pot.  If it doesn't jam straight away it sews a few inches with great loops of thread on the back and then grinds to a halt.

I have threaded and rethreaded, following the manual to the letter.  I have redone the bobbin and cleaned out the fluff - when it grinds to a halt it seems to be because some of the loops have got jammed in places where there ought not be any loops.

The tension is fine for normal sewing, and this seems to be way beyond a few loops being caused by slack tension anyway.

I have done my top stitching with two lines of straight stitch, which is perfectly satisfactory, but my eyes haven't uncrossed themselves yet.

The twin needles have worked perfectly before now (although I do now remember that I had this problem last time I tried, and I then switched to my other machine.  I don't want to have to do that on a regular basis though.

Has anyone got any ideas as to what is going wrong?     :'(
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ploshkin

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2017, 12:45:15 PM »
I can't help with your problem I'm afraid but I have also found that I can't get a twin needle to behave as it is supposed to on my Pfaff.  Even with the top tension cranked right up the bobbin thread just travels in a straight line and the top threads get pulled right across on the back.  It generally looks ok on the front but lots of potential for loops on the back.
Life's too short for ironing.

b15erk

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2017, 13:12:30 PM »
I have a very old Pfaff 1475, and I used to have a problem with the twin needle. Last time I used it though, I turned the thread tension right down, made sure that the thread ran either side of the tension discs.  On my machine there is also a little button that you press for twin needle sewing, but I can't remember offhand what it is.  I'll look tonight, and report back.

It's easier to use than the coverstitch, especially for small sleeves and necks.

Jessie
Jessie, who is very happy to be here!!  :),  but who has far too many sewing machines to be healthy, and a fabric stash which is becoming embarrassing.

arrow

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #3 on: September 20, 2017, 18:30:01 PM »
My old Bernina have been very forgiving with my attempts at twin needle stitching, but I know some models have a limited width the two needles can have. These days 9 mm zigzag is standard on the top models, only a few years a go it was not that common. Double check it's the right type for the machine. I think Jessie is onto something though, two upper threads and one bobbin thread will very likely affect tension settings.

Acorn

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #4 on: September 20, 2017, 18:55:12 PM »
I tried a 2mm and a 4mm needle, and both were bad, although one was worse (I can't remember which one now).  There isn't anything in the manual about acceptable sizes.

I'll have a serious play with the tension when I've finished the top I'm making - I don't want to use up the current bobbin thread in testing and I hate rethreading!
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

arrow

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #5 on: September 20, 2017, 19:04:01 PM »
Oh, bobbin winding is the worst imaginable  :P

Acorn

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2017, 09:43:55 AM »
Hehe - it's so silly.  I tell myself it doesn't hurt, and it isn't difficult, and I know how to do it correctly, but I just hate doing it!   :|
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Lachica

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #7 on: September 22, 2017, 11:57:47 AM »
Look up the manual for your machine. You may well find that for twin needle you need to have the top threads unwinding off their spools in opposite directions. You should also thread the machine with one thread either side of the tension discs.
Mary
2020 stash: not gonna count, not gonna feel guilty.

Acorn

Re: Twin needle carnage
« Reply #8 on: September 22, 2017, 18:29:17 PM »
It was definitely threaded according to the manual - I have a copy on my laptop and checked with it.  The twin needle threading instructions don't say that the spools have to unwind in opposite directions, but I think that is worth checking - thank you.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.