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  1. #1
    Senior Member hippofeet's Avatar
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    my sewing stinks.

    Any one know why as I am sewing the full length zipper on my hammock I am getting thread bunching and balling? The hammock is very smooth material, the zipper is like webbing, I am sewing inside out, smooth material down, thread tension zero, stitch length exactly middle of dial. all other seams and stitch lines were great, only having trouble on zipper. its like it jams up and the material stops feeding on the dogs. I mean its sewing, but looks like crap. Any suggestions will be followed, I don't know squat.
    An emergency of my own making...is still an emergency.

  2. #2

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    You need to increase your thread tension. It will depend on things like the material and you kind of sewing machine but I bet that is the problem
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  3. #3
    Senior Member hippofeet's Avatar
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    thanks stormcrow. I will head back down to the lair in a bit and try it. I guess i will go to 1 and increase till it stops. Y'know, my dad made hanggliders and harnesses and packs in the 70's and 80's, but i will be damned if i ask him. LOL It would give him too much pleasure.
    An emergency of my own making...is still an emergency.

  4. #4
    Senior Member G.L.P.'s Avatar
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    i leave my sewing machines thread tension set at 5...mine goes from 0 to 10...the factory setting is 5...i never had a problem yet...

    also make sure to clean out where the bobbin is...sometimes you can get lint build up in there from the thread...had that happen once

    thats all i can think of besides the tension is too loose
    It puts the Underquilt on it's hammock ... It does this whenever it gets cold

  5. #5
    Senior Member hippofeet's Avatar
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    Its my girlfreinds machine, I am looking for a singer 15-91 or the like, its what my dad had and it was sweet. Her tension goes from 0 to 5, I dont like how the thread pulls through it by hand. seems so tight it might break ( I am using outdoor thread). Like when I pull it through the needle, its tight. I dare not mess with it too much, she will beat me. I'm gonna go try a higher tension now.
    An emergency of my own making...is still an emergency.

  6. #6
    Senior Member hippofeet's Avatar
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    Uh...wrong dial. it does go to 10. lol. I tried 1-5 and it still did it. I think maybey i should sew the other way, webbing (and zipper down)? Like the webbing is dragging on the foot, and the hammock material is too slick for the dogs? anyone had this?
    An emergency of my own making...is still an emergency.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Perkolady's Avatar
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    Check the tension on the presser foot. The difference in thickness with the zipper added may be too thick for the setting you have on there now?

  8. #8
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    If adjusting tension doesn't work, have it tuned or look up on google how to service it yourself - it makes a huge difference.

  9. #9
    Senior Member opie984's Avatar
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    you may also have to pull it through from the back. Sometimes when I am sewing my zippers in, the machine has a tendency to not want to advance the fabric enough and it begins to foul up, but like the others have already said I would try thread tension as well.

  10. #10
    Senior Member Just Jeff's Avatar
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    Is your bobbin tension correct? You should be able to hold the thread and let the bobbin hang like a yo-yo...it should only slide down a bit when you shake your hand a little bit, about like a yo-yo. If it won't move at all, loosen it. If it continues sliding down, tighten it.

    And you're already adjusting the top tension.

    Sometimes a bent or dull needle can mess up your stitches, and synthetic fabric is pretty rough on needles, so you might try changing the needle.
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