10/28/2016 <strong>Embroidery</strong> Thread Tensions <strong>Embroidery</strong> Article To be honest, more sewing tension problems are caused by the bobbin than the upper thread. However , since the upper thread is easier to access, more time is spent adjusting it, even though it may not be the culprit. So always pay close attention to the bobbin, even though it’s generally “out of sight, out of mind.” § Once you have made basic adjustments to the upper and lower tension, you need to verify that both upper and lower tensions are balanced. There is a relatively simple test that will allow you to visually assess the state of the tension. Most commonly referred to as the “thirds” test, there are several slight variations of the process, but they all have the same goal: to verify the tension is balanced between upper and lower threads. First, create a design file for sewing the letter I in a 1” tall satin block font. The concept is to have the machine sew a series of satin stitches in virtually every direction plus in a curve. Sew this on a piece of test fabric – remembering that the fabric itself can af fect the tension. Upon completion, examine the backside of the embroidery . You should see three parallel sections of thread, from left to right across each column as follows – Upper/Bobbin/Upper – in even thirds. (Thus the name “thirds” test.) (Left image) If there is more upper thread visible than bobbin thread, then the upper thread tension is too loose, or the lower thread tension is too tight. (Center image) If there is more lower thread visible than upper thread, then the upper thread tension is too tight, or the lower thread tension is too loose. (Right image) A more precise test is to sew the word FOX in 1 inch, all capital, satin block. This will force the machine to sew satin stitches in virtually all directions including a curve. Now that you are fully armed with the knowledge to make accurate thread tension adjustments, backed up by a test (the “thirds” test) to verify balance, you are ready to take on the world, confident in your ability to ensure picture perfect embroidery on each and every job. Well, don’t get too comfortable… You see, the adjustments and tests are all just guidelines to help you get within the ballpark of high quality stitching. But like many of the socalled rules in this industry , the tensionsetting processes are not guarantees set in stone. Ultimately , it’s the quality of the stitching that determines whether the tension settings are correct or not. In fact, you can become obsessed with trying to balance tensions to the point that it’ s counterproductive. Let me show you what I mean… How do you identify embroiderers in a retail store that sells embroidered apparel? They are the ones looking at the backside of the garment! Of course they are trying to determine whether the company that did the embroidery had balanced tensions in order to judge whether they produce the same high quality work as themselves. These are also the same people who spend hours trying to get an equal “thirds” proportion on the backside of their own designs, without ever sewing the first garment. Unfortunately , in the quest for perfect thread balance, they have blinded themselves to the reality of thread tension: The front is always more important than the back! The majority of the time, if the “thirds” test shows good balance, the resulting embroidery will be of high quality . But there are times when the back will not be balanced, yet the front will still be nearly perfect. As long as the backside shows proof of bobbin pickup and no bird’ s nests or looping, it’ s ok. In other words, don’t try to fix something that isn’t broken. If the front is good, don’t discount it because the backside doesn’t have a perfect thirds balance. To sum it all up, use the “thirds” test to get a baseline tension setting. Then adjust as needed to achieve the best possible stitch quality on the FRONT of the embroidery, while verifying that the back of the embroidery doesn’t have any flaws that could cause the stitches to work themselves loose over time or the machine to jam up during sewing. Good luck! More From This Author Road Warriors IV: Onsite Operations, Electrical Needs, Generators and FollowUp Sales By James M. (Jimmy) Lamb Road Warriors III: Displays, Transportation, Insurance and Setup By James M. (Jimmy) Lamb Road Warriors I: Introduction to Mobile <strong>Embroidery</strong> By James M. (Jimmy) Lamb Share this project: 0 0 0 https://www.embroiderydesigns.com/emb_learning/article/523/embroiderythreadtensions.aspx 2/3
10/28/2016 <strong>Embroidery</strong> Thread Tensions <strong>Embroidery</strong> Article Meet The Author: James M. (Jimmy) Lamb Awardwinning author and international speaker Jimmy Lamb has over 15 years of embroidery experience as well as 10 years of professional digitizing experience (as a business owner). Currently, he is the Director of T raining and Education for Hirsch International Corp., where he has been instrumental in developing their educational seminars. https://www.embroiderydesigns.com/emb_learning/article/523/embroiderythreadtensions.aspx 3/3
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