handi quilter HQ Sweet Sixteen, User Manual

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Page 24
HQ Sweet Sixteen User Manual
Correcting Common Issues
Skipped Stitches Corrective Measure
• The needle is damaged, dull,
bent, or installed improperly
• Incorrect needle size
• Very tightly-woven fabric (such
as batiks)
• Needle has not been positioned
properly
• Thread tension too tight
• Improper threading
• Replace the needle often, normally once or twice per day for continuous
quilting or at least once per quilt. Use HQ Sweet Sixteen recommended nee-
dles.
• Always change the needle if the needle has struck any hard object such as a
straight pin, etc. The tip of the needle can become damaged or burred, result-
ing in fabric damage as well as skipped stitches, thread breakage or shred-
ding.
• Always change the needle if it has been hit, bumped or pulled off center while
maneuvering the machine about the quilt. A slightly bent needle can be a
major cause of skipped stitches.
•
Check for the proper combination of needle size and thread weight being
applied to the quilting operation. Some fabrics used in quilting may con-
strict or impede the thread passing through the front groove of the needle.
This diminishes the loop lift required for stitch formation. Typically, a larger
needle will solve the problem; however, it has been found that certain smaller
sizes of needles as well as the use of ball-pointed needles solve some specific
problems.
• Position the needle properly to the needle bar. Inspect the position of the nee -
dle to make sure the needle is at the 6 o’clock position (see Photo 16)—If you
stand directly in front of the needle (facing the bobbin case side of the ma-
chine), you will see the entire needle eye directly facing you. This is 6 o’clock
position.
• Make sure (1) the needle is installed all the way into the needle bar to the
needle stop hole in the needle bar, (2) the long groove in the needle is toward
the front (bobbin case side), and (3) the scarf/scooped out part of the needle
is toward the handwheel. The needle can sometimes be rotated to 5 o’clock
(slightly right) or 7 o’clock (slightly left) in order to adjust for a more positive
thread loop pickup by the hook point.
• Loosen top tension. Re-check top and bobbin tension (see pages 12-13).
•
Inspect that the thread take-up lever, thread stirrup or tension spring are all
threaded correctly.
The Needle Breaks Corrective Measure
• The needle is bent or not in -
stalled properly
• Replace or correctly change the needle. Make sure that the needle is pushed
up into the needle bar clamp until it can go no farther (visually check that
it is up to the top of the stop/sight hole above the needle bar clamp screw).
Failure to do so can cause damage in the bobbin area and throat plate.
• The needle hits the needle
plate
• Correctly position the needle, needle plate or hopping foot. Replace needle
with a new one.
Stitches are Puckered Corrective Measure
• Balance the tension of the needle thread after ensuring the bobbin tension is
adjusted correctly (see page 12).
• Tension is not balanced
• Replace the needle with a size better suited to the fabric. • Needle too large for material