HandiQuilter.com
Page 27
Troubleshooting
HQ 18 Avanté
™
User Manual 1.0
Page 21
Troubleshooting
Stitches are Skipping
Corrective Measure
The needle is damaged, dull,
bent, or installed improperly
Incorrect needle size
The needle has not been
positioned properly
Fabric is too tight on the
frame
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 18 Avanté
recommended needles.
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, resulting in fabric damage as well as
skipped stitches, thread breakage or shredding.
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 size of needle for the work and thread
being applied to the quilting operation. Some battings and
fabrics used in quilting may constrict 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 needle 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 machine),
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 pole tension on the frame. Fabric that is rolled too tight causes the fibers to separate.
This reduces the needle friction on the thread resulting in a smaller thread loop.
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
installed properly
The needle hits the throat
plate
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.
Correctly position the needle, throat plate or hopping foot. Replace with a new needle.
Stitches are Puckered
Corrective Measure
The tension is not balanced
Needle too large for material
Balance the tension of the needle thread after ensuring the bobbin tension is adjusted correctly
(see page 12).
Replace the needle with a size better suited for the fabric.
Stitch Quality is Poor
Corrective Measure
The tension is not balanced
Bobbin case is damaged,
corroded, dirty, etc
Moving the machine too fast
for needle speed selected
Encoder wheels do not
consistently touch the track
Adjust the tension of the needle thread after ensuring the bobbin tension is adjusted correctly
(see page 12).
Since thread slides over the surface of the bobbin case at a high speed, make sure the case is
free of any lint or foreign matter that could impede thread passage through the machine.
Synchronize machine movement and needle speed to get roughly 8-10 stitches per inch.
Elongated stitches are an indication of moving the machine too fast for the current speed.
Clean the track and the rubber wheel on each encoder. Even a tiny speck on the wheel can
cause problems with regulation. Check the spring tension on the encoder assemblies. If the
retaining nut is even slightly too tight it can prevent the wheel from properly pressing against the
track.
Photo 16
Main
Sound
Back
100%
Mute
Max
Overspeed Alarm
Off
On
V o l u m e
