Tension issues are one of the most annoying things to deal with on any machine. Let's begin with my #1 tension tip for Qnique longarm machines:
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Simple Mistake Leads to Longarm Tension Issues
Yes, I have found most quilters are not threading their tension dial properly! If you're coming from a home machine, you're used to those tension discs spreading apart when the foot is up.
Qnique longarms do not do that. You must pull the thread tight through the tension discs in order for it to be fully seated and have proper tension!
Quilting on a longarm may require adjusting the tension more often than you are used to. Watch this video to see how I check my tension and troubleshoot issues when they crop up:
Building a Tension Checking Habit
When quilting on a longarm the most important thing to understand is that tension adjustment is going to be a regular thing. Unlike home machines that don’t often need tension changes, longarm machines will require small adjustments on a regular basis.
The best thing to do is build a habit for checking your tension often.
Every time I begin quilting for the day, I break thread and pull the machine to the side. I place a small 2 inch precut square on the batting area of the quilt and stitch out a few simple wiggly U shapes to check how the tension looks on the machine.
It's easy to see the stitches on the top and you can roll the edge of the quilt over to see the stitches on the back. It saves a lot of time to check your thread tension on a little scrap square in the batting area than to check on the quilt and have to rip out the stitches if they are not looking balanced.
Here's my most detailed video with all the steps to testing, checking, and adjusting tension on your longarm machine:
Troubleshooting Machine Tension Issues
The first thing I do when I notice a tension issue is to check the threading of the machine. Tension is created by the top and bobbin threads coming together so most often hard pulling of one thread to one side of the quilt or the other is the result of that thread not feeding properly.
I find this very rarely happens with the bobbin and bobbin case, and far more often with something happening with the top thread. I make sure that the thread is feeding evenly through all the guides on the machine.
I included a tip in the video about how I wind the thread slightly differently from what's instructed in the manual because it reduces the twist being added to the thread. I like using the back left spool spindle also because I find it feeds the thread more evenly.
Once you've checked your threading and made sure it's properly feeding through all the guides, the next step is to test your stitching again.
Please don't change fifty things on your machine and then test your tension!
You need to test after every single change to help isolate exactly what issue is happening on the machine. If you change fifty things, then you have absolutely no idea what was causing the problem.
If the tension and stitch quality doesn’t improve after checking and adjusting the thread, I usually change the needle on the machine and check the height of the foot.
It might sound crazy but if your darning foot is setting too high over the quilt, it can create skipped stitches or subtle tension issues. To set my foot at the right height for a quilt I drop the needle into the down position, loosen the screw and adjust the foot up or down until the bottom of the foot is resting flat on the surface of the quilt.
Longarm machines have hopping feet so setting up the foot in the needle down position results in a foot that will rest at the perfect height on your quilt.
The speed of the thread feeding can also cause tension issues if the thread is spooling off in large loops this can cause lots of problems for your machine.
Put a thread net on your cone of thread and make sure to tuck in the edges around the bottom of the cone so the plastic sleeve doesn't slip right off the thread and get tangled in the machine guides.
Another issue that can affect tension is the type of thread you're using and the type of fabric your quilting over you may have to adjust your attention when switching from cotton printed fabric to cotton batik fabric.
The height of your quilt can also affect tension. On the Grace Qnique longarm machine I have to adjust my take-up rail, the top rail where the quilt rolls up. If I don't adjust this bar upward as I advance my quilt, it will rub against the machine bed and make it difficult to move the machine.
However, if I adjust the frame too high it can cause tension issues or skip stitches as the quilt bounces around too much under the needle.
Again, make sure to change only one of these things at a time, and check your tension with each adjustment. That way you can easily identify the issue, correct it, and gain insight into how your machine works in the future.
One last note – don't try to troubleshoot a major tension issue on your machine when you're feeling tired and cranky.
You're only going to become more frustrated. Take a break and come back to the quilt when you're fresh and rested and I promise you will find the issue and be able to correct it quickly.
Have you been running into tension issues on your machine? Share your thoughts or tips in the comments below.
Let's go quilt,
Leah Day
28 comments
Hi Leah. Thank you for your tutorials.
When I start quilting on my Q unique 15, I bring up the bottom thread,
and then I start quilting. How do I secure the threads? Do you sew them in after you take the quilt off the frame? Also , now do I end my stitching? How do I secure the end threads.
I purchased my Q’nique during Covid , so I didn’t get a lesson on how to use it, so I find your tutorials are very helpful. Thank you.
I just purchased a Cutie frame. I am frustrated over tension. Where can I get information regarding this frame?
Leah, your video about really pulling the thread into the tension discs was just perfect!!!! It was exactly what I needed to know, and my machine tension is working wonderfully. Thanks soooo much.
I was getting frustrated yesterday when using my Q’nique 21 Long Arm. The thread on the top kept falling below the spool while I was sewing and then getting tied up under the spool creating my thread to break. I have tried the Netting that goes around the spool but found that didn’t work. Do you have any other suggestions as to how to prevent my thread from handing below the spool?
Hi Leah, you’re a great teacher. I have just purchased a Grace Q’nique 15M. I’ve been watching your videos on setting the tension, etc. I have the display screen for the speed…what is a good speed to start with? Thanks for your help.
I am a new owner of a longarm quilter and just learning. I had everything set up and was practicing when I broke the needle. I changed the needle but now it won’t pick up the thread below from the bottom. What did I do wrong or what am I missing? Thank you.
Hi Leah! I have the Qnique 21 pro.. new machine. When I use glide thread I constantly see bobbin thread on my top. I had to set my bobbin to 300 on towa gauge and top tension at 2 is this odd? It definitely is way tighter than the “drop test” that everyone talks about. What is your thoughts? The machine is threaded properly and have cleaned and oiled and new needle. TIA
I have the 15R, I see where you set your stitch length to 16 spi. Mine are set much lower. Would this cause a tension issue. My machine is automatically set at 10 spi but I changed it up 9. Should I be using more spi.
I just got a Q’nique 21 Pro Long Arm on a 12’ continuum Frame can you tell me why when sewing from Right to left my top thread shows on the bottom, but it does not show on the bottom when i sew from left to right? I have changed the needle. I have changed my tension to 3.5 (which is tightening my top thread). I have changed the bobbin tension. I have checked for dust bunnies. this is a brand new machine from Grace.
Hi Sharon – I set my stitch length to 16 stitches per inch usually. I prefer using the Cruise mode in the stitch regulator over Precise, but that’s just the way I like it! Test it and see what you like best!
Hi Leah firstly I just want to thank you for all your tips and videos I have just purchased a grace 15 r and I’ve learnt so much from you my question is what is your stich length on your quilts .
Hi Bruce – I would wonder if it’s your bobbin case, not your bobbin that is the problem! Have you accidentally dropped it on the ground or something hard?
Hi Jennifer – That does sound like an odd problem. First I would wind a brand new bobbin with the thread from the spool you’re using on the top of the machine. If you’re using mystery thread it could very well have something weird in it that is causing this issue!
Then I would re-thread your machine completely. When it doubt, always re-thread the machine. Check your needle and stitch straight lines forward and back a few times. What happens? Remember to only change one thing at a time before testing and seeing if that improves your stitches.
Hi Leah, My bobbins start out with beautiful tension when they are full, and as they spool down on a pass, the bobbin will begin to stick at the same point on each rotation in the case, so the stitching pulls together. It’s as though the bobbins are out of round, but I have set aside at least a dozen. I have even ordered new ones, and it keeps happening. Any thoughts?
I have a Grace Q’Nique 15 R and my bottom stitching is bunching up underneath my quilt , how do I FIX THAT? is that a tension problem or do I need to re-thread my machiine , I have done that and it jsut seems like it is not helping the problem, or is it the bottom tension I need to fix?Please help
Thanks for your feedback, Leah. After going step by step in trying to discover what the heck was going on with the tension on my Avante, I finally FIXED or discovered what the problem was. I received a bobbin winder from Handi-Quilter when I purchased the machine. It winds the thread very tightly. I watched a video of Jamie Wallen talking about tension issues. I followed his suggestions including checking if the bobbin thread was wound too tightly. WALLAH!! I switched to wound bobbin thread from Superior Threads, and it worked perfectly! I was able to finish my quilt and have gone on to bigger and better quilting. "Happy days are here again . . . " after a lot of trial and error. Thanks again for your suggestions.
Hi LilyB – That sounds like skipped stitches, which is typically caused by the needle. Make sure your needle is fully seated in the machine, as high as it can go. Also make sure that it’s facing the correct direction. This is harder to do on a longarm because the needle is round instead of flat on one side. Try a new needle and triple check it’s facing the correct direction and fully seated inside the machine.
Hi Lilian – If the machine was working fine before, and it sounds like it was for years, what exactly changed? My best advice for your Avante is to think back through anything that could have happened, anything that you changed that might have caused this issue.
Because there is definitely something causing this problem! Did you change thread? Did you change the brand of needles? Did you quilt a particularly thick quilt and lift your foot height and not reset it?
All of these things can effect your machine’s tension and they are all easy to overlook. BUT make sure to only change one thing at a time as you test your machine to figure out what is going wrong with it.
Hi Lee – LOL! I can’t believe I had the wrong video set up here this whole time. I’ve fixed it now so it’s correct. Thank you for letting me know about that.
Tension issues, no technician available in my state. Problem: Checked one step at a time. Top thread is not picking up bobbin thread. What causes this? Lots of thread nests on bottom. Changed needle. Thread. Checked threading. Loosened/Tightened tension disc. Have had machine since 2012; over 500 quilts; new problem. Going nuts!! 6/21/2019
Hi, Leah: I’ve had my Avante 18 since 2012. This year is the first time I’ve had tension issues with it. I’ve tried everything (as I am mechanically inclined), but nothing works. In fact, the tension knob only turns so far to the right. I thought maybe I need a new tension knob? I haven’t yet loaded the thread on the left side of the machine, so I’ll try that next. But, I’ve tried most everything as patiently as I can be. Now I’m beginning to tear my hair out. The nearest quilt store doesn’t do home calls, and I’m thinking mine will be too heavy to bring it to them. Any more suggestions? I’ve made about 500 quilts without tension problems I couldn’t fix. I’m at a loss now. Help.
Do you have a tension video?? Seems to be a quilt loading video in its place
Hi Joyce – Wow! That is weird! Are you sure it’s not the bobbin itself that’s going in a bit heavy or full? It might even be a slightly bent bobbin. The BEST thing is you are aware of it and know how to deal with it. Sure, it’s annoying, but it would be even more annoying if you didn’t know what was causing it!
When I oil my bobbin hook, one drop, it is a tension adjustment every time. I assume it causes the bobbin to spin too freely. I have to tighten at least 3 full turns and sew a swatch on side, then gradually loosen. It make for frustrating time. Suggestions?
Hi Cindy – I believe I have the speed at the highest it can go! This is exactly how I check the tension on the machine and run tests. I have another video here on checking tension on the machine as a sit down: https://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2017/02/quilting-tension-test-sit-down-quilting.html
Hi Kay – Yes, that’s a whole different video! Thread tension issues are far more common (at least from what I’ve experienced). As for tension between the rails, I like the quilt backing to be tight, but not so tight it causes skipped stitches.
Do you have any tutorials on the machine itself, with the tension? Love my machine, but having lots of tension issues. Going to try a couple of ideas you have listed above. At what speed do you set your machine when in regulated cruse?
I’m confused thought it was a tutorial on the actual machine tension not on the tension of the quilt on the bars after advancing it. Am l looking in the wrong place?