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Member since 7/24/10
Posts: 7
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Posted on: 10/13/10 2:25 PM ET
Hello everybody,

My first post here and I hope you will be able to help my.

I've done a lot of reading on the site and other sites but still haven't found the ultimate solution.

I make gymnastic leotards for my daughters. For the hemming I use a Janome coverpro, but the stitches keep unrevealing.

Bare swimware elastic is used in the hems.

I tried different tensions on all the threads. but still... Now I wonder what is the best looper thread. I've used cheap ones and Guthermann Tera 180. Can anybody advise me on the thread ore give me the solution on the missing stiches.

My appoligies for my English, school is a way back now. And I'm Dutch, so it doesn't comes naturally.

Hajo
  
Member since 10/16/05
Posts: 454
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Posted on: 10/13/10 4:42 PM ET
I hope you get a reply to this I'd like to know too. If I can find that one lady I'll see who you might like to ask. She does costumes. Like for dancing where stretch is very important.
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Laurie Lou
  
Member since 2/11/10
Posts: 134
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Posted on: 10/13/10 5:28 PM ET
have you tried wooly nylon in the lower loopers? I know that a lot of ladies use in on the diaper sewing board that I'm on for the type of application that you are using (gynastics) and a lot of them love the wooly nylon.
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http://sewchicmama.blogspot.com
  
Member since 1/17/10
Posts: 1252
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Posted on: 10/13/10 5:54 PM ET
Is the thread breaking or snapping from the stretch or is it unravelling on it's own? If it is due to thread breaking, you might try the woolly nylon in the looper and the needles. My guess is that you are getting skipped stitches and that will cause unravelling without thread breakage. Are you pulling your needle threads to the back at the end and anchoring them properly? I have made many spandex costumes over the years .....hundreds and hundreds and always used a zig zag stitch on the hems because kids tug and pull on these more than the garment can take. Now we have coverstitch and that has an amazing stretch and should not break unless you have skipped stitches or your stitch length is too long. I think you should stitch with a length of 2 or maybe 2.5, but not 3.

Don't worry about your English, we all speak "Sewing" here.
  
Member since 7/24/10
Posts: 7
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Posted on: 10/14/10 1:05 AM ET
In reply to Hajo
Thanks for your reactions.

The unrevealing is not due to breaking of the thread. I've had that but loosend the tension on the neeldes and I haven't seen it since. It just enreveals somewhere in the middle. It missed maby just a single stitch. And not just at the seams. The end and the beginning I pull to the backside and secure them.
The stichtlength was longer, so I can try 2 till 2,5 mm. I recall that most advises on serging stretch suggest a long length so I used that...
I haven't tried wooly nylon yet. At first I have to know what woolly nylon is in Dutch.... "Metroflock moussegaren" (moussethreadis) is advertised as wooly nylon. I've become a bit carefull in trying all kinds of thread because of the price of the cones (and postal).

Actualy sewish isn't that easy as language either ;)

Hajo
-- Edited on 10/14/10 1:53 AM --
-- Edited on 10/14/10 1:57 AM --
  
Member since 1/17/10
Posts: 1252
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Posted on: 10/14/10 1:55 AM ET
If your seam is unravelling in the middle it is probably a skipped stitch. Even one skipped stitch causes this. You must use new needles and exactly the type your machine requires. Many machines use the ELx705 needle. Try to loosen the looper tension a little. Make sure you do not sew too fast. The woolly nylon will not help this problem.
  
Member since 7/24/10
Posts: 7
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Posted on: 10/14/10 2:03 AM ET
Thanks Rosews13,

It seems I was editing my reply when you where typing yours.

I use the needles required. ELx 705 indeed. The looper tension can't be droped anymore. The Tera 180 is a very thin and smooth thread. I will try the stitchlength and easy sewing
  
Member since 1/17/10
Posts: 1252
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Posted on: 10/14/10 2:24 AM ET
Do you use the same thread in needles and loopers? If you have the loosest tension in the looper, try to tighten it a little.
I am German by birth and have been in the US for over 50 years.When I read your post, I find myself typing with a German accent.
There are several people on this site who might be able to help you more than I can. I hope they see your post
  
Member since 6/23/04
Posts: 4892
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Posted on: 10/14/10 2:34 AM ET
In reply to Hajo
Welcome Hajo to PR!

Skipped stitches on gymnastics leotards, especially when sewing the elastic is due to the wrong needle.

You say you are using the ELx705, which is correct for your Janome, but what size needle and what type of needle? By this I mean, Universal, Ball Point or Stretch?

When sewing the elastic on this fabric I always use a size 90 needle. Now I own the Brother coverstitch machine so I use stretch needles, which are best for preventing skipped stitches on this type of fabric, however I believe the ELx705 needles don't come in stretch. Therefore your next best option would be a #90 ball point needle. HTH

-- Edited on 10/14/10 2:36 AM --
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Belinda. Melbourne, Australia
http://sew-4-fun.blogspot.com/
  
Member since 7/24/10
Posts: 7
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Posted on: 10/14/10 3:02 AM ET
In reply to Rosews13
Oops,

German accent typing... I live 15 minutes from the border and my English is better, at least in writing.
.

I use normal thread for the needles because of the color.

The Elx 705 has only one type of needle with Schmetz. A light ballpoint. I use 90.
Organ does have 2 types, one light ballpoint as the Schmetz and one "suk". I don't know if that is a big difference. A normal needle won't do because the sizes are different.

Hajo
  
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