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  1. #1
    New Member MrPoopular's Avatar
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    Unhappy Struggling with tree strap stitch tension

    I'm working on making some tree straps to match a couple hammocks I sewed and I'm having issues with thread tension.

    I'm just attempting a straight stitch as my old sewing machine doesn't have any fancy stretch stitches. I started out trying to do a small zig-zag stitch, the tension didn't seem overly strange - but the needle kept getting stuck on the bottom and breaking the top thread whenever I'd cross or touch areas that were already sewn, so I went to a straight stitch.

    It seems to be fine when I do a test on some black poly straps, but when I try to sew the color matched poly straps from RSBTR the tension keeps getting all wonky. I'm not sure if they're a tighter weave or what.

    I'm using Mara 50 thread & I've tried several needles (ensuring the one I started with isn't dull). I've watched all Jellyfish's videos on thread tension, choosing needles, etc.

    Each time I attempt to sew my boxes, the top thread looks great - but when I flip it over the bottom is an absolute mess. The bottom thread is super loose & baggy and I can see the loops from the top thread as well.

    It seems like both threads are too loose. I've tried tightening them independently - but I can only eliminate the looseness on the underside when I crank the tightness WAY up on both. At this point the stitches are so tight they're almost disappearing into the straps, which obviously isn't right.

    I've never really struggled with thread tension before - so this is frustrating.

    Here's how the bottom looks when the thread tension is set so it looks normal and balanced when sewing ordinary fabric.
    PXL_20201216_163006685.MP.jpg
    Last edited by MrPoopular; 12-16-2020 at 15:25. Reason: clarity

  2. #2
    Senior Member Crazytown3's Avatar
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    I don't have an answer for you, but I'm going to follow along. Stitch tension is a mystery to me too.

  3. #3
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    I was going to say forget the box. All you need are a few nice thick lines of stitching (just copied from some Warbonnet straps I had).

    But it seems like that may not help since everything here looks equally loose. I don't know but hopefully someone can answer. Is there a presser foot pressure setting on your machine? I feel the frustration!

    For starters, take all the thread out of the machine and start from scratch if you haven't already.

  4. #4
    New Member MrPoopular's Avatar
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    I do have a presser foot pressure setting on my machine. I'll try playing with that tonight.

    I did try sewing these straps then my hammocks - but got fed up, removed the Mara 50, sewed 2 hammocks with Mara 70, then put this back in. Perhaps I should try winding a new bobbin with the 50 and giving that a go.

  5. #5
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Some simple things that could get missed during a brain fart: make sure the presser foot is up while you're threading (so the tension discs are released). And make sure the bobbin is rotating in the right direction (makes a "P" shape)

  6. #6
    Senior Member Rusty Shackelford's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OneClick View Post
    I was going to say forget the box. All you need are a few nice thick lines of stitching (just copied from some Warbonnet straps I had).

    But it seems like that may not help since everything here looks equally loose. I don't know but hopefully someone can answer. Is there a presser foot pressure setting on your machine? I feel the frustration!

    For starters, take all the thread out of the machine and start from scratch if you haven't already.
    I think the stitch generally depends on the material you are stitching, I believe that the box x stitch is generally a better stitch provided you have the room, especially on thinner materials since it distributes the stitching over a larger area. In this post that I came across a while back while doing some DIY research, Strapman from Strapworks summed it up in a way that makes perfect sense to me. It is likely that that's why Warbonnet uses the box x stitch for their Dynaweave, it's quite thin.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Wkerber's Avatar
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    I don't think you have enough tension on the top (presser foot) to pull the top thread and bobbin thread back into the webbing 1/2 way. Also, make sure you are using a size 16-18 needle with Mara 50. Verify needle size first and if it's a 16-18, then increase top tension.
    Bill

  8. #8
    Senior Member OneClick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rusty Shackelford View Post
    I think the stitch generally depends on the material you are stitching, I believe that the box x stitch is generally a better stitch provided you have the room, especially on thinner materials since it distributes the stitching over a larger area. In this post that I came across a while back while doing some DIY research, Strapman from Strapworks summed it up in a way that makes perfect sense to me. It is likely that that's why Warbonnet uses the box x stitch for their Dynaweave, it's quite thin.
    Dynaweave! I never head of that. I'll need to check that out some more.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Rusty Shackelford's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OneClick View Post
    Dynaweave! I never head of that. I'll need to check that out some more.
    It's just Warbonnet's version of UHMWPE webbing/straps, I like mine just fine.

  10. #10
    New Member MrPoopular's Avatar
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    Thanks for the advice everyone. Strangely I still can't get it right, needles are correct, presser foot tension, wound a new bobbin, etc.

    To get the top thread tension to be taught on the bottom I have to crank it up so high it unwinds the thread as it feeds through the tension discs, which is just nuts.

    It doesn't seem to be having as many tension issues when doing a zig-zag, I can get those to look correct without going nuts with tension. I'm now planning to do some long bar tacks like I saw in Tac Blade's treestrap video on youtube.

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