Help Metallic

[cmack]

Sewing metallic on a hat!!!! EEEEEKKKKK
I am hveing nothing but issues.
I have slowed the machine down to 800spm
I use the old red amaya.
the logo where I am using normal thread looks fantastic.
The metallic thread has loose stitches missing stitches and is having all kinds of false thread breaks.
I am using maderia 30 metallic I have tried 90 needle, however it seems to work better with an 80.

Should I buy 50 wt metallic ?
will it sew better?

[Rod or Sharon]

What kind of cap are you sewing on--structured or unstructured? Is the metallic thread sewing across seams? If so, you may need to sew on "manual" settings for material thickness settings and increase the material thickness in those areas. Slow the speed down even slower. Are there a lot of short stitches in those areas of the design? We sew all caps with a 75/11 DBXK5 needle and they all do just fine. We have only had one cap that was a stinker---the buckram was like a stiff fiberglass. Lousy cap.
Sharon

[Rod or Sharon]

By the way, I will probably catch a lot of comments from this statement but here goes...we have tested threads out in the field on several machines when doing tech work over the course of the past 7 or 8 years. We had to prove to our customers that ARC or ISACORD threads were stronger than MADEIRA---we could sew a design with ARC without any threadbreaks and Madeira would have 15 or 16 on the same design (the customers design). I think Isacord is an equal to Arc and that is what we will change over to when our Arc runs out. We do use a few colors of Madeira just because of the color however.
Sharon

[cmack]

It is a structured Otto hat. The rest of the design sews great, just not the metallic and yes I am sewing across the seams. I have turned it to manual, seems to sew better on auto. The metallic is Old English style lettering, So I guess there would be short stitches.

[Debbie Garifi]

Not sure if this will do the trick for you on a hat, but for Isacord metallic thread on Applique it worked beautifully for me. If you are using other non metallic thread in this same design only change the settings for the metallic by going into color sequence on the right in AMAYA OS go into setting by color tab, click the settings by color box and go to the color number that the metallic thread is in your design. Click on "Standard"
In Colomn feed put 50. In Fill/Run feed 100,
Material Feed put 8, Tail = medium, Trim = Metallic, Click ok and do this for the color sequence 3's that are metallic in your design, making sure the other colors remain on the auto and the usual settings you use. I find if you shut down it doesn't always save it, so you always need to check that it is set up and staying that way. Hopefully your machine has this stuff I mentioned here like the XT...I kept getting false bobbin breaks so I also shut that machine setting off while using metallic (just make sure you have plenty of bobbin in there before starting). I ran my XT at 1100SPM with this formula, but it wasn't a hat, it was a jacket back and left chest.
Good luck and let me know if it works for you. I will keep my fingers crossed!

[Debbie Garifi]

Type-O = Color sequence #'s not 3's.......

[GF]

I agree with your thread experience Sharon. While I like Isacord and find it works really well, I find that the RA metallic works better than the Isacord metallic. I've chosen to slowly replace my ARC thread with RA. What has your experience been with RA? Just wondering.

[Rod or Sharon]

I haven't used RA thread. I have a cone of it and a color chart but didn't feel the sheen was as nice. I'm afraid I can't give an opinion on it and in fairness, I probably should order in a few cones and try it. I don't even know where they have it!
Sharon

[GF]

The sheen with RA is closest to ARC in comparison. As much as I like Isacord, their reds run a little orangey for me and RA has been a good source to correctly match ARC colors. I've actually used ARC and RA simultaneously for the same job and the colors matched perfect. That was a big reason I went that direction. Plus the metallic was so similar to ARC in that I didn't need to slow the machines down and I've run large areas with RA metallic without breaks.

To get a sample, contact Rob Howlett at [email protected] or his number is 717-451-1608. He can direct you to your closest supplier.

Let me know how you make out.

[Juli in Kona]

I agree about the sheen with the RA thread. It definitely is not shiny. I have been using Marathon Poly and that is VERY shiny. And the cost is a lot lower than Isacord. I get mine from American Embroidery Supply, but it is not on his web site. But he does have it. He also has Fred's stabilizers and, best of all, he will cut it to specifications. I got some No-show Iron-On cut to 7 X 15 for my Durkee 30cm x 16cm and 7.5 X 8" for my round hoops and for my Slim Line - which I just love!!!