I'm new to doing athletic jerseys and to having an embroidery machine as well.. I'm using PSA twill and ever since I've noticed my upper thread breaking or getting tangled with the bobbin thread to the point of frustration. It occured to me that this could be do to the adhesive on the twill. Considering this is the stuff designed expressly for sewing on jerseys, is there any advice as to what I can do (special needles, etc) to get running efficiently again?
We normally don't see any problems until we are about three layers of twill.
Good Polyester thread - we use Isacord
Good Sharp needles - we use Groz Beckert Gebadur for our everyday needle and switch to the teflon coated gebalub when we have the need like some caps and multi layer twill.
Watch the shirt while it is sewing to see if the material is lifting when the needle comes up. The flagging can be the problem. This can be helped with the teflon needles. You can also slide a piece of wax paper underneath. As the needle retracts it is lubricated by the wax. If you do this, be sure to remove the needle plate and clean every once in a while.
Also, you didn't say what kind of jerseys but some of the heavyweight porthole meshs can be a problem as well.
Thanks I will track down a teflon needle (do you have a good source for things like this?) In the meantime, I will try wax paper and the sharpest needle I can find at Hancock or JoAnn. I bought "jeans" needles, but maybe there's something better until I can get a teflon coated one. Thanks for the advice
Hockey jerseys, but the embroidery isn't being done on the jersey itself. The patches, numbers, etc are triple layers of PSA twill. The revised plan is to embroider on a poly twill from TwillUSA and put the PSA on for the 2nd and 3rd layers..then, cut the poly twill to shape, heat-press on the jersey and sew on. The problem we have is with the logo, which again is layered twill in spots.
I've been working with this for 3 weeks, so I'm as newbie as it gets.. but getting up to speed very quickly.
BTW: I found the teflon needles on www.buyembroiderysupplies.com, but the only brand in teflon they have is ORGAN 75/11. Is this the appropriate size for triple-twill PSA material?
Three layers of twill is tough no matter how you do it but the needles will help.
We get our needles from Ackermann, they now go by Amaan USA. They are the source for Isacord thread. They carry the Groz-Beckert needles, both the Gebedur and the Gebelub. I'm not a an of Organ needles. I didn;t think the eyes were polished enough. Look at a new needle with a magnifying glass. It has been a while since we experimented with needles, these Groz Beckerts are so good there is no need.
If you're sewing three layers, I would go up one size on the needles.
Is there any way you could cut you top two layers from regular twill? The adhesive is a little more production friendly than the PSA.
And when you are embroidering, are you hooping with a piece of backing? And if your machine allows, keep the table top up to help reduce the flagging. One other thing, it may seem counter intuitive but speed the machine up.
I just went in the shop and looked and the Gebelub needles are an 80/12. They are listed on the Ackerman website. Best needle ever for this and for caps.
If you start switching needles, be careful that you don't inadvertantly change your hook timing. Stay with the same family of needles and if you change, make sure the needles are the same length and that the scarf on the back of the needle is the same, otherwise your timing might need to be set.
Yes, machine embroidery poyester thread (Coats &Clark Trilobal 100% Polyester). Funny thing, I did slow it down.
PSA works because a lot of the twill needs to be cut on the Roland. One of the first lessons I learned was that you can't cut Poly-back (or anything without a separation layer) on the cutter. But, I also learned the poly-back can be easily embroidered. What poly-back and permanant heat-seal I'll be needing for the back layer, I'll be having to cut by hand (a small price to pay for not having to sew the edges on the jerseys), but all other layers will be PSA.
PSA twill causing thread to break? 
I will track down a teflon needle (do you have a good source for things like this?) In the meantime, I will try wax paper and the sharpest needle I can find at Hancock or JoAnn. I bought "jeans" needles, but maybe there's something better until I can get a teflon coated one. Thanks for the advice 
