Please help I'm starting to pull out my hair instead of the stitiches, I have embroidered a giraffe on flannel /heavy stab, and 2x times the bobbin thread comes to the front and it ruins the look

I'm missing a few hairs, that got pulled out last weekend. I had a similar problem that looked suspiciously like a tension problem. I was told to reboot my sewing machine to reset the automatic tension.

Hi, Chris, sounds like a tension problem. Either upper or lower could be causing this. First thing check your upper thread track carefully, remove any lint, etc. and make sure your needle is not bent. Next remove your bobbin and bobbin case. With a cotton swab clean bobbin race removing all lint and fuss. Once every thing is really clean, put back in the bobbin case and rethread the bobbin. Make sure the thread goes down in the groove on the case. Usually tension problems are a little stray thread or lint, debris or some sort messing things up. If your bobbin case has ever had the screw moved it may have moved. It comes with lock tight on it and probably won't move if you don't loosen it yourself. Good luck. Freida

Chris, it looks like *everyone* else has already answered your question, and I don't have anything further to add other than to say that I hope something on this page helps solve your problem, it's so disappointing to stitch something out and for it to be ruined. Here's a flower to cheer you up, and for everyone else too - this page looked very bereft of flowers!

Sometimes I forget to thread the bobbin thread through the little arm on the bobbin case and the bobbin thread then comes up through the material too, so be sure to check that.

Chris, you didn't mention what you have used as stabilizer. Don't want to tell you something that you already know, but, the bottom stabilizer is what "Grabs" the bobbin thread and is the base of the design. Try going a little heavier than what you are now. Lots of times, I'll just lay a piece of stabilizer under the design area in addition to my attached stabilizer. Sometimes the designer did put in enough underlay, that is the reason for testing the design. I hope you find a fix. It is so frustrating trying to make some things work. That's why I love this site so much. In over a year I have NEVER sewn out a boo boo from here. Good luck and let us know how it goes. ;)

If it is as bad as you say, best thing is to remove the stitches (yuk) and resew it. There are gel pens out there that you can use to touch up where your bobbin thread comes thru and will save you having to pull your stitches and hair. You can get them at fabric or craft stores. They come in an 8 pack and are a true lifesaver.

All sound advice and I can only add that it is always wise to make a trial run on a remnant of the same material you want to use, even if you are sure it stitches out perfectly on cotton.

Often I use the same thread in the bobbin as I do in the top, this eliminates that thread color change that occurs and it isn't noticed so much. Try it and good luck.

Does sound like tension problems or threading. However, I understand that sometimes using different weight thread on the bobbin can cause a problem.

Completely pull your top thread out and re-thread. Sometimes you have missed just one of the tension guides on the upper thread too.

Tighten your bobbin tension or if you prefer not to touch the bobbin, loosen your upper thread tension

1 comment

by nurselilly 29 Jan 2008

i took a class and yep it happened to me here's what the teacher told me
rethread top and bottom (take bobbin completely out)sometimes its over the wrong way
change needle try a sharp if material is lightweight
tighten hoop
add another layer of tearaway (heavy) under the hoop ( i keep a roll at back of machine)just as wide as the hoop
all this is probably what you already know heavy tearaway works wonders
thanks to my teacher for showing me :)
good luck