HELP, Please! This bobbin thread showing part of the time happens alot. Does anyone know why? Is there anything that I can do? It's so inconsistant. I just never know when it will happen. My boo-boo bag is way too full. Thank you for helping me again.Joa

Mar 30, 2013 -- I fussed with the same issue for 30 days with a brand new Pfaff (which costs a bunch) and every time I went in, the ladies said
1) change the needle (no difference), 2) change the stabilizer (no difference), 3) you must be using a free design (so what!), 4) change the tension from 2.8 to less than 1.0 (no difference). FINALLY, i got them to replace the bobbin case with the one in the store that was running and voila - it was perfect! Maybe this is the problem. And I agree with those below, don't change everything at once -- one thing at a time. I guess that's the "art" in our work is making all the little things come together.

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by joansatx 05 Apr 2013

Interesting about the bobbin case. Once when my machine went for servicing, I was told that I had the wrong case in for embroidering but that was okay...What???
I'm glad for you. Wouldn't it be fun if we all lived on the same street? Ha! Thank you, Jo

I have not reliably figured out why mine does this and I am to the point I am going to sell my machine. I have been fussing with it for 2 years. I can get it to stitch sometimes by slowing it down. The man I bought it from is convinced there is NOTHING wrong with it however he only stitches the alphabet that comes on the machine on stabilizer and not stabilizer with fabric. It will not consistently stitch downloaded designs. SOMETIMES I can get it to stitch if I use an entire bottle of silicone… large eye needles, NON rayon coated thread… sometimes if I put the spool all the way across the room so that it can unwind 20 feet or more before it gets to my machine.

I have spent the last 3 weeks trying to stitch a gift and finally had to give up and backup and punt. I had the cutest designs for it but cannot stitch them out on my smaller machine. While I understand it can be a problem with the tension, my machine has spent weeks in the shop and I've been promised that there isn't anything wrong with it. I sat here with it and attempted to stitch while changing EVERY setting the other night. I did every possible thing I could so I could stitch out this design for her. I'm so upset over it I cried. No needle, no silicone, no thread, no stabilizer, no fabric, no amount of distance, no slowing down, no tension adjustment…. I'm with you. I don't get it. None of these things have helped me consistently. But maybe one of them will bring you luck.

Don't try them all at once tho. Start with a different type of thread and silicone. Then add the needle. Then slow it down. One step at a time. Make notes of what happens with each step so you can always go backwards to something that worked better. Keep samples of each step. I used chalk to label each try and black fabric because it was easier to see the white bobbin thread. Oh, start with a design on your machine. Once you get that to work, move to a downloaded design.

I hope you have much better luck than I did. I am dealing with a 14 year old machine. I really think it is just time to put it to pasture.

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by joansatx 05 Apr 2013

Thank you for this list and detailed reply. I appreciate what you've been through.
I have a Brother Duetta that's 4 years old. I haven't gotten 4 years of use because I have spent 6months away from home 3 different times when grandchildren were born.
Thank you very much.

Joan,
I have always understood in machine embroidery, that when the bobbin thread is pulled to the top, it is caused, usually, by the upper thread tension being too tight.
Hugs, Angel

The fact that this is intermitent sounds to me like you need to have your machine serviced. If you haven't already, try cleaning your tension disks and bobbin area and be sure to get all the dust out first. Also make sure your thread path to the machine is clear and that the thread isn't getting temporarily caught on anything from time to time.

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by joansatx edited 06 Apr 2013

The machine is always better right after servicing. Maybe I should do that and then try lots of text. Their samples are always great. First, I will go do the cleaning of the path. Thank you!

This can be so irritating. I have never had a problem with this since I bought pre wound bobbins. The other thing you could try is to turn down the speed of your machine. I automatically turn down the speed when I am doing text. Hope we have managed to help. Sarah.

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by joansatx 20 Mar 2013

Thank you so much. Haven't tried pre wounds. You are helpful!

That nearly always happens to me when stitching out text. Even more so when the text is small. I get round it by using matching bobbin thread. Turning down the upper tension may help also.

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by joansatx 18 Mar 2013

Thank you for the encouragement. I've recently added tiny fonts to my collection and then got anxious about trying them. I'm glad to know that this is a universal
problem. Thanks so much.

ttt

sq

My Bernina has a tension adjustment on the bobbin case. I have a sewing case and an embroidery case. The embroidery bobbin case has a tighter tension that pulls more of the top thread to the backside. I also lower the upper thread tension when embroidering. My bobbin case has 2 screws and I adjust in small increments until no bobbin thread showing. I mark embroidery case with nail polish. Contact your dealer for how to change for your machine.

SQ

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by joansatx 18 Mar 2013

Thank you. I have my top tension on the loosest setting. I have been wondering if my machine vibrates and retightens the bobbing case screw. I'll check it again.
It's amazing how each piece is different.

Generally, this is a sign of too much tension on the upper thread. However, it also could be a burr on the needle or improper stabilization.

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by joansatx 18 Mar 2013

Thank you. Maybe I have to use the spray for a tighter fit of the stabilizer.