Ditto.

It is correct that you must/should thread with the presser foot up, so that the tension discs are open. Maybe in the past it has worked for you to thread with it down because the thread has just fallen into place once you started sewing. I can see how you'd get thread tangles, poor stitch quality, and tension problems from threading with the foot down, but I personally don't understand how it would damage the machine. Not saying it won't, but I don't get how.

If I pull on the thread with the presser foot down, you can tell the machine is "fighting" it. It doesn't pull easily. That's how I know it can't be good for the machine. I think that's why they say not to thread the machine with the foot down, because the tendancy (when threading manually at least) is to thread the eye, then pull a short length of thread on through to go under the presser foot or to hold onto. Hope this made sense!

Presser foot up when threading the top of the machine. To thread the needle only I don't think it matters. Sometimes I think of threading the machine as just the needle. I tend to oversimplify! But that would be threading the needle, not the machine.

I'm lost on this topic. What difference would it make if the pressure foot is up or down? It's the position of the needle when it comes time to threading that counts doesn't it? I can't imagine trying to thread it when the needle is down. I seriously think that your dealer is feeding you a line of BS. I got a lemon Bernina & the shop didn't want to stand behind it. Go over their heads & write to the president of the company. I don't care how good they say these machines are, they do make faulty ones too. Good luck

I think you misread the topic. Threading of the machine from spool to needle should be done with the pressor foot up so the tension discs are open.
Threading of the needle can be done with the foot up or down depending on your preference.
Threading of the needle with the needle down, well, when someone figures that out, I'd love to hear it! :shock:

The manual for my machine states that the machine should be threaded with the pressure foot up.

This is new to me but I believe it. And understand it re: the tension disks

Just to clarify...when I said my machine gets "out of timing', I mean the whole bobbin case has come loose and the needle misses the opening where the hook is.... resulting in the needle hitting the casing. I'm not talking about my machine being "out of tolerance" where the stitches aren't correct.

Luckily, now that I'm so cautious of this machine, I sew with one eye and one ear focused on anything unusual, and I can catch the problem just as it happens and have avoided breaking a needle. I'm not speaking of just skipped stitches or thread breaking. Yesterday after getting machine back from shop I used Bernina for only about 2 minutes and then it wouldn't sew again! This time the needle went through bobbin case just fine, but needle wouldn't pick up bobbin thread.

Last night told me the machine was getting out of alignment because I didn't have pressure foot up when threading machine. After I got home, I looked up needle threading in my manual and it states pressure foot up, but no warning that "if you don't do it you will have severe mechanical problems and break needles!". I am not buying the fact that I have damaged my machine by threading it with the pressure foot down.

I have been in the sewing industry and have sewn on many brands and models. The timing has only gone out twice. That was when I was sewing commercially 40+ hrs. a week for 3 years.

Using a machine over a long period of time may cause a little wear or slippage. When the timing goes out on a machine, your machine will not sew properly, loose stitching, skipped stitches, etc.

So, you take your machine in for servicing and you are good to go for several more years. Not like I've been doing, taking my Bernina in to have timing set every week for 4 weeks.


Since I posted this morning, I called another Bernina dealer 40 miles aways. She said the pressure foot should be up when threading since it releases the tension and your first few stitches might be affected by being loose, etc. HOWEVER, not having the pressure foot up when threading will not throw your machine out of time causing the serious problems I have. She said there is something else going on.

I am thinking I have a lemon. Been sewing for too many years on too many machines to be intimidated. The repairman/owner has told me twice that he is puzzled and indicated I may have a alternative solution.