Originally Posted by
annf
My modern machine with drop in bobbin creates a big mess on the bottom when the bobbin is nearing empty only when I attempt to free motion quilt...
My White 660 tend to break thread when I try, but I think it might be the groove the thread wore in the paint so I'm going to fix that and look for other potential burrs
The only thing I can think of with your modern machine is that the bobbin isn't wound consistently and when it gets to the end, it's either somehow getting bound up and that yanks the top stitches down, or the tension on the thread itself is too tight for some reason.
I think you're on the right track with your 660. Also, we tend to quilt with our tensions top and bottom way tighter than they need to be. Try loosening both - your top tension especially. On my machines, I often drop from about 4.5 to 2-3.
Originally Posted by
Addiction
Fairly obvious, but I would say one of my most common mistakes is "needle installed backwards" or "needle threaded backwards." My fault for toying with multiple machines without consulting the manual!
Yeah, the most common reason for skipped stitches for sure and often tension problems to go with the skipped stitches. I usually look at the last guide before the needle. That tells me which way the needle threads and for most domestic machines where the needle has a flat side, it tells me which side the flat of the needle goes to as well. For instance, the last guide pulls the thread to the right - like on a featherweight - that tells me the machine threads right to left and that the flat of the needle will face left.