sewitall

I think I have read all of the responses to this. I may have the answer for you, which I didn't see addressed in any of the responses. I have a Bernina 440QE. Even though I thread the machine with the pressure foot in up position, I had the same thing happen as mentioned above. At first, I thought I really screwed something up. Took it in to the shop to make sure I didn't break something. Nothing found wrong. Brought it home. Worked fine. And, then it did it again (The "needle hitting bobbin case noise). Well,,,,,,,,,I figured out by accident what I was doing wrong. (At least, in my case, as I don't have this problem anymore). For some reason, I was not always lowering the pressure foot prior to lowering needle to pick up the bobbin thread (push of a button. Not by turning the wheel by hand). No excuse for me. I don't know why or how I started doing this from time to time. But,,,,,I never do it anymore. If that pressure foot is not in the down position when you lower the needle to pick up the bobbin thread,,,,,, the needle can and probably will hit the bobbin casing (not having pressure foot down must cause the "timing issue", which seems to auto correct itself when starting over and doing it correctly). Anyway, that is what worked for me and I have not had a single problem ever since. If I am found to be "off base" on this,,,let me know.

Janetlmt

I have never heard of having the presser foot up while threading a bernina. I have the Bernina 730..and when I thread it and the presser foot is up..the screen flashes a message to put the foot down.

sewitall

When threading the "upper part of machine", the instructions say to have the "pressure foot" in the up position (to release the tension). When threading the needle, the pressure foot can be up or down. What I found out, however, was that when you go to pick up the bobbin thread the first time "after" threading the needle,,,, the pressure foot needs to be in the "down position". Is that when your machine flashes the message on the screen?..Maybe, it is reminding you to put the "foot" down before trying to pick up the bobbin thread? So that your needle does not hit the bobbin casing. Apparently, at least on my model 440QE,,,putting that pressure foot in the down position somehow engages parts in the bobbin area, as well as the tension in the upper part of machine. If the foot is not in the down position when you lower needle into the bobbin area, it will not work in "sinc". And, that seems to be when the needle hits the bobbin case. Hello out there all of you techy, service type persons. What say you?????

blisterful

Thank you for your messages. We all have our ways of threading a machine. I happen to leave pressure foot down as I thread machine just to have a little resistance. Once thread is through needle, I'll raise pressure foot and take both top thread and bobbin together pulling both threads together which allows thread to seat in tention discs, then lower pressure foot and cut both threads on thread cutter.

Being told that I am actually damaging the mechanisms in the sewing machine (or loosening screws internally) by having the pressure foot down while threading is hogwash. I'm not talking about loose threads or skipped stitches. I talking about my needle breaking because it is hitting metal inside the machine.(and this happens after using it for a couple of hrs. after servicing..3+ times in 3 weeks). I have called other dealers since this posting who confirm there is a problem with my machine not a pressure foot up/down threading issue. They didn't know where the problem was without seeing the machine, but to fix the timing over and over again isn't the answer. Thank you for supporting "common sense".

quilterguy27

Well, I totally disagree. I can't thread my machine with the presser foot up. It will only work with the foot down. My suggestion: Pull the thread all the way thru the system with the foot up and then just before you get ready to put it thru the needle then put the foot down. Then you aren't doing any unnecessary pulling on the thread once it's in the discs. Just a suggestion. This is how it works on my machine.

Quilter7x

I agree 100%. I have a Bernina and two Janomes. I was taught to thread them with the presser feet up and you can feel the how much easier it is to do it with the feet up.

gramabiese

I inherited a Bernina and it is only 7 yrs old. I couldn't use it so I took it to a Bernina shop to have it checked out, 3 months ago! I call once a week and one of the ladies who answers the phone can be very rude. I am trying to be patient. I was told it would take less than 5 days. then got a call that one board was on back order, then I called and was told yes it works but the light won't go on, did it when you had it, well how would I know, it didn't work. So I called a week later, oh I fixed it, I had inadvertantly cut a wire, I said good can I come get it? No I broke a cable and it's on back order. I asked couldn't you just take one from a machine in the store and replace it when the cable comes in. She said yes. I called 2 weeks later, is it ready yet? No she replaced the cable now it won't do anything so she needs to talk to the factory!!!!!

Now I asked, can I trade it in? Well no one knows because the lady that takes care of that isn't in right now! If my machine were in the store I would pick it up and take it elsewhere, but right now it isn't and I'm so bummed. I just want my maching back!!!!

Sorry I just needed to vent. It's snowing again.......I could be sewing!!!!

Linda - K.

I have a Bernina 440QE and didn't know this! Will have to be sure I do it the right way from now on. If the teacher in the "get to know the machine class" mentioned this I must have been asleep and totally missed it! Thanks for the tip.

blisterful

I disagree also. We are talking about tention, not brakes. We are using thread, not force.

Dianne1

The dealer where I bought my Berninina told us that in class. She also told us to never pull cut thread thru the needle to discard. [ We are doing embroidary] but to cut by the spool and under the foot and pull it back.