true4uca

Just had to unpick a block. My stitches looked fine, but when I started to unpack it was so easy to pull the entire thread out. Have tried different sized and brands of thread top and bottom, cleaned and even a drop of oil, changed needle, nothing helped. My mechanic has at least 2 month back log. I'm using a Janome 3160 QDC. I'VE had into the shop 3 times already, time for a new machine but which one.

quiltedsunshine

Maybe you need to make your stitch length a little shorter. When I'm piecing, I set my length at 2.

It's quite alright for you to adjust your upper tension -- that's why it's adjustable. However, it won't do any good to adjust the bobbin case tension on that particular machine. Try sewing with a dark thread on top and a light thread on the bottom and sew a zig-zag stitch. With a zig-zag stitch, you can see better what the tension is doing. If the dark thread is pulling to the back, tighten the upper tension. If the light thread is pulling to the top, loosen the upper tension. Different threads may need different tensions. I find that polyester thread needs a tighter tension than cotton.

Gook Luck!

quiltsfor

It could also be the way you are 'unpicking' it.

When I am ripping something out, on the front side of my fabric, I just clip a stitch every 5 or 6 stitches with my seam ripper, then I go to the back side, grab the back side thread end at the beginning of the line of stitching and just pull it away from the fabric. The entire back length of thread comes out in one piece, and my entire piece is now apart.

There may be a few tiny cut pieces of thread clinging between the fabric pieces, but they just brush off.

Barb in Louisiana

That's good advice from Annette (quiltedsunshine). I sew using Brother machines. I use a 2.0 for regular piecing and a 1.5 for paper piecing. If I use a 2.5 length, my seams are too loose and my threads pull out very easily unless I lock the beginning and ending stitches on e.v.e.r.y seam. And that is truly a pain for me.

tropit

It sounds most like a tension issue to me. Play around with your tension on some scraps of the same fabric until you get a nice even stitch on both sides. QuiltedSunshine has a good suggestion that you use 2 different colors of thread and use a zig-zag stitch to check.

Also, check your pressure on your pressure foot. If you're sewing on thinner fabrics, the fabric may slide just a little and cause the stitch to be a little looser. Your foot may need a bit more pressure.

petthefabric

when there’s major problems with tension, I start with bobbin tension. Does this machine not allow bobbin tension adjustment?

Rhonda K

Is the bobbin wound tightly? You want the thread to feel firm on the bobbin. It shouldn’t feel squishy.

I have that machine and had a bobbin that wasn’t wound correctly. Not sure what happened.

quiltedsunshine

No, it doesn't. Weird thing, but they paint the screw into position. As a sewing machine tech, I've even tried adjusting them, and didn't get any where with trying to adjust that screw.

Lady Diana

I always start with upper thread tension, never bobbin. Of course you do need to check that the threads are even on both sides.
if you can pull a thread without cutting stitches, you have an issue with the top thread not picking up the bobbin thread.
That is usually a timing issue. Check to see if your bobbin is in correctly. Best wishes.

true4uca

Sorry I was out all day yesterday, so just now tried your suggestions. My machine is preset to 2.2 so I reduced to 2.0 . Wow that almost fixed it, I'm so surprised that worked so well, fabric looked a little puckered, so reduced top tension and that worked so well, thank you so much. Never touched tension before ( a little scared), but figured it was already broke so goin in. Just never knew stitch length could be an issue, kinda proud of myself, yeah me.