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Bernina bobbin tension
Hi Everyone -
I have had my 3 year old Bernina 350 serviced by two different Bernina dealers over the past three years. One guy set the bobbin tension considerably looser than the other guy. I went online and saw a test you can do to determine the correct bobbin tension where you hold the bobbin in the case and shake it a little and when you shake it, the bobbin will fall. With the tight setting I have now, it doesn't fall and it feels pretty tight. But the recent technician said this tight way is correct. I use 50weight cotton thread and cotton fabric almost all the time, so I'm not ever changing tension on my own. But I don't think I know how to determine which of these tech guys did it right? Or are they both right? I am not experienced enough to know if some of my quilts might have loose or tight stitches, and if so whether any of these stitches might not hold up over time in the quilts? Can people help me to understand this topic a little better? Thank you so much, Lainey |
I have an older Bernina 1260. I keep the tension loose. If I hold the bobbin by the thread it comes off by itself, not running loose but looser then having to shake it loose.
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Originally Posted by lainealex
(Post 7153163)
Hi Everyone -
I have had my 3 year old Bernina 350 serviced by two different Bernina dealers over the past three years. One guy set the bobbin tension considerably looser than the other guy. I went online and saw a test you can do to determine the correct bobbin tension where you hold the bobbin in the case and shake it a little and when you shake it, the bobbin will fall. With the tight setting I have now, it doesn't fall and it feels pretty tight. But the recent technician said this tight way is correct. I use 50weight cotton thread and cotton fabric almost all the time, so I'm not ever changing tension on my own. But I don't think I know how to determine which of these tech guys did it right? Or are they both right? I am not experienced enough to know if some of my quilts might have loose or tight stitches, and if so whether any of these stitches might not hold up over time in the quilts? Can people help me to understand this topic a little better? Thank you so much, Lainey |
The most recent Bernina tech guy, the one who made the bobbin tension tight, said I should never adjust the bobbin tension myself, but that only a tech guy should do it at each annual service.
Do others agree, or are all of you adjusting the bobbin tension yourselves? And why would two Bernina dealers have totally different ideas about what is the correct bobbin tension? Isn't there a right and a wrong answer on this? :) |
Whatever your tension, you want a balance stitch. A perfectly balanced stitch will have the top thread and the bobbin thread meeting in the middle of your work. You don't want the top thread just laying on top of your sewn fabric and you also don't want your bobbin thread just laying on the bottom of your fabric.
I adjust my bobbin tension myself all the time. Just either note the position of the screw or take a picture so you can return it to the previous position. When I FMQ I usually have to adjust the bobbin a little tighter of looser depending on how the stitches look on my practice piece. The machine has to go to the technician if the timing is off or if you are having a problem. Opening the body of the machine will void your warranty. I clean my bobbin area myself with the little brush that comes with my machine. I have a little oil can that comes up on the computer screen when it is time to put a drop of oil on the bobbin hook. If I brought my machine in every time I wanted to adjust my bobbin tension, my machine would always be in the shop. |
OK, I'm checking my stitches but I don't think I can quite tell if they are perfect IE meet in the middle. I don't think I have enough experience. I can tell that since I went to this new tight-bobbin-tension tech guy, when I pull the fabric out from the machine to clip the ends of the threads, there is a bunching thing that happens where I have to pull the fabric out to get it to lay flat. That wasn't happening before I drove five hours round trip, paid a bunch of money and waited two hours for the service.
Does the bunching thing sound like the bobbin is too tight? I am assuming yes? |
That does sound like the bobbin is too tight. Just pulling your work from the machine to clip your threads should not pull the bobbin thread as if you were gathering.
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Jamie Wallen has a utube on taming the tension check it out
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If the tension on a Bernina machine is adjusted correctly, why would I ever want to adjust it? If I am having trouble with my stitch, then I take it in for adjustment. I have had my Bernina B380 for almost a year and have sewed a great deal on it in that time. My stitch is the same as when it was new and I have used several kinds and weights of thread on it. After its annual servicing, if the stitch isn't right, I will take it back until it is right. When the first technician who adjusted your bobbin loose was finished, was your stitch correct? You don't explain why you took your machine to another technician. If the technician is certified, I would take the machine back until it is right. They should guarantee their work for at least 60 days. I would only take it to another certified technician if I was unable to get a satisfactory result. It sounds like your adjustment is incorrect if the stitch is gathering. It shouldn't do this. When you take it back to correct the problem, perhaps to the technician who adjusted it last, make sure that you sew on it for a while before you leave the store so that you know the stitch is correct. The stitch should be just as it was when your machine was new.
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I have 2 Berninas and I need to adjust both the top and bottom tensions depending on what thread I'm using. Even one "notch" can make a difference in stitch quality
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