Help Please... thread in the back looks like a birdsnest
 

I'm trying to free motion,but my thread in the back looks like a birdsnest..Can anyone help?

Could it be the tension in the bobbin holder? I had that problem once and that was where mine was.

What kind of machine are you using? I got results like this when I didn't have my bobbin case properly seated. It appears to be a bobbin tension issue.

Have you checked your bobbin. You might have to rewind the bobbin. Also watch your speed, especially when making curves, you can get what they call eyelashes. There are many very experienced quilters on this site and they might be able to give you some advice. For some reason I can't see the picture you posted so i can't really see what your back looks like. Sorry

As a general rule, if it is on the bottom, it's a bobbin problem...on the top, it's a needle problem. Regardless, I get this when my bobbin is not wound correctly, or if my tension is too loose.

Are you putting your presser foot down?

I had this happen after I placed my folding table too close to my left side which crowded me to the right and resulted in me slightly applying pressure to the knee lift. In other words, the foot pressure wasn't there.

It looks like a bobbin issue. Was it sewing well and then went goofy? It looks ok in your picture on the right. Re-thread the machine, both top and bottom. It wouldn't fix this problem but I use those Bobbin Genies and it has eliminated alot of different issues when FMQ. Do you use these? They make the bobbin spin smoother or something. I don't know exactly what they do but they work. I use them in all my machines.

I can't say for sure what the problem is, but here are the steps I review whenever I have an issue with stitches not forming properly on the bottom:
1) Put in a new needle (should be changed every 8 hours, anyways). Needle should be the recommended size & type that your thread manufacturer recommends (for Aurifil 50/2 thread, I use a #80 quilting needle)
2) Re-thread the top & the bottom according to machine instructions. Be sure to cut thread by spool & pull from by needle. It will pull out any fuzzies that way ... usually.
3) Make sure top & bottom thread are the same unless using monofiliment in the top.
4) Put together a 12x12" quilt sandwich with your scraps & play around with the TOP tension. Probably need to tighten the top tension by 0.5-1 level.

I don't know how many FMQ projects you've done to date. If this is your first, get yourself a yard or two of JAF/HL/Wal-Mart clearance bin fabric. Cut it in half & put whatever batting you normally use in the center. Then spend a few hours practicing. If I really had to guess, I'd guess you're not moving the fabric fast enough through the machine. One thing that's helped me a lot besides practicing has been to draw quilting lines on the fabric. I like using the Crayola Ultra-Clean markers or crayons because I can get a lot of colors that show up well, but you can do it with chalk or the Blue Water Soluble or Frixion pens, too. It's one less thing to distract you from focusing on your speed when doing FMQ. In addition, lighter weight threads tend to be a bit easier to work with than heavier weight threads. So if you're still struggling, cut yourself a break & pick a nice lightweight variegated thread (50/2 aurifil cotton or even a 100wt YLI silk) that matches the background of your quilt.

Best wishes with your project! I love that you did a pieced back!

I can now see the picture and it is definitely a bobbin problem. I would rewind or wind a new bobbin, make sure the bobbin case is clean and practice on some sandwich scraps. If it's not better, check your bobbin case and make any adjustments that are needed.

re-thread the top and make sure you putting your presser foot down . I could not free motion on my pfaff sewing machine.It had a real problem with the upper tension.

Have to put the pressure foot down...

Are the thread snags on the front or back of the quilt? The title says on back but the picture looks like they are on the front. My Pfaff has a separate position that the presser foot has to be put into before free motion quilting with it. If I forget to move it into that position, I get major mess on the back of the quilt.

I have a Pfaff machine. When I piece my quilt my presser foot is all the way down. When I FMQ there is a button on the presser foot that I move in a down position so I can put presser foot halfway down. With this particular machine the presser foot MUST be in the halfway down position when FMQing in order to avoid birds nests on the back.

When I had this problem, I discovered I had the bobbin backwards in the bobbin case. I found this by starting back at square one with the machine manual and going step by step. I had been using this machine for 5 years, so why I suddenly did the bobbin backwards, I have no idea.

Excellent list of things to try - Bree123.

If I could add to your list:
- Vacuum out your machine (best way to get rid of fabric and thread fluff).
- Check your bobbin for broken pieces of thread that prevent the thread from pulling easily from the bobbin.
- Take a break. Wine or Chocolate works well. Some times problems just happen and they magically disappear after you have taken a break.

I have to be honest and say I am flabbergasted at everyone here who has said she needs to check her bobbin tension.

If this picture is showing the bottom or back of her quilt as she says it does, SHE NEEDS TO CHECK HER TOP TENSION.

As a general rule:

Problems on TOP of the quilt are a result of the BOTTOM thread.
Problems on BOTTOM of the quilt are a result of the TOP thread.

If you do not believe me, google "Thread nesting on bottom of quilt" and you will get hits from several professional quilters and sites stating the above to be true, not to mention the numerous posts in previous threads on this very board about this exact problem.

For example:


Conversely, the reasons that thread can bunch up underneath your fabric have all to do with your needle tension.

1. Is the needle thread threaded correctly?

Cut the thread a few inches from the spool, and pull it through the needle. Re-thread, taking care to engage the upper thread completely in the tension discs. I always suggest to my students that they hold the thread on either side of the tension disc, and slide it back and forth a bit between the plates with a flossing motion. The tension discs need to “grasp” the thread snugly.
2. Is the presser foot up?

Duh. We’ve all done it!
3. Is your machine clean?

Frequent dusting underneath the throat plate and along the thread path will prevent all sorts of stitching and machine problems. Of course, good quality thread, a new, sharp sewing machine needle, and the correct bobbins for your make and model of sewing machine are basic requirements for producing good quality stitches. Frequent dusting, cleaning and oiling will also prevent these and many other stitching problems you might encounter

Thanks for all of you who responded...Picture is the back of the quilt..I'm still trying to get the threads out of the quilt,it's pretty hard to do,when free motion calls for small stitches..Any ideas?

are you doing free motion quilting?? If so, you need to pull the bobbin thread up and hold it and the top thread for a few stitches. That would prevent this.

Right now I'm trying to get all the birdsnest out of my quilt.

Just popping in to say that free motion doesn't call for such small stitches. With practice you can control the size of the stitches. I'm still not perfect at it but my stitches are not tiny anymore.

This happened to me the other day and I had put a new spool of thread in the top of my Bernina. I just re threaded my Bernina again and everything was OK.

I had this problem, My machine guy said it was a bobbin issue. I ended up taking my machine in for a good cleaning and for him to check the tension.

For FMQ, unless you have a Bernina (& then I have no idea) you need to set the stitch length to 0. That isn't because you are using small stitches, it's because that allows you to control the stitch length. Getting a uniform stitch length is not easy. I have heard many quilt teachers say that it takes 8 hours to get the motion down. That sounds about right to me. You need to move through the machine at a relatively fast pace so you don't end up with teeny tiny stitches that are just pinpoints & those are even worse to try & pick out. However, if you move too quickly, you will get poorly formed stitches & overlapping thread.

FMQ is like riding a bike. You can learn to do it in about a day if you want to spend the whole day practicing. From there, you just get better & better. One other thing I would suggest is maybe picking a wavier stipple. Straight lines with a darning foot are REALLY difficult to manage. Since you have the space, maybe try shortening the U shape to 2". The shorter stipple is easier & more forgiving. If you haven't already checked out Leah Day's YouTube videos, I highly recommend them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFcIT...1F4B76430BB141

The only thing is that she now recommends marking your quilting lines, whereas a few years back when she recorded these videos, she did not. Hang in there & keep quilting! If you practice on some junk fabric, you won't need to rip out the stitching when it gets all messed up like that. Start by raising the Top Tension setting by 0.5 to 1 setting (keep increasing in 1/2 increments until the stitches are formed properly. Make sure you are using the correct foot for your machine -- it should be an open-toed darning foot. You also need to either lower your feed dogs, or if you can't, get a cover for them (you swap out the regular plate for one that only has the needle hole). If everything seems to be set-up correctly, just keep practicing. You'll get there in no time!

PS -- Having a pieced back does make FMQ more difficult. It adds friction to your quilt. Because of this, make sure that you have a nice flat surface to lay your quilt on (the machine bed is not nearly big enough). Once you get some hours in & see if you like it, there are other little notions you can try that may help, but for now most of them would just make things more confusing. Start with what you have, get the top tension right & then just keep working at it. FMQ is super fun, but it is a skill & you need to build that muscle memory before it will look right.

Best wishes!
Bree

Well before I do anything else,I have to get the stitches out of the quilt..And it's hard to do with the small stitches.

Actually, it's the opposite. If there's a problem on the bottom, it generally comes from the upper thread tension. If there's a problem on the top, it generally comes from the bobbin. If it's nesting on the bottom, the thread usually isn't seated in the upper tension. Re-thread, with the presser foot up, so the tension disks are open. And make sure the tension dial didn't get knocked to 0 or 1.

Good Luck!

I had the same problem. When I took it to the shop they said I should always have my presser foot up while I am threading it. Havn't had birds nests since.

Frustrating to have those birds' nests! Lots of good information in this thread...I will be saving it for future reference. Here's what I found out for myself....1) ALWAYS make sure the presser foot is down before starting the machine. 2) if using a DSM, check to see if the machine is threaded properly. For me, the thread once in a great moon slips out of the lever guide, and that causes a messy tangle of thread underneath. 3) both the bobbin thread and top thread should be held in place either by holding them in the back or using a little "leader" piece of cloth first before starting to sew on the project. Hope this helps.

I had a similar issue and it turned out my top thread had come out of one of the guides without me noticing. Seemed really insignificant but re-threading fixed the issue for me.

Of course, I didn't even NOTICE the problem until I'd quilted the ENTIRE quilt, and it was one I was rushing to get done in time to be a Christmas gift. Darn Murphy and his Laws!

Good luck with your nest removal...not envying you that job. Been there, done that!

I used to have the problem all the time until I bought those little silicon washers that you put under your bobbin. Since I put that in I've not gotten any bird nests at all.

I'm am going to disagree with everyone. When there is birds nests, I find the top tension is to loose and is being pulled down under the quilt sandwich forming the nest. The bobbin may be too tight also. 90% of thread problems is caused by the upper thread.

Patchwork, if you go back, you'll actually see that 5 of us agreed that it was a top tension issue. :)
I think the confusion stemmed from the fact that ladyof2 did a pieced back so people originally made assumptions that it was the front of her quilt that had problems.

It just happened to me, I took the bobbin and the plate out, brushed out all the lint and it was a lot and replaced everything, it works great now!

I had this kind of "thing" recently and after lots of searching took a look at how thread was feeding off the spool. It had slipped out of one of the tension guides so basically no upper tension and a big mess on the back. Just another thing to check out. FYI, this happened while I was quilting. All was well, then, suddenly a mess - not sure why it popped out but as soon as I rethreaded and made certain all was as it should be the problem went away.

(Also check your needle size?)

This is a top tension problem. Many people think when the birdsnest is on the bottom that Itis the bobbin thread. May I explain why it is the top tension. When the threaded needle goes through your material it needs to connect with bobbin thread to make a stitch. If top tension is loose it will leave extra thread on the bottom of your material. the top tension cannot hold the thread correctly. To help yourself understand this on a sample stitch with two distinct different colors of thread in the bobbin and top. Observe your stitches. If the thread from the top shows too much on the bottom the top tension is too loose. If the tread color from bobbin shows on the top then the top tension is too tight. Most all machines recommend adjusting the top tension only. It gets a bigger problem if you try adjusting the bobbin tension. I am a retired shop owner and have had much experience with this concern. Hope this will help you and others in your upcoming projects and great stitching

Hold your breath, adjust the tension on your bobbin, rethread the machine and all else fails cry a lot

Well now I am scared & admit to being a beginner & not a very smart one at that. I have been SID a queen quilt & haven't even looked at the back yet & I'm almost done except for the boarders. Now I guess I'll take the big plunge tomorrow & look at the backing after I say a prayer that it's all ok. I saved all the expert advice on this post...just in case.
Jeri

I agree with pekish. It is the top tension. If the problem is on the bottom it is top that is causing the problem. If the problem is on the top it is the bobbin that is causing the problem. Good luck.

So, which "experts" are you going to believe? There were a lot each way. I think Peckish is correct as is quiltingsunshine. A few others joined in later. The nests were on the back, so the trouble is with the top tension.

Re-thread the top, making sure the thread goes through all guides and tension disks with the presser foot up.
Then put the presser foot down and you should be fine.