Thanks Y'all for the comments! This is my new PE780D so it is embroidery only. I felt like it was close to being correct tension, but I really didn't have any idea on just how much top thread was to show on back. Anyone care to share what they have their top tension set on? My was on 00 to start with then I bumped it up to +3 that is once I found where to make that adjustment! boy do I have a learning curve with this touch screen figuring out where everything is! hopefully my new thread I ordered will be here today/tomorrow and I can play with more colors in a design and hopefully that will give me a better idea on tension. OH.... I was using Pellon Medium weight embroidery stablizer on a roll. SOOOO..... any suggestions on what stabilizer I shoud be trying is greatly appreciated. I will doing more work on quilts and purses I make. Not so much towels and such until I get way more comfortable using this machine.

Embroidery library has a lot of really good tutorials for embroidering on anything.

I think you might be hooping the fabric and stabilizer too tight, it looks like you are using a tear away stabilizer and the stitches are tearing the design away from the stabilizer. You might try a cutaway stabilizer while you are adjusting your tensions. Your design does look like it is poorly digitized, a lot of machines have a built in design to use for tension adjustments. The design will look like a wide line, or maybe several wide lines. Maybe your machine doesn't have it. The book should have a section on tensions with photos on how it should look.

I never mess with the tension on my embroidery machine (as someone else mentioned it adjusts itself).
If I have problems, it is with the design, the thread/combo or maybe the needle. If you are using a larger thread, then you need a larger eyed needle.

Do you not have a manual with guide lines on the tension. Most have a normal range and then you adjust them if needed. Not always needed though. I would try different designs to see if it is the design or the tension, if you keep adjusting it you may really have problems. My machine automatically sets itself so my designs look the same on the top and the bottom. Try making your bobbin and top thread the same, using an embroidery needle and then see if the manual has a starting point for normal tension and go from there. Good luck

I have had great luck with Superior Magnifico.. Great fill. The only problem for me is that it doesnt come on mini cones so its hard to have many colors. But I bought the ones I will use the most. My next thread of choice is Isacord. These are both 40 wt. the bobbin thread needs to be thinner than the top. I use 60 wt. Bottom Line works good for my bobbins.