Thread/Machine Problem - help me!
 

I was sewing just fine the whole past week. Yesterday I sat down all ready to continue and haven't gotten anything done yet.

My problem is that I get LOTS of thread on the underside of my fabric. I know they say that is a sign of the upper tension. When I was sewing last week I was FMQ'ing with no problems - finished with that and reset the settings. Yesterday I had all my settings back to normal. I have changed the thread, put in a new needle, taken out the bobbin case three times looking for thread in there. Put in a new bobbin twice. Of course I have rethreaded it many times. Checked my tension and pressure.

When I am sewing/testing to see if it is right yet (MANY times) I see a very small loop of thread at the front of my needle with each stitch I take. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am thinking maybe there is a piece of thread in the take-up (if thats the right word) but have no way of seeing in there.

Thanks for any suggestions. Pat

Did you clean out the bottom portion of your machine?? Dust bunnies love to accumulate under the thread plate. I need to take my Bernina in for servicing every 12 to 18 months.

It sounds like you could have a piece of thread stuck somewhere in the upper threading path. Since it's not visible I would guess the tension discs. You can try using a piece of dental floss to clean out the path on both/all sides of the discs and see if that helps.

Silly question. Are your feed dogs still down?

Having cleaned the bobbin and top path etc did you switch the machine off count 20 and switch back on. One of mine always works after being cleaned and switched off no idea why.

Have you rethread the machine? I always find that when I get the blob of thread on the underside, the machine is not threaded properly.

If your machine has a thread cutter the thread may be getting caught up on it

When threading the machine, make sure that the foot is up. This takes all the pressure off the tension discs and allows the thread to seat correctly. When you get to the needle, then put the foot down. Another thing you can try is 'flossing' between the tension discs. With the foot up, use a sturdy piece of thread, like top stitch or button hole and put it between the tension discs and floss.
When you were FMQing, did you break a needle? You might have a burr on your bobbin case. Run your finger around the case and see if there are any rough areas.

I ran into the same problem just the other day. Did all the things you stated and was still having tension problems. I just cut my machine off and let it sit over night. Worked fine after that. Crazy, I know.

I have had this situation happen on both a top and bottom bobbin machine. It can be a nightmare because sometimes it is not visible. I have even had to use a pin to get a teeny piece of thread out of the tension springs in the bobbin.

Good luck. One time I never did find the piece and had to take it in for service. I'm sure they just took the bobbin case apart and removed the offending thread. But I was getting nowhere except more frustrated.

Hopefully, you fixed your issue and if not, hope you have a backup machine, even if it is an older machine without some of your favorite features. If it works, it is golden.

If you floss the upper tensions, just make sure not to use anything that is *waxed*. You can use several strands of regular thread together, or you can use unwaxed dental floss.

Do you have any other sewing machines? I ask just in case it's possible that you are using the wrong bobbin in your machine. Often a machine will sew even if it's the wrong bobbin, but will create bizarre problems.

What machine is it? Have you removed the throat plate and cleaned the feed dogs?

Make sure your presser foot is Down. Last time that happened to me while FMQ it was because I forgot to put the presser foot down.

Rob

Thank you all for your offer to help. I did all of the above - over and over. I used (as Prism99 suggested) a double strand of thread) to try cleaning the tension discs. Dang why don't they make the machines so you can open the side (I guess they do on some machines but my Janome 6600 doesn't). It still didn't help. I just kept doing one of the above again and then sewing on a practice fabric and after doing this many times, as I pulled the fabric from under the needle to cut the thread, laying on my table was a piece of thread about two inches long - it was three strands twisted (not tightly) together and ironically two of the strands were white (what was in my bobbin and top as I was sewing) and one strand was gray ( the color I was last using). I have no clue where that came from but just assuming it came from the tension disc. The next line I stitched was fine1 WHEW!!!! Thank goodness.

And thank you all - you have been a blessing to me so many times. Even if I didn't get the help I needed it helped to get it off my chest and get some of your suggestions and hear that the same things happen to others.

Okay - now off to sew.

Does your new needle match up with the thread you are using? IE an 80 or 90 weight with the right kind of thread? Double check the packages, it can make a difference.

I see you found the problem. Happy sewing!

Please use unwaxed dental floss, or your will create a whole different problem.

Sounds like your thread is coming out of the take up lever. Let u know the fix.