Thanks for all of the continued replies. Even though switching from a size 12 to a size 14 needle did the trick this time, next time it may be another issue altogether. It's good for me to have a mental list of things to check.

Website for superior threads Home reference for thread/needle chart:

https://www.superiorthreads.com/medi...ence-guide.pdf

I went to a workshop with Dawn Cameron-Dick and the following day she had a talk on threads and needles so I went and I am so glad I did, after 10 years of trial and error she explained what you just said, it's the thread you use that denotes what size needle to use not the fabric. She also had an enormous oversized needle, given to her by Schmetz, and she explained how the thread and the machine works to make a stitch, it was mind blowing as I had never thought about it before. She also showed us some blown up images of a needle after use, and if you see the picture below you will understand more why a new needle often is such a good investment. I was told to change my needle after 3 bobbin fills but as I now use Aurfil for piecing I change mine every other fill, cheap investment next to the cost of my £1200 Elna!!!!!!!!!

KenmoreGal I love your machine and thank you for posting such an interesting but frustrating topic :)

I just had tension problems myself and was so frustrated took my machine in to be looked at and the bobbin wouldn't hold the thread so he took the little screw out and low and behold there was a thread stuck in there. I couldn't believe it. Now the tension is perfect who would of thought to look under that thing?

bbeyes, I think we forget just how critical the mechanism is on our sewing machines, again going back to the workshop with Dawn Cameron-Dick I had no idea till then how tiny is the actual area that the stitches are formed, it is so tiny that it is a wonder that we even get a stitch when using cheapo linty threads. I now only use the best of threads and needles and am really meticulous in cleaning my machine, especially the bobbin area. Top tip, I found a super really small spiral brush that I use similar to the bottom one in this pic, think it came from a typewriter cleaning kit!

Check to see if you have the bobbin in winding in the right direction. Sometimes, I get in a hurry and stick mine in with the bobbin winding opposite. Hope that helps. That is so frustrating!

re thread everything clean the bobbin area and the case what size of thread are you using and maybe change your thread