sandiphi

Are you sure you put the bobbin in the bobbin case correctly, with the thread going clockwise? Is the bobbin case in the machine right? Did you check to see if there are any loose threads in the bobbin area? Did you rethread and thread again.

pittsburgpam

Yep, I took the bobbin out and put it back in several times, making sure it was the right side up. I didn't open up the bobbin area and check it. Did re-thread everything several times.

mytwopals

Pam,

Since you can sew straight stitches fine, my first though is that you may be moving the fabric too quickly for the sewing speed being used. The stitches are not being completely sewn, before the fabric is moved and causing the rats nest of threads on the back.

You could try setting your machine for straight sewing and just drop the feed dogs. This would eliminate all the machine settings from the equation. The only variable would be the fabric movement.

Also, on my Viking Platinum, there are 2 ways to wind the bobbin. One method goes through the needle. The other is the normal top of the machine method. I'm guessing you use the top of the machine method. Most people do. Perhaps using the other method will give better results.

pittsburgpam

I will try again but I don't think I was moving it too fast. Actually, I think this bobbin was wound through the needle. I don't usually do that but was in the middle of something so did it quickly that way.

I'll try another bobbin.

pittsburgpam

Esqmommy, I got it at the Viking dealer inside Joann's in Concord. They are supposed to be starting up classes but the last time I asked they haven't yet.

I really want a long arm! I don't even know if I want to quilt with a normal machine! I wouldn't have anywhere to put it though. If the housing market wasn't so bad I would SERIOUSLY be thinking of selling my 5 bedroom house and getting a loft-style or something so I could have ROOM.

mytwopals

Pam, Just have a wall knocked down between 2 of the bedrooms. Then you'll have plenty of room. I have my short-arm in a 9x11 room with my other sewing table and ironing board. I even have to have the closet door open to get to the back of my short-arm. Needless to say, it's a bit cozy in there. But it's workable. I'm sure you have room for one of the 18" models with a 10' table somewhere. I could fit that one in my same space.

pittsburgpam

lol... I almost edited my post and said that. I have talked to my son about it as he is a union carpenter. The master bedroom and the second largest bedroom are on one side of the hallway, the other side is 3 small bedrooms in a row. I am thinking of taking out the two walls in the center one and putting one wall between the two, making both of them larger.

Right now the 3 rooms are my sewing room, home office, and a guest bedroom that has my Grace hand quilting frame in it. The frame practically goes wall-to-wall in that room.

katier825

Pam, with the R foot, make sure you check the box for FLOATING free motion, not the SPRING free motion. I have the same machine, and I had issues with it when I first tried free motion. One of my issues was that I was trying to use the spring feet from my old Viking. I expected them to work, but they didn't. I suspect it had something to do with the automatic presser foot sensor. Another was that I didn't have the foot all the way up. Sounds like that should be obvious, but with this machine, it's easy to think it's up when it's only part way up.

Last time I brought it in to the dealer, she had me try another foot, this one is a spring foot, part number 412 54 17-45. I like it better than the R foot and it works beautifully! My thread doesn't tangle up now and the back looks as good as the front. Oh, set the fabric sensor to C, that seems to help as well.

I think a lot of the issues I've read about with the 830 are due to user error/lack of training. It does take some getting used to compared to any other machines I've used. Good luck! :)

MadQuilter

My very first sewing experience with my brand-spankin' new machine ended up in a rat's nest to where I had to take out the throat plate and cut out the thread mangle. It felt like doing open heart surgery.

Turns out, the top thread had jumped one of the retaining slots and I didn't notice.

My old machine had a flaw in the bobbin casing and it was doing weird things as well.

pittsburgpam

I'll check the settings again. I had the fabric sensor on B as the video showed.