Frodowisebrandytook

I am trying to add swirls to my quilt, but every time I I pivot at the innermost part of the swirl, my bobbin thread gets pulled up.

I have tried adjusting both the top and bobbin tensions with disastrous results (ALL stitching gets messed up)

I have a Bernina machine from the 80s. Great condition.

Tartan

Try making an extra stitch in place before you try to move in the next direction.

cashs_mom

I agree with Tartan. You're probably pulling the quilt a bit as you change direction and that's causing the problem. I've found that most FMQ problems are not the machine or the tension, they're caused by your motion when you move the quilt.

Frodowisebrandytook

Thank you for your replies. I actually tried that as well. I tried adjusting my speed as I made the pivot to be both faster and slower. Strangely enough, the problem was worse when I stopped and made an extra stitch or two at the pivot.

I tried changing my needle size, and that seemed to help a little bit. I didn’t solve the problem outright, but I was using a pretty heavy needle before, and switching to a finer one seems to be helping keep the bobbin thread down and not get pulled up through the needle hole.

Any additional help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

SuzSLO

No expert here, but it seems like your tension is off when sewing with the grey thread: the top thread is floating on top of the fabric and pulls the bottom thread up a little everywhere and it pulls the bottom thread up a lot when you sew points. It doesn’t seem to be as bad with the beige thread. The difference may be b abuse the threads are different and it could be the interaction between the top and bottom thread. Generally, you should reduce the upper tension when it is pulling the bottom tension up. The general rule is to avoid — if possible — adjusting the bottom tension, but if it pulls off the bobbin too easily, you may not have a choice.

Other things to try: different thread, usually with the same in the top and bottom to make that tension adjustment easier
Is your presser foot adjustable? Make sure it just barely touches the fabric, neither too high or low.
If you change your thread, you may need to change the needle size.
Rethread your machine and your bobbin. Sometimes there is a nonobvious error, even if you have sewn on the same machine for years.
Getting the right tension is a matter of trial and error and lots of practice sandwiches. I feel for you as I have definitely been there, done that. And then, for whatever reason, it just starts to work. Best of luck to you!

quiltedsunshine

I know you've tried this, but it really looks like the bobbin tension needs tightening. When you tighten the bobbin tension suficiently, then you can create a balance by tightening the upper tension, too.

lindaschipper

My first thought was that your tension is off. Try adjusting it.

sewingpup

On my longarm, I would try tightening the bobbin thread a bit or loosening the top thread. If the bottom thread is coming to the top, the top thread is pulling the bobbin thread up. I also most often try and use the same color of thread in both the bobbin and top thread as that makes any bobbin thread pulled up less obvious.

feline fanatic

What you pictured is definitely a tension issue. Not only are you getting the bobbin thread pulling up at the pivot point of each swirl, I am seeing eyelashing on curves, pokes of bobbin thread coming up on areas as well as a bit of top thread "flat lining" where it isn't forming a good balanced stitch. These are all indications your top tension is too tight or your bobbin is too loose. One trick you can try on your bernina, check your bobbin case, some models of Bernina have a little hole at the end of the "arm" on the case. Once you insert your loaded bobbin and thread the case, run the end of the thread through that little hole. Then insert the case and bring your bobbin thread up. This puts just a teensy bit more tension on the bobbin thread. It is mostly used for doing machine embroidery or satin stitching to prevent the bobbin thread from poking up to the top when doing this kind of dense stitching. Sometimes just running it through the hole is enough. But based on your picture you will probably need to tweak your tension settings as well. I would start by just reducing the top a smidge.

Frodowisebrandytook

Thank you so much! These replies have all been very helpful, and I think I’ve solved the issue!

It was indeed the tension. I almost didn’t even try to fix it because it seems like every time I adjust the tension I make things worse. A huge thank you goes out to those of you who gave me very specific and detailed things to try. I actually learned a lot this afternoon about tension and hopefully I won’t have as many issues in the future. Tension has always been my Achilles’ heel!

There was indeed a hole in the bobbin casing arm that I had never noticed before. That actually helped me out a lot! Also, upon carefully studying my thread path, I noticed that my thread seemed to be snagging a bit on the hook that fed into the tension disc. it always wanted to get looped around.

I also increased the tension on the bobbin case a little bit, although this was a bit of a last resort. For me, my biggest tension issues have always come after I tried to adjust the bobbin. For some reason, that always ends up blowing up in my face. Not this time!

Again, huge, thanks to all of you. You have saved my project!