Question about tension
 

My 221 sews a great stitch and I have no problems with it other than the tension feels really tight to me. It’s difficult to pull the thread behind the needle and I can’t figure out why. It’s set between 3 and 2. I just hate having to pull on it constantly.

Any tips or suggestions??

Is your needle all the way to the top when you try to pull the thread? If not, the tension discs are still engaged and it will be really tight.

Watson

Yes, Watson, it is. I just can’t figure it out.

Make sure you can turn the tension nob from about 0 to 9, (maybe even 0 to 0). When pulling the thread back behind the presser foot it should fee loose and gradually firmer towards 9. Double check the thread, no loops under the spool pins or catching along the way.

Sewing two layers of cotton (shirt or quilt weight) with sew-all weight thread, it should give a balanced stitch some where between 4 and 5.

I'm not quite sure what your issue is. Are you saying that as you sew, it kind of gathers up, so you have to pull the thread to get your seam to lay flat? Or, are you just pulling the thread to the back side of the presser foot so you can start a seam? If that is the case, Do you know that when your presser foot is down, the tension is engaged. When the presser foot is up, there is no tension on the upper thread, so it should pull easily.

If you are getting a good stitch, I suspect it's the presser foot being down that is your issue.

If not, explain it in more detail, please.

bkay

Sometimes the "tension release" gets bent out of shape and needs to be re-bent. If you lift the presser foot and the tension doesn't let go, it's the tension release lever that's inside the machine, right behind the tensioner.

The pin in the tension assembly could be gunked up and sticking.