Tension

[patrea]

Having tension problems with the top thread, the bottom thread looks great. Top, the stitches look crooked. Been trying differnt threads, different needles, threading the machine different ways, adjust tension all kinds of ways but nothing seems to be working, can anyone send some advice my way?

[LinneaMarie]

Is your hopping foot set too high? That was my problem and Amy knew as soon as she looked at my pictures. One business card. Dawn says the tighter the better as long as it does not push your top around!

[patrea]

Yes, one business card all the way around under the hopping foot. Thanks for responding so quickly!

[quiltmonkey]

My first guess is your top tension is too loose.

So, this is what I do to set my tension. It's fool proof for me (4 years now)

This is what I do with my machine and it works great: I don't have a Towa gauge, so I use the "spider drop" test for my bobbins. I started loosening my bobbin tension and I find it has done wonders with absolutlely no thread breaking on top! Loosen the bobbin screw just enough so the bobbin drops slowly but smoothly (like a spider). That's perfect setting. After your bobbin tension is set, the only thing you should now mess with is your top tension. Start out with a set point and tighten until you start to see the bobbin threads barely peeking up through the hole the needle makes. Then, loosen your top tension a wee bit. That should be a good setting for tension on top, but I usually run a few test stitches around to make some minor top tension tweaks so the thread lays nice and forms a pretty bump on top of the fabric. Keep in mind that as your bobbin thread gets low, your bobbin gets lighter (right?), so if you pull it out half way and do the drop test, it might need to be loosened a little bit more.

Ever since I started loosening my bobbin tension (spider drop test) I haven't had any problems with top thread breaking. I use all sorts of threads and mix and match. I use Bottom line or So Fine in the bobbin and in the top I use all sorts of threads: metallics or So Fine or Signature, Rainbows, Robinson Anton cotton, King Tut, etc... no breaking!

You just have to keep playing and tweaking. Oh and make sure your bobbin area is cleaned and oiled frequently, and change your needle frequently, too. That helps a lot. Good luck.

[ffq-lar]

Sometimes the stitches will look crooked when it is just a function of how the stitch is made. The top thread and bobbin thread are spiraled together and if the bobbin thread is a bit tighter it will pull the top thread and it seems to "side-step" along instead of marching in a line. Is that what your stitches look like? Shorten your stitch length and see if that helps some.