HOW TO Adjust Bobbin Case Tension

[@ABCSewingMachine]

For more info about this machine, visit our website: www.abcsewingmachine.com/products/juki-p-ddl-5550n-single-needle-regular-japan TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:38 Setting Up Bobbin 00:01:00 Spider Test 00:01:46 Common Bobbin Issues 00:02:30 Adjusting Bobbin Tension 00:03:21 Standard Bobbin Tension 00:03:51 Adjustments for Heavy Thread 00:04:33 Heavy Bobbin Tension 00:05:10 Outro Call or email us for ordering or free consultations.

[@trooperwolfie]

This is the simplest and easiest to understand explanation of bobbin tension on KZbin, thanks for helping me out 👍🏻

[@whiskeysquiker]

Gosh I appreciate this so much. As a kid I learned all manner of fiber arts, crochet at 7, knit at 12, but I never cornered my mother into teaching me to sew, though I watched every chance I got. She is quite the badass and so is my grandmother. They have a "sweatshop" in my 83 year old grandma's garage with the big boy quilter as well as a couple hybrid sewing/embroidery viking machines. I happen to live nearly 300 miles away from the California coast where they do seamstress things while I am in Las Vegas and it wasn't until I moved here 20 years ago that I decided to self-learn to sew. How hard can it be, right? I had been watching the best at work my whole life! This is gonna be a piece o' cake! Yep. Nope. I'd have issues and call grandma and a lot of times she could just tell me what was wrong over the phone, but the WHY part of some issues didn't come through. THIS. THIS is how I learn. And your tricks and explanations are so clear. The weird thing is, I started picking up curb trash sewing machines and fixing them. It started with my own machine having an unsolvable problem which I recently finally diagnosed one of the nylon parts near the main drive had cracked and split from the alignment pin on the camshaft. It has a 1/8" of play where the rotation of the shaft doesn't move it at all. Until I found this crack, I kept adjusting the needle swing, and hook timing, which worked when operating it manually with the hand wheel, but by pedal it would miss half the stitches. I got frustrated with it, never put the shell back on the machine and stashed it away for the AH-HA! moment. Sadly the part is not one that can be purchased. I can't find it used, either. So my only chance of saving this machine is to try to print a new one from my 3D printer. And I will eventually. The basic mechanics of a no-frills machine is pretty easy to understand for me. I adopted the philosophy that it's already broken and was destined for the landfill so I can't really harm it at this point, bonus if I do fix it, as is my thought process for all things broken with obvious exceptions where more damage CAN be done if done wrong. I've rescued a lot of electronic equipment (a whole different realm of repair, but my favorite). But as a machine user, the fine tuning of a sewing machine that is in good working order is very specific as well as unique to each machine, and it was never something I was taught, though I wish I had been. This is exactly the type of thing I have been looking for online, so thank you for this. It's such a simple thing from the perspective of someone who's been sewing their whole life, but for me, it's one missing piece of info to why my projects get rats nests at a tension of 5, or pucker when the tension is set to zero. I also learned today that something as simple as a foot being down when threading is a wreaker of havoc. Something so simple that if you aren't told or shown, you'll never know.

[@renearellano3907]

Thank you SO much! I really appreciate your simplicity to explain things that can make our hobbies more productive and enjoyable!

[@maureenamos5240]

Thank you, Thank you. Thank you! From down under. I bought a 2nd hand Brother LS2125 without testing it. Not a bad little machine for basic sewing. The stitches were all over the place but the machine was in very good clean condition (Yes I cleaned and oiled it first) . I was at it for hours and I had forgotten how to change the bobbin tension. Thank you for the lesson on how to judge the tension by the drop method. I still need to have the top tension on 2 or 3 but at least it's making nice stitches now. I'll be watching your other videos!

[@aitoreilusuomi]

Search engine suggested this video as the best answer to my enquiry, and it sure was! Having sewn professionally for decades this was new and useful information for me. Very well presented. Thank you!

[@marybethrossi5031]

Thanks so much. I was able to diagnose the machine. I watched several other videos and your video explains it much clearer and was able to fix the problem. Thanks again for helping a novice sewer fix the machine.

[@roller9158]

Great video, you can trust Joeseph and his associates, great service and most of all, HONEST. Pete

[@sandrayounger9170]

Wow, I'm beside myself. This fixed all of my sewing machines. Everytime I'd have weird sewing issues that I could not figure out I thought it was the machine. Even a repair shop told me my Pfaff needed an upgrade. This is the best video on sewing machine tension I have ever found. All the others left me just as confused as before I watched them.Thanks.

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Definitely a crucial adjustment that gets overlooked all the time! Glad it helped!

[@ilovechocolatemoar]

I just fixed my machine thanks to this video!!! I have a couple others that may have the same issue. Thank you!!

[@cindymcpherson8414]

He just saved mine. I wanted to throw it away lol

[@sgreen4865]

Omg. This guy is a genius. My machine is not like this but I’m going to do this. My instruction manual for the machine didn’t mention this stuff at all. Thank you. Thank you. Thank YOU !!

[@legacycosmo]

Thanks so much I fixed both my machines! You saved me money! I always did the top and then the bobbin 🤦‍♀️ oops, but now I know the correct way thanks to you. Have a great day and looking forward to future videos and learning more. Thanks again

[@morandfm]

Eureka! Finaly a good guide answering to all the questions I had about this delicate adjustment. Thank you so much.

[@chantalsmalley400]

Thanks so much 🙏🙏🙏fixed and learned about the bobbin tension 😊

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Glad it helped!

[@deniseoberfoell9486]

Thanks. I needed to see this video. My bobbin holder fell apart. Thought it broke. Found a small screw and was able to get it back together and the tension corrected to start sewing again. I was in the middle of a project. Never had this happen before.

[@amazingpersonalive]

This video helped tremendously. I'm not used to my sewing machine that has a bobbin case and everything was fine until I switched to a thicker thread. The manual wasn't very helpful at all. You explained everything and even explained why and I appreciate that so much. Thank you so much for the knowledge!

[@sanurshenoy5739]

Super! You have clearly explained how to adjust Bobbin Thread Tension. Thank you so much.

[@2010stoof]

About to pick up an 8700. After seeing this, I'm buying different bobbin cases. I use Tex 30, 40 for all purpose and 60-80 for "jeans" thread. Maybe need 2 one for each group. Maybe need 3 or 4. But I'd rather set the cases once and just use those cases for the different threads rather than constantly be adjusting. Thank you for the video!!!

[@stopthephilosophicalzombie9017]

Excellent information. I don't know who downvoted this but they don't know what they are talking about.

[@kaelaleedaley]

God Bless you and Thank you! I have royally screwed up my machine tension (both needle & bobbin) but with your help and another video by Paige Handmade- I've fixed it! Xx

[@stuntn1059]

Omg this helps so much!!!!!! Ive been wondering what the problem was, i did almost everything. And this really works! Turns out its just the damn screw. I was frustrated this has been going on for months. Lol i used my nail to adjust it i just cant wait. I almost threw my matsuyuki out the window lol

[@jemimaheaney9177]

I been looking all day for solutions and wow this solved my problem thank you great information so happy can finish my 1st quilt now 🎉

[@lindaknelsen526]

thank you ! I finally found someone to teach me this. I appreciate your help!

[@cindymcpherson8414]

You just saved my world!!! Thank you wholeheartedly

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Glad it helped!!!

[@robindent2799]

Thank you so much! This has been a frustrating process for me until your video. ❤

[@sankpuram3122]

Thank you so much for the explanation. No one talk about take up spring for tension adjustment.

[@nk9708]

Excellent explanation! Thank you!

[@anitacolley3134]

Thank you, this is so helpful to understand how the tension mechanism works, and has taken away the fear of adjusting my own bobbin case.

[@jonibelnap5595]

Thanks, great explanation.

[@cb63077]

Thank you! I have never heard of this! I’m pretty sure this is the answer to my problem

[@md2992]

Thanks for the video. The 1/2" to 1" "Drop" method didn't work for my bobbin case. The bobbin case made a thumping sound when I used this method because the case was too tight, and I wasn't able to sew medium weight fabric with my top tension set at less than 5. My bobbin case tension is set so the bobbin case actually falls loosely. I haven't had any issues as of yet. My top and bottom stitches are beautiful, I can now sew medium-weight fabrics with my tension set at 4, and my machine hums along nicely.

[@jeffg1962]

I have read where if you have a birdsnest, it is commonly caused by top thread tension. I am going to try what you have described

[@delmaquezada6733]

This helped me a lot, so far you're the best at explaining the problem with the solution. Thank you 😅😊😊

[@michellegunter2597]

Thanks so much. Am a seamstress in Ghana. This info help me so much

[@johnsabaku2257]

Great job, thanks for the help. BTW - sounds like Christian Slater giving sewing lessons, awesome! 😀

[@jesusistheanswer2074]

That was so helpful thank you

[@Gabriellucile]

Thank you ! Very clear and helpful vidéo.

[@tina.sprandzina]

Hi, thank you for the video :) Tried it. During this test the bobbin falls halfway out of the bobbin case. In this video didn't see that happening. So maybe there is something wrong with my bobbin case or bobbin? (Having problems with my thread tension - for an inch stitch looks perfect, but then on the bottom side upper thread comes out for a few times, after that stitch looks good and so on...)

[@Silvia-ez9lj]

🎉🎉🎉 it worked, thank you so much!!

[@sarenswiftfoot9811]

I have an old singer and when I got it the bobbin case was so tight I couldn't even pull the thread, I've been playing with the tension but I wasn't really sure what the right tension was so this is very helpful

[@kerrygrant9209]

Very helpful. Thank you

[@larrygoodspeed133]

Thank God I found your video! I've been pulling my hair out with this new machine I bought.

[@KittyQuig]

You are so helpful!

[@cindypridgen3299]

Excellent! Thank you!

[@ladyzioness]

I never knew any of that. Thank you.

[@amandajayne6]

Is the tension setting the same rule for a JUKI zig zag machine?

[@stemmentor9700]

Think this video helped clarify what others rambled about. I’m trying to adjust my wife’s BROTHER sewing machine that belonged to her mom and she changed threads and it’s just sloppy on bottom. It’s an older machine and wondering if it just needs a tuneup and all. or new needles. She’s shortening a curtain valance and using a heavier thread and not sure if thread or tension or new needle or wrong needle or what. i def know my tension is loose following someone else. so will try this. Thanks

[@ABCSewingMachine]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKDJg2SfmK-Vfq8

[@ABCSewingMachine]

This video should take care of that issue for using heavier threads.

[@stemmentor9700]

@@ABCSewingMachine Thanks 👍. I wanna buy a new fancy one, but inflation and “don’t need it” override that idea. 😏

[@IEXECUTIVE]

@@ABCSewingMachine Hi. A bobbin question I'm using tex 40 bobbin thread for my tex 80 topstitch thread on an industrial twin needle machine. For the life of me the bobbin thread keep cutting off and won't continously lockstitch with topstitch thread. I'll get a few stitches in before the topstitch thread stop looping and I have to open up the machine constantly to pull the bobbin thread through the slots, groves and spring over and over to get the top thread to catch bobbin thread. Any advice?

[@ABCSewingMachine]

@@IEXECUTIVE bringing up both threads on your first stitch and holding the first stitch is good practice. The hook timing and the release arm for each side is important as well. These would be the first things to check.

[@ParagliderServiceUSA]

Perfect way to describe how to do this! However, like me, I think the narrator was thinking backwards. Meaning the bird’s nest at the bottom of the material is usually from too little upper tension or too much bobbin tension. And, if the knots are showing on the bottom of the material, you will need to loosen the bobbin tension or increase the upper tension. Great job, though, best explanation and method I have ever seen.

[@ImGinaMarie]

I am using monofilament polyester thread, on a quilt and experiencing puckering even using a walking foot and trying your suggestions. The thread is listed as extra fine, do you have any suggestions please??

[@traceyh3846]

Thank you this was so helpful

[@marshallsmith501]

Great video thanks man

[@frankdearr2772]

great video, thanks 👍

[@edinacole6382]

Thank you! I’m sharing this on Facebook.

[@jacintaodeh6034]

Thank you sir

[@oh8wingman]

I just talked to a Tec at the sewing centre that sells my machine about this. He told me he had never heard of this method which struck me as strange considering it's in the owners manual. He gave me some vague idea about using a 6 gram weight and taking it to the point where it is just barely holding. He also told me that it might be my needle being worn out since they only last for 5 - 6 hours of operation which sounded a little suspect to me. My machine, a Titan TN 650 BL, uses anything from a Tex 45 to a Tex 135 and it's a compound walking foot. I'll try this once more with a Tex 45 and see if I can get better results because I am not happy with the results I'm getting no. As far as the machine is concerned, I had it in to another tech who is well respected in the sewing community and him check it out from top to bottom so it is in good working order.

[@ABCSewingMachine]

If you send me a photo of the stitch out then I may be able to get you a better idea of why you're having issues with your stitch out.

[@deliaweber9220]

Excellent tutorial. Skimmed all your videos. Is there one educating us on the different functions of the “control panel” on a Consew or Brother? I have a CONSEW7360R-7DD and let’s just say the instruction manual isn’t really instructional.

[@ajodea1191]

thankyou 100X over

[@DJ1973DZ]

Good morning 🌄, this is a really interesting topic. Thank you 💞 so much.

[@IEXECUTIVE]

When sewing denim to make jeans, I've been told the top tension on the thread should be loose and the bottom tight? Is this correct?

[@amyharry3071]

awesome video! I just received a Juki TL2020 PE and I was so excited to open the box and start quilting. I am having a tension issue I hope you can solve. I am free motion quilting through 5 layers, a quilt sandwich with low loft batting, plus 2 additional pieces of fabric, each backed by steam a seam 2. This is a special fusible applique method. Regardless of the type of poly thread I use in the machine, with the top tension ALL the way down to its lowest setting, my thread is shredding! Can you provide me with some guidance? I am grateful for any help.

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Don't think you will need to tighten the tension that much. Can you show me a photo of what your stitches look like and the threading area/tension dial.

[@Sherrisewingroom]

Are you using an industrial machine ? Make sure your needle is in right . Mine uses a round needle on top . It has a duvet on the needle hole if you feel the needle on the opposite side it has like a groove in it . The duvet side faces the right side of your machine . If put in wrong it will shred the thread everytime . I watched a video that showed how the needle went it saved me a lot of headache!!

[@kalkharmih8759]

Thankyou sir

[@mrs210]

What about shoring elastic thread

[@badmaarag3954]

My top thread couldn't catch the bottom thread. I tried countless tutorials and i finally realized i put my needle facing the wrong side. I previously changed my bobbin tension because i was using a thicker thread and changed back into my normal one and i realized i also changed my needle while switching fabrics. My dumbass put the needle facing the wrong way. It's correct now and sewing smoothly.

[@cynthiasee5460]

Thank you ❤️

[@rodmarin3323]

Awesome info thanks for putting this up. Very informative and to the point. Hard to find priceless information without a bunch of useless gibberish and awful noises in the background. 👍

[@genevievedickman2731]

TY

[@jonibarton]

Please make the font of your captions smaller. It is totally covering the screen and making it impossible to see the details. Thanks.

[@ABCSewingMachine]

You can turn off the captions by pushing the CC button on the screen

[@jonibarton]

@@ABCSewingMachine Thanks bunches!

[@oreoluwabello1329]

Great video but my bobbin tension was too tight.

[@jillfrentrop1806]

I keep getting eyelashes on the top of the fabric, not the bottom. Is this a bobbin issue? The underneath looks fine. I'm free motion quilting.

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Watch out other video on take up thread tension. Since you are free motion quilting you want the take up to be a little stronger to stabilize the random movements.

[@Gorge178]

every time I try to do a test it just falls out the casing, I dont know how to make it fit in tight.

[@ABCSewingMachine]

@Gorge178 if you place the bobbin case in your hand and you pull the thread up does the bobbin rise up with the thread? If no, then your tension is too loose. Should not release thread using the Weight of the bobbin case alone.

[@ibrahimsalah5999]

Was doing the spider test and dropped the whole thing. Now my bobbin is so loose it just falls straight down. I should probably buy a new bobbin case now…

[@kimilini4814]

oh you may have something very helpful to me here lol

[@raptorjesus7436]

My bobbin is stuck 😭

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Make sure to get a towa bobbin case (made in Japan- about $3 currently) the logo looks like a peace sign. Some bobbin cases have a sharp edge on the side of the tension plate which causes this. You should change bobbin case.

[@marissawilliams1681]

My sewing machine skips a stitch when sewing thicker material

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Could be a few underlying issues but you'll have to check the following to see what the cause could be: Machine not set up for the proper needle (Hook Timing - Video available) The needle plate / Feed dog should be the correct one for the job (Standard/for needle sizes: 9-16, Medium for needle sizes: 14-20, Heavy for needle sizes 18+) The take up spring is too loose (Video on our page)

[@IPv6Freely]

I've been having my bobbin spin counter-clockwise for almost two years. *facepalm*

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Will still work. Helps to put it in counterclockwise if you don't have the backlatch spring. Or with heavier thread like bonded nylon.

[@deborahstorer4974]

Thank you. It help a lot!

[@ABCSewingMachine]

Glad it worked out for you!

[@ingfig1]

Thank you for the excellent tutorial.

[@BarbaraGleeson-h2r]

Thank you !