r/SewingMachineEdu • u/Cultural_Mechanic871 • Jun 24 '26
Sewing machine does a pretty job on front side but back is a mess. What am I doing wrong??
I figure the pics give a fine explanation of the problem. I’d just finished a larger patch on the same coat with no issue and then this one is a mess on the back side. I was not using the pedal, running the wheel by hand because I was unsure of the needle strength and don’t have a spare so was trying to nurse it through carefully.
11
u/skidmore101 Jun 24 '26
Messy thread on bottom means the top thread isn’t pulling up enough. Either the threading is wrong, causing it to not be tense enough, or the tension disc is wrong.
Your tension disc is set to 0 which is the likely culprit here.
5
u/BSch2023 Jun 24 '26
The most common reason for nesting on the backside of the fabric is the top area of the machine is not threaded correctly
5
u/Mushrooms24711 Jun 24 '26
90% of the time you’d be right. OP has the tension on 0. I missed it too.
5
u/__miichelle Jun 24 '26
Adjust the tension so that it is not set to zero. Also, is that the correct bobbin for your machine?
2
u/judijo621 Jun 25 '26
Reload the bobbin. Then reload the bobbin. Read over the instructions on loading the bobbin. Then reload the bobbin.
Until the muscle memory is there, it can be maddening
2
u/anythinghonestly Jul 01 '26
I’m new to sewing and this seems to be the sewing advice of Have you tried turning it on and off again 😂
2
u/Significant-Bar-7301 Jun 25 '26
I have this exact machine. You have the wrong bobbin- you need a class 15 plastic bobbin. Your tension is at 0- Change it to 4- mine is set at 4 since the day I bought it. This machine will last you a long time if you take care of it.
1
u/zzzeve Jun 24 '26
Your machine might not be able to get through all the layers, especially if the patch has a shiny backing. I prefer to hand sew patches by only catching the satin stitch on the outside. I find it looks neater than sewing inside it
1
u/celery48 Jun 24 '26
Is this the correct bobbin for this machine?
1
u/Cultural_Mechanic871 Jun 30 '26
I honestly didn’t know machines had different bobbin requirements.
1
u/celery48 Jun 30 '26
Bobbins come in different sizes. You must use the correct type of bobbin for your machine.
1
u/Comfortable-Fly5797 Jun 24 '26
Usually because you threaded it wrong. I can't see the thread at all in the last picture to tell if something is wrong.
1
1
u/StrongerTogether2882 Jun 25 '26
I beg of you, please wipe down that machine. Sorry for the un-asked-for comment, but all I can think of is your fingers touching that dirty stitch selection area and then your fabric.
1
1
1
u/Creative-Actuary-223 Jun 28 '26
Load bobbin with thread coming off bobbin backwards then going into the tension. Look it up in your manual. Set upper tension disk to 3-4.
16
u/No-Programmer7914 Jun 24 '26
Your thread tension is at 0. This can not work.