Tension on a sewing machine?

[scrappykaren]

Hoping someone can help! I lent out my sewing machine and have just got it back, it worked fine when it went but the person who borrowed it told me they had to adjust the tension. That's OK, I know where the tension wheel is and what it is for but now I cannot get the tension back right!! The wheel is numbered 0-9 and i've tried every number but the stitching from underneath always come through! Any ideas???
Thanks in advance!

[Jules1960]

It may be your bobbin/lower tension which needs adjusted. Perfect tension should have the top and bottom threads meeting in the middle/halfway.

If you hold your bobbin shuttle (been a sewer for years and don't even know if that is the right name!) in your left hand (open side facing towards your right hand) there is a small screw on the casing - I am sure you turn it anti-clockwise - you will need a pin or small screwdriver to fit in the groove in order to turn it. The thread should run freely with just a little tension if you have it set right.

On my older machine the upper tension was set around 5/6 whereas on my newer one it is around 4.

Another thing to check is that your spool is wound evenly as this can create and uneven tension too.

HTH,

Jules

[katie squirrel]

sorry - cant say which number, as all the machines are different.. but its the opposite one you need to adjust, ie, if stitching is too loose on the top, its the bottom tension that needs adjusting and vice versa...