Tips & Techniques

Designer 1 Threading & Bobbin Winding Information

Both top and bobbin tensions are preset at the factory. It is rare that those settings are off. When you do normal sewing with the same weight thread on top and bobbin, the stitches are balanced.

TOP THREADING: Make sure the presser foot is up so the tension disks are open.

As you thread your machine, make sure you hold your thread taut as you go into the tension disks so it will "seat" in the disks properly.

When changing threads, always cut the top thread at the spool and pull it through from the needle area. Pulling it back from the spool may cause fuzz or lint to lodge in the tensions.

INSERTING THE BOBBIN: Make sure the logo is facing up and that the thread is reeling over the top of the bobbin from right to left and place the bobbin in the bobbin holder. Pull the tail to the right and then back to the left into that tension spring and listen for the click. You will feel some tension on the thread if you pull on it. (the NEBS bobbins don't have that logo, so it is important that you know how the thread is reeling off the bobbin so you insert it properly.)

WINDING THE BOBBIN: (See picture below.)

I lower my speed by 3 notches before winding a bobbin. I DO NOT wind by going through the thread path.

I use the extra vertical spool pin and take the thread tail from the spool and UNDER and OVER the silver tension disk and tug on it so it will "seat" properly. This keeps the thread from popping off.

Then under the notched slot directly under the first thread spindle and OVER the upper silver guide and then wind it around the grooves inside the bobbin at least 3 times and then push the winder down and take the thread tail into the cutter and let it hang there. Touch the "start/stop" button and it will wind at an even speed. It will be slightly rounded.

If your bobbin overfills, look at the white knob (stop) to the left of the bobbin winder. The point on mine is facing up to #12 like on a clock. You may have to turn yours slightly to the right.

EMBROIDERY: When you are in the embroidery mode, the machine has been programmed for 40W thread and the machine automatically adjusts the top tension looser so that the thread will be pulled to the underside to avoid the bobbin thread showing on top.

The decorative stitches, however, are programmed for 30W thread which is heavier. Most of the time, it isn't that noticeable. But, any time it is a "satin type" stitch, I want that stitching to be very close together. I compensate by reducing the "stitch length" to .2 and then changing the "elongation" up 1mm . This change is very noticeable when using the pictograms or using the various scalloped borders where you want a nice solid edge.

Embroidery bobbin thread is usually about 60 to 70W which is very fine to reduce bulk on the back of the embroidery.

BOBBIN THREAD SHOWING ON TOP: Sometimes, fuzz or lint gets caught in the bobbin tension spring and the thread can't "seat" properly. Make sure there is no fuzz in that tension spring. You can remove the bobbin case and use canned air to spray at that tension spring to dislodge the fuzz. Or you can use a length of "sewing thread" and kind of floss that spring area so the fuzz will dislodge.

LOOPING PROBLEMS: First, rethread your machine both top and bottom and make sure it "seats" in the tensions.

If it is looping underneath, you may have fuzz in the top tension disks and the thread can't seat properly. Take a long piece of "sewing thread" (some suggest a folded dollar bill) and kind of floss that tension. Move it back and forth to dislodge any lint or fuzz.

If you are using "polyester embroidery thread," you may experience the thread jumping out of the take-up lever (the one that moves up and down) or out of the first guide after the spool. It seems to be slicker and runs faster through the tensions and causes a looping problem.

To help with the take-up lever problem, instead of taking the thread into the slot in the lever normally, try inserting it in from the left side. This causes a cross over of the thread just under the lever so it can't jump out.

If the thread is jumping out of the first thread guide, place a small piece of tape above the guide. (See picture below.)

THREADER

For the threader, try touching the needle/up down button to drop the
needle and then touch it again to bring it up. That should put it in
the correct position to thread it.

Touch the presser foot down button so the presser foot will go down
and not be in your way.

The manual will show that you should bring the threader down to engage
the wire in the needle. Then take the thread from the guide above the
needle to the left and under that little metal hanging hook from
left to right and then over that metal hook and under the lips of the threader
and then slowly release the threader to pull the thread into the needle.

Frankly, I have just as good luck if I don't bother to take the thread
to the left metal piece. I take it from the guide above the needle and
wrap it under the lips of the threader and gently move the threader
backwards and up.