Hi Bestie,
You flip your quilt over. And there they are. Those annoying little loops underneath.
Naturally, your first thought is probably: "What is going on with my bobbin?"
But here's where sewing machines get a little sneaky… Those loops underneath can actually be coming from your TOP thread.
Yep. The problem shows up on the bottom, while the cause can be sitting above your quilt the whole time.
If your upper thread isn't properly seated in the tension system, it can stay too loose. Then, as you sew, that excess thread gets pulled underneath your quilt.
And voilà: loops.
So… Before You Touch That Tension Dial
Raise your presser foot. This opens the tension discs so your thread can properly settle between them.
Bring your take-up lever all the way up. Then completely rethread the top of your machine.
And we mean completely. Don't just stare suspiciously at the thread path and decide it looks right. 😉 Take it out. Rethread it. Then test again on a scrap.
You might solve the whole problem without changing your tension settings at all.
Here's the Trick to Remember
Seeing loops underneath? Your first move should be to check the upper thread.
Because one of the most useful things you can learn about stitch tension is this: where the problem SHOWS UP isn't always where it STARTED.
Once you know that little rule, troubleshooting suddenly feels a whole lot less mysterious.
Remember,
Where the problem shows up isn't always where it started.
If you spot loose loops underneath your quilt, don't immediately blame the bobbin or start turning tension dials. Check your upper thread first, rethread carefully, and test again.
Sometimes, one simple reset is all it takes to get those beautiful, balanced stitches back, and get you back to the fun part.
Happy Quilting!
From Corey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I getting loops on the underside of my quilt?
Loops underneath usually aren't a bobbin problem at all. If the upper thread isn't properly seated in the tension system, it stays too loose, and as you sew that excess thread gets pulled underneath your quilt. The problem shows up on the bottom, but the cause is sitting in the top thread path.
Should I turn my tension dial when I see loops underneath?
Not first. Before you touch the tension dial, raise your presser foot, bring the take-up lever all the way up, and completely rethread the top of your machine. Then test on a scrap. Rethreading alone often solves the whole problem without changing your tension settings at all.
Why does raising the presser foot matter when I rethread?
Raising the presser foot opens the tension discs, so the thread can properly settle between them as you thread the machine. If the foot is down, the discs stay closed and the thread can ride on top of them instead of seating — which is exactly how it ends up too loose.
