Tension

Tension

Read your stitch before you touch the dial. These guides show you how to tell a top-thread problem from a bobbin problem, and fix each one correctly.

All guides

Tension guides

All our tension content, sorted newest first.

Upper thread tension: how to adjust the dial correctly (and when not to touch it) Tension

Upper thread tension: how to adjust the dial correctly (and when not to touch it)

Rethread with the presser foot UP first. Then learn what the dial numbers do, how to test-sew and…

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Bobbin tension and the drop test: when to adjust, when to leave it alone Tension

Bobbin tension and the drop test: when to adjust, when to leave it alone

Learn the drop test for bobbin tension, which screw adjusts it and which way, drop-in vs front-load differences,…

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Sewing machine tension: read your stitch before you touch the dial Tension

Sewing machine tension: read your stitch before you touch the dial

Loops on top or bottom? Diagnose top-thread vs bobbin tension in 30 seconds, fix it in the right…

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