Bird nest when trying to sew. Under material by bobbin - tried changing needle, bobbin. Tension - no change to the problem from Auto for regular sewing to 2 for embroidery

what you have is called bird nesting and is from the needle thread tension being not tight enough

not sure if this will help you...Check Your Tension Settings. Looping underneath the fabric usually occurs when there is not enough tension in the needle thread to pull the bobbin thread. Sometimesthread buching can be caused by something as simple as the tension dial being inadvertently turned.

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or you could go to this link and see if it helps you out.. thread keeps looping Google Search

bird nesting ( big loops under material) is from the needle thread tension being too loose
thread the machine as if threading the needle but before threading the needle pull on the thread , there should be resistance to thread feed
if not the tensioner plates are not adjusting properly

Susan--
Easy peasy, once you know the problem and how to fix it. It's called "bird nesting" or "thread nesting" or what I refer to as thread "barfs."

Install a brand new needle.
Remove all the thread from the machine.
**ALWAYS RAISE** the presser foot and rethread the top thread.
Verify the top thread path is correct.
Install and thread the bobbin case, make sure it is correct.
Set the top tension to the midway point.

Now retest your machine. Birds nests gone? You may need to tweak the top tension because the factory standard changes due to age and use.

FWIW, problems appearing under the fabric are an issue of the top thread. Thread problems appearing on top of the fabric is a bobbin issue.

What causes Bird Nests Superior Threads

Birds nest under the fabric big loops of thread top side looks good...

WHY IS THREAD BUNCHING UNDERNEATH MY FABRIC

wrong bobbin tension , but amazingly its actually easier to adjust the top threads tension to compensate for it , use your tension knob to slowly adjust , try an inch , slowly adjust try an inch , and so on to get a top and bottom thread tension to match , this will need to be adjusted for each major change in fabric (aka , knits to woven )

bunching of thread under material is a needle tension problem
tighten it up
proper tension is when it requires a small amount of effort to pull the thread through the needle eye

make sure that the bobbin carrier is fixed in properly
make the needle thread tension a lot tighter

You do not have the tension on your machine set correctly. That is leaving the bobbin thread too loose, hence the loops you are seeing. What kind of machine do you have? I can tell you where the tension is located. Also, tell me what kind of fabric you are trying to sew. FIRST JUST SET IT BACK TO THE FACTORY DEFAULT. When you are moving the machine it is easy to accidentally hit the tension and change it. Here is a picture of what a tension knob looks like. Good luck.

Sounds like "thread nesting" also called "bird nesting." Usually, it is a result of incorrect threading, incorrect tension, or the thread not being properly seated in the tension disk.

Remove the thread.
Install a brand new needle.
RAISE the presser foot and rethread the machine from the beginning making sure the thread path is correct.
Set the upper tension to the midway point between low & high numbers.
Test.
The correct tension is achieved when the upper and bobbin threads meet in the middle of the fabric. If upper thread is looping under the fabric, the upper tension is too loose. If the bobbin thread is appearing on the top of the fabric, the upper tension is too tight. If it is difficult to determine what is happening with tension, try using a different color thread (but ALWAYS the same type & weight) in the bobbin as what is used as upper thread.

Tension is static--it needs to be adjusted whenever a new project is begun because the needle/thread/fabric combination will affect the tension. A sewist should become comfortable with adjusting the upper tension on a piece of the scrap fabric before actually beginning to sew the project.

The needle/thread/fabric need to be compatible to get the best result. All About Needles

Sewing Machine Thread Bunching Up Here Why

http://www.chholderby.com/tips-tricks-and-help/part-4-bird-nesting

bunching under the material is bird nesting is a result of loose needle thread tension thread the machine up to the point of threading the needle
pull on the thread and you should have a reasonable resistance to pulling the thread
adjust the tension until you get that then thread the needle
while you may be using the tension settings if there is a problem in the tension plates area , the tension will not get high enough regardless of the indicated setting
bobbin tension can be reasonably loose
correct tension is when both threads meet at the center of the materials being sewn