Desperate for HELP Bernina Overlocker not working!!!!

[Salsa]

Please please someone help!
I have been doing a load of sewing and my overlocker was working fine and then it started playing up. It misses a thread in its stitching, but sometimes includes it.
I have looked at the threading and cannot see anything not in the right place, so I dont know why this is happening. I think the tension is the same with all 4 threads...its very fustrating and wasting my time and making a mess of my sewing.

I do not have the owners manual and have looked online to try find something for helping but cant find anything, so hoping some clever person here can help me.

Its a Bernina 700D

[~Raven~]

I've got the same one

How long since you've changed the needles? They should be changed after 10 hours of sewing time.

Unthread it, blow out all the fluff and rethread it with all the tension set to neutral (4 or 5 can't remember off the top of my head).

Set your diff feed to about 2.5.

Try sewing on some scrap fabric, reasonably thin such as flanelette to check it's working alright and the loopers are meeting in the middle.

Failing that how are you applying pressure? I find mine can skip a thread if I go a bit quick then back off.

[Salsa]

Im sewing bamboo fleece & velour nappies. There is alot of fluff, so I have tried to blow it out. When I test on a scrap of brushed cotton its working fine, and then I try the naps again and it f*@#s up!! Grrrr. I have wondered as you said about the pressure and speed, since it seems to run fine on my the scraps.

I will rethread and do all those others things you suggested and see how it goes, thanks for replying so quick its so fustrating when sewing goes bad!!!

I`ll be back to add more to this thread later if its still not working after I try all that stuff.

[AnyDream]

Definitely rethread (usually worked on my old cantankerous sewing machine). However it might need to go to the Bernina doctor, sometimes the timing is out on the inside bits, they're all going around like they should but not meeting up at the right place, kwim?

Let us know how you go!

[~Raven~]

Ahhhrrrggghhhh you're sewing nappies! Explains a bit then

How many layers are you doing? Could be a differential feed issue, especailly if it's sewing stretchy velour to not so stretchy fleece.

[HotI]

I found my sewing machine doing the same thing when sewing boosters (3 layers bamboo with two layers of flannel). I didnt come up with a solution, but just thought it might help knowing you are not the only frustrated one.

I think it is a foot pressure thing if it is working with other materials.

[~Raven~]

Pressure foot could be an issue too, good point Kate!

[~Raven~]

Well I had this problem today after Caleb had a fiddle with my overlocker!

Took a bit of experimenting but I managed to work out that I had the tension on 1 & 2nd thread too tight so I loosened them off to 3.5 and it was heaps better.

[Salsa]

The last few I made did not look so good and Im a bit annoyed about that,( for looking shonky and the extra time it took) but reassured that the earlier ones (naps) look better and when I made a bib today out of the scraps it worked fine. I tried to keep a slower and more steady foot pressure and I think the layers of mixed fluffy fabrics just got too much for it.

I need to go have another lesson with the machine. When I brought it in NZ they give you free lessons, but I only attended 1.( Can I go to a Bernina shop here and have lessons do you think?? )So I use the 2 settings - standard and roll. What else can this machine do...? Or is that about it?
I want to get one of those ones that overlocks 2 pieces of fabric together or hems. Are those 2 different types of machines?

[~Raven~]

The place I got mine do lessons. MAke some enquiries for sure. Where do you live?

I think there are machines that do that hem thing but they are different machines or if they do it as well as overlock, then they cost thousands. Babylock comes to mind.

[shellabella]

I was reading with interest your overlocker comments as I have just bought my first overlocker (the Bernina 700D). I have always wanted one so this is really exciting for me. I have had my first go today and 4 thread overlocking is great (stretch nightie for my daughter) but couldn't get a good rolled hem. Bit loopy on one side and not much on the other. Both sides should look the same? I followed the suggestions in the manual but I'm very new to this so any help would be really appreciated.

[Salsa]

I used to get a good roll hem (they showed me how at the shop), but I didnt use it for a while and now cant get it doing one properly. I must be forgetting to turn a knob or something. I think the little switch by the presser foot goes back rather than forward posistion but not sure what else to do. I hope someone else can answer this for us, cause I dont have my book - so its guess work at the moment.

[sharron]

hi salsa i have just joined this forum and noticed your thread on the above overlocker just wondering if you have managed to locate a manual for it as i am willing to email you a copy of the manual as i will scan mine for you