Check http://www.superiorthread.com. It has lots of useful information about thread and needles. Superior Thread also offers regular, very-detailed e-mail newsletters that are free. Finally, I have found Superior Thread's Customer Service to be very helpful and nice.

Thanks so much for the tension adjustment suggestions.. I'll give it a try and I am for sure going to keep a notebook. There is a lot to learn with this machine.

Angela, One of the great things about the 830 is that there are lots of adjustments you can make in the tension both top and bottom. One of the challenging things about the 830 is that there are lots of adjustments you can make in tension both top and bottom.

Without knowing what your bobbin thread is, I can't tell what you need to do on that, but if it is a lightweight bobbin thread, like Bottom Line, or Madeira's bobbinfil it probably needs to be threaded like embroidery and MAY need a click or two to the right (righty tighty). The rayon thread probably needs considerable loosening of the tension. The only way to get this right is to set it up like you think it needs to go and try until it looks right and doesn't keep breaking. I often spend a fair amount of time getting my thread tensions set up right on a project. Keep a notebook for the various threads, needles, and settings and eventually you'll be able to just set up everything from that.

You might try changing your needle also just in case there's a burr on the needle or something.

Hope that helps.

I'm trying to use a Madeira rayon thread to do a feather stitch on my 830. Thread keeps breaking. I'm using a 80 embroidery needle. Any suggestions? Also do I need to set up my bobbin for embroidery mode or no? Or is the problem that it just doesn't like this thread? I'm fairly new to this machine so any help would be appreciated.
Angela