Thank you!

The charts at Superior threads website are fantastic. Didn't solve my problem, but excellent charts just the same.

I think the problem must be with the machine; I can see way inside (behind the, I think it's called the uptake thing??) a piece of thread wrapped around something -- not thread I've been using, so something from some old project from before I got the machine. This tells me it needs a good cleaning.

I've adjusted top thread tension according to the superior chart for the thread I'm using (masterpiece) and done all the steps in their troubleshooting yet it still breaks. I changed the needle; still breaks. I might very well have bottom tension wrong because I really don't know what it's meant to be and I adjusted it myself when I changed the bobbin thread from King Tut (don't ask) to Masterpiece. So, maybe I have that off??? I know that was off before and a friend helped me get it right *for the King Tut thread* but then another friend said I shouldn't be using King Tut in the bobbin, so.....

Still not sure why, though, it sewed just beautifully for 30 mins. or so before thread break issues; if I was sewing with a wrong tension earlier, would that have pulled one in or out of where it needs to be???

I'm going to try and look at my stitches from earlier to see if my bobbin thread is up top, or my top thread below, so at least I know to tighten or loosen....if I can figure which is which, since I had the same thread in both.

Also ---- related, maybe??? ---- I noticed while I sewed that if I had Fabric X on top, it would pull to the right; if I placed Fabric X on the bottom, it would stay straight. (as in, feed straight). With Fabric X on top, though, it kept wanting to scoot that top fabric over to the right, even putting a pucker in at one point. Maybe this is another clue to what's going on??

I guess I just need to get to the sewing machine repair guy this weekend and hope he works on Berninas. -sigh-

The first thing I think I would do is change the needle and see if you still have the problem. Sometimes, needles are bad right out of the case and you may just need to put another in the machine. The needle you have in there now may have a microscopic barb in the eye or may have bent - I think even the slightest bend could throw off tension, balance, etc. and that could be breaking your thread. If another of the same type/size of needle still doesn't work, go up to the next size and see if the bigger eye helps. If you're not already using a topstitch needle, try changing to one. Also, go to the Superior Threads website http://www.superiorthreads.com/media/docs/Troubleshooting_Guide.pdf and go through their trouble shooting diagram. Also, remove you bobbin and then put it back in, just in case it was sitting funny. If you're still having problems after all that, you may need to take it to a machine repair shop (or the store you bought it from). It may be something only they can fix (balance, etc).
Hope this helps. I had problems once with my thread breaking, too, so I know how frustrating it can be.
-Tina

I finally had someone here to help me sort all the bobbin tension issues (turns out, was a problem with too thick a thread in the bobbin) on my 1020 and today took it for a test-run, and was going beautifully for about half an hour. I got several test lines done as I practiced following my quarter-inch foot, and then did 10 seams, each 12" long. Beautiful, fine, no problem whatsoever.

On the 11th seam, the top thread breaks right at the needle. Same fabrics, same thread, haven't changed anything from the first ten. Haven't messed with tension, nothing.

I pull out the fabric (through the back, etc.) and look, and some top thread is caught wound around the bobbin case. So I take the case out (but not the bobbin from the case), remove that thread, pop that back in, good. Rethread the needle (I have even at this point cut the thread at the spool and rethreaded with fresh thread all the way from the beginning, not just from the break).

It's still breaking. The minute the needle hits the fabric, just about.

Ideas???

The only thing I know how to fix is tension, but tension was fine for the first half hour and all was going beautifully. Would it have changed???

What else could be wrong??? It is a brand new needle, this is the first sewing I've done with it. I really don't know what else to check. Help, please?