§ GLOSSARY · THREAD TENSION

THREAD TENSION

The balance of pull between the top thread and the bobbin thread that controls stitch quality.

Embroidery vocabularyPlain-English definition
TOP THREADBOBBIN
WHAT IT MEANS

Embroidery uses two threads: the top (visible) thread and the bobbin (underside) thread. The tension between them determines whether the loop of stitch is pulled to the back (correct) or remains visible on the top (too loose) or perforates and bursts the fabric (too tight). Tension is set per machine, per thread weight, per fabric.

WHEN IT MATTERS

Tension issues look like density issues at first glance but the fix is totally different. Misdiagnosing one as the other is a common source of wasted-run frustration.

SEE ALSO
SPARSEBALANCEDDENSE
STITCH DENSITY
» MACHINE COMMAND color_change() // pause for thread swap next: needle_3 hex: #14B8A6
COLOR CHANGE
FABRICTOP STITCHESUNDERLAY ↑
UNDERLAY
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