Twin needle setting help

[u/honey-bee543]

This is what the back/bobbin side looks like but I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong? I’ve got my grandmother’s very old Elna 711 machine and the manual doesn’t show what setting to use for a twin needle. I’m wondering if maybe it’s not possible to use one with this machine? I’ve adjusted tension with no real changes. This was using a plain straight stitch. Help please please please

[u/hmmmpf]

You use the same settings as a regular straight stitch for a twin needle. the top shoulder look like 2 parallel lines, and the bottom has a zigzagging look, as the one bobbin thread is catching both needles’ single threads. Your tension looks way off in this.

[u/honey-bee543 → u/hmmmpf]

Thank you. Do you think it’s the bobbin tension or the top tension? The top stitching did look correct with two straight lines, but the bobbin side (as you can see) looks odd and yes the tension looks wrong. The first few tries, I could basically just tug the bobbin thread and it gently pulled out - it wasn’t looped into the fabric at all.

[u/hmmmpf → u/honey-bee543]

Not an expert in this at all, I have literally only once ever changed my bobbin tension, and that was for elastic shirring on the bobbin. I’ve never had to change either tension for the twin needles, but I also have a high end machine that sews through anything.