Re: TOP STITCH IS FINE BUT WHEN I TURN FABRIC OVER THE...
Sounds like your upper thread tension is too loose. Try tightening the tension on the top thread, but first, make sure the machine is threaded correctly through the tension disks.
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If it doesnt bring bottom thread to top then the hook is not catching the top thread. I assume your able to bring bottom thread to top?
Bring bottom thread to top, place sample fabric under pesser foot, lower foot, then hold both top and bottom threads in left hand and manually turn handwheel with right hand and see if will stitch.
Dropped stitch(s) implies the top thread is not being wrapped around the bobbin. The rotary hook must catch the top thread as the needle rises, pull additional thread into and around the bobbin and release the top thread. Then the takeup arm pulls the extra top thread from underneath the bobbin and sets the stitch to the selected tension.
If with no fabric it brings bottom thread to top then it's not likely a timing issue but rather an interference or tension problem. Test top thread tension... foot up is no tension, foot down is selected tension and should be noticeable by simply pulling on the top thread and note the difference between foot up vs foot down.
Machine stitch = stitching using a sewing machine or other machine
Stay Stitch = sewing a stitch line between the fabric edge and the regular seam line (usually on curves) to prevent the fabric from stretching when sewing the seam.
I don't know your model in particular but generally this is how you set up a serger/overlocker to create a rolled hem. Remove the left hand needle and thread if 4 threads are threaded). Now there is usually a lever around the stitching area that you slide back towards you to remove the stitching finger back (disengaged). Then you adjust the top looper tension looser (about 2-3) and lower looper tension tighter (7 or 8). Leave needle tension at normal tension (5). You may need to move the cutting blade to the right too. The technique is to cut the fabric wider but with a narrow stitch so the cut edge rolls under within the stitching. You want the top looper thread really loose so it rolls right around underneath up against the needle thread, the lower looper thread needs to be tight and almost invisible, pulling the upper looper thread down. I usually do a few test runs and check the stitching. Once happy, I turn the stitch length right down to 1 so it is very dense. This uses a lot of thread up.
Top stitching is usually done with straight stitch, ie stitch width on zero and stitch length on 2.5 but it depends on the application and the effect you are trying to get. Normal top stitch is where you might be stitching a facing down on the outside of a neckline, so you might want to stitch about 5mm away from the edge of the fabric. Always stitch from the outside of the garment, the finished side so you can turn on corners and control the fabric. If you have a clear pressure foot, then this will make watching the stitching easier. Not sure what your problem is with this technique so feel free to add more in comments if I've missed something.
Try adjusting the top tension dial to tighten up the loose stitching on the underside. Generally if you have loose threads underneath, its the top tension and visa versa.
However, if you are using a thread heavier than normal sewing thread through the needle and bobbin (which you probably need for this canvas) then the machine may struggle. I've sewed vinyl seat covers and gave up with my domestic machine and purchased a second hand industrial Singer machine 20U to cope with this heavier weight textile. Generally for anything heavier than upholstery fabric a domestic machine may not be strong enough.
I always adjust my overlocker stitch in several ways. I start test serging with the blade set right out to the right so that it "fills" the stitching. I'll set all the thread dials to the middle setting, ie. 5. Then I test serge, and check the stitch formation. If the needle is looping underneath, then I'll tighten it "A LITTLE". If the looper threads are lying off the cut edge of the fabric, then I'll dial both the top and bottom looper numbers up a little to make those threads tighter.
Each fabric behaves differently depending on its "hand" so the right stitch settings do vary, ie. organza is different to heavy weight cotton or denim. So if my inital setting is then "bunching" up the fabric within the stitching, I will then lower the numbers for the top and bottom looper to release the thread some. And if the fabric is very soft and light and still bunches up, then I will move the blade over to the left some, cutting a narrower edge within the overlocking so the threads lie better.
So revist the settings, check that the cones are flowing freely, thread is into the tension devices fully, then retest the stitching. If it is the top looper only that is looping off the edge, and not the bottom as well, and they are both set to the same number, then I'd be a bit suss about the tension dial.
When you thread the top thread, ALWAYS RAISE the presser foot so the thread will seat completely in the tension disk. If this doesn't improve the stitch, try tightening the top tension. If it is too loose, the bobbin thread will lay on the surface of the fabric. When the top tension is tightened, it will pull the bobbin thread up into the fabric.
Usually If the underneath is loose it is the top tension that is the problem. If it is the top stitching that is loose it is the bottom tension. Hope this helps.
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