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Barudan Not Catching Bobbin on Three Out of 15 Needles? Here's What to Check Running a 15-needle Barudan can feel like piloting a spaceship—when it works, it’s magical. But when three out of those 15 needles suddenly refuse to catch the bobbin thread? It becomes a test of patience, tension, and sanity. A user recently shared their experience, and if you’ve found yourself in a similar bind (literally), you’re not alone. The Problem “Three of my Barudan's 15 needles aren’t catching the bobbin thread. I’ve checked tensioning, switched out needles, and made sure nothing was stuck on the spools. Still no luck. Threads are gathering at the bobbin area and breaking or skipping stitches. It’s been days.” Sound familiar? The photo (attached above) shows thread buildup right under the bobbin case — a classic symptom of a few potential culprits. Step-by-Step Diagnostic Checklist 1. Threading Direction – Double and Triple Check It might seem basic, but threading incorrectly is the most common cause. On Barudan, the thread must follow a specific path — one user mentioned they looped thread from the back instead of the front and nearly replaced their rotary hook! 2. Clean the Bobbin Area Thoroughly Thread debris, lint, or even stray thread tails can prevent a clean pickup of the bobbin thread. Remove the bobbin case and give it a solid clean — especially around the rotary hook. 3. Check Needle Bar Height (Needle Penetration Depth) Since it’s only some needles, chances are good the needle bar height is slightly off on those specific heads. If the needle isn’t going deep enough into the bobbin hook’s path, it simply won’t catch the thread. On some Barudan models, adjusting the needle bar means opening the machine and adjusting the stacker bar (often located behind the front plate). Only attempt this if you're confident or have the manual on hand. 4. Needle Type and Damage Double-check that you're using the correct needle type for your Barudan and that they’re not damaged or slightly bent. Even a slight curve can throw off the hook timing. 5. Rotary Hook Timing While rare, if everything else checks out and the issue persists, it may be a hook timing issue. However, since it’s only 3 out of 15 needles, this is unlikely to be the root cause unless the rotary system is misaligned in specific zones. Pro Tip: Adjust One Needle First If you're considering adjusting the needle bar height, try it on just one faulty needle head first. That way, you can see if it resolves the issue before making adjustments across all three. As one tech-savvy embroiderer put it: “I saw a tech do this once — he had to take off the front of the machine and tweak the springs behind the needle bar. Not hard, but easy to mess up if you’re not familiar.” Helpful Tools & Manuals Your Barudan service manual (usually available in PDF format) Flathead screwdrivers, Allen keys, and a flashlight Phone camera (to document positions before you change anything) What This Looks Like Photo: Thread bunching under the bobbin case In the attached image, you can clearly see where the thread is building up and failing to loop. This is what an un-caught bobbin thread looks like—messy, loose, and a nightmare for clean stitches. Final Thoughts Embroidery machines can be fussy, especially high-speed, multi-head units like Barudan. When bobbin catch issues strike on just a few needles, it's almost always mechanical—needle height, threading, or cleanliness. Have you ever had this issue? How did you fix it? Let us know in the comments or share your photo story!