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I am trying to finish up a project and once perfect sewing machine is now being temperamental.
It was doing fine after sewing a few cards then poof - it decided to have a tantrum of some sort.
I've rethreaded the machine over and over again...I am encountering two problems:
Machine starts stitching fine for a mere 2 seconds then...
1) The spool of thread keeps winding itself around the stick thingamabob that it rests on.
2) The machine starts stalling after 2 seconds and the stitches on the bottom of the paper are all bunched up.
I am a beginner sewer and I can't seem to figure out the problem!!!! What in the world am I doing wrong???
I'd appreciate any feedback...I just want to get my project done tonight and would look great with stitching but will have to do without if I can't figure it out.
Make sure the spool of thread has the thread going the right way, check your manual to see which way it should be coming off the spool.
The bunching up stitches on the bottom probably is because the bobbin is not threaded correctly, or there is some debris or even a tangled piece of thread. This just happened to me the other day. I had to fiddle carefully with it to get the broken piece of thread loose from the bobbin casing.
Have you changed your tension dial at all? If so, it may be too loose.
Make sure the spool of thread has the thread going the right way, check your manual to see which way it should be coming off the spool.
The bunching up stitches on the bottom probably is because the bobbin is not threaded correctly, or there is some debris or even a tangled piece of thread. This just happened to me the other day. I had to fiddle carefully with it to get the broken piece of thread loose from the bobbin casing.
Have you changed your tension dial at all? If so, it may be too loose.
Good luck!
Hi Alma! Sorry to hear that you're having trouble, KatarinaM has some good suggestions. Mine has done that from time to time and I find that the bobbin usually isn't threaded properly. I just take it out and re-thread it and it works fine. Also, sometimes lint/loose thread/dust can get in the area with the bobbin, which may be causing some of your trouble. Hope it gets sorted out for you!
Make sure the spool of thread has the thread going the right way, check your manual to see which way it should be coming off the spool.
The bunching up stitches on the bottom probably is because the bobbin is not threaded correctly, or there is some debris or even a tangled piece of thread. This just happened to me the other day. I had to fiddle carefully with it to get the broken piece of thread loose from the bobbin casing.
Have you changed your tension dial at all? If so, it may be too loose.
Good luck!
Thanks ladies for the advice...now how can I see if there is excess thread in the bobbin case area? Have you tried to unscrew the lid? I have tried to flip the spool of thread and have consulted my manual and GinaK's blog to make sure I have it on the right way - still not working correctly. The spool of thread is also jumping when I start stitching and the thread keeps jumping out of the thread guide on top of the machine.
I have tried to adjust the tension too - it was working well at 4.
How do I rethread a bobbin? THAT may be the the BIG problem.
I had this same problem when I first got my machine. I threaded and re-threaded over and over again. I thought I was doing it correctly as I have used a machine quite a bit.
I was actually putting the bobbin in with the tail coming off of the right hand side of the bobbin. The tail on the bobbin thread should come off of the left hand side of the bobbin when you first slip the bobbin into the casing .I know that some people successfully use their machines with the tail of the bobbin thread off of the right side, but for my machine it would not work. It would do exactly what you are saying is happening, Alma...bunched up threads and skips.
I put the bobbin in and hold onto the tale with my left hand. Then I slip the cover over the bobbin while I'm still holding the tale. If I let go of the tale, my machine has a tendency to pull the thread off of the little lip in the bobbin casing that catches it when I try to turn the hand wheel and pull the bobbin thread up to the top. I only let go of the tale when I can see that the bobbin thread is thru the hole where the needle stitches and that it is still wound properly around that lip in the bobbin casing.
I'm not good at technical directions - please ask me if you want me to clarify.
Thanks ladies for the advice...now how can I see if there is excess thread in the bobbin case area? Have you tried to unscrew the lid? I have tried to flip the spool of thread and have consulted my manual and GinaK's blog to make sure I have it on the right way - still not working correctly. The spool of thread is also jumping when I start stitching and the thread keeps jumping out of the thread guide on top of the machine.
I have tried to adjust the tension too - it was working well at 4.
How do I rethread a bobbin? THAT may be the the BIG problem.
Yes, I used Gina's tutorial, too. I love her step by steps. She does have a post about the bobbin thread coming off of the right vs. the left. That is what I was trying to get across in my first post.
I tried to remove my casing to clean it out, and I couldn't figure it out. :confused:
ok, I was successful at removing the bobbin lid that is held down by 2 screws and found nothing jammed anywhere.
I just went ahead and threaded another empty bobbin...I switched the bobbin tale to the left (like Lori suggested)...Now, the machine is stitching fine BUT the bottom stitches are still tangled together or rather bunched up in loops. What now???
Alma - have you played with your tension setting? Sometimes I have to adjust it for the weight of my cardstock.
Also, I had trouble one time with the tension when my bottom bobbin thread wasn't the same weight as the top thread. I didn't think it would matter on the bottom thread since it wouldn't show.
I do not have this machine, but many maahines need you to hold the threads tight at the beginning of stitching or they get sucked down into the bobbin area and make your machine stuck.
Alma - have you played with your tension setting? Sometimes I have to adjust it for the weight of my cardstock.
Also, I had trouble one time with the tension when my bottom bobbin thread wasn't the same weight as the top thread. I didn't think it would matter on the bottom thread since it wouldn't show.
Hi Lori: Yes, I have tried to adjust the tension going from 0 all the way to 6...still no luck...stitching fine on top and still bunching up on the bottom in big loops (I guess this is called birdnesting???).
I have put the same kind of thread on the bobbin. So there should be no weight issues there.
Ok, now I am at awe! It is working perfectly again...
I replaced the needle as Gale suggested...I found that the original needle was a little bent. But then it was still not stitching right on the bottom.
Then I unscrewed the lid underneath the presser foot and actually pulled it completely off to see if there was any loose thread - nothing there. I took out the black bobbin casing and cleaned off as much lint as I could on the bobbin casing and the area where it sits on.
Voila! Working fine now...very weird! I am just happy that now I can finish my project. Sheesh!
Thanks again ladies for coming to my rescue! I appreciate all of the advice.
