learning2fly: (idina the green)
learning2fly ([personal profile] learning2fly) wrote2006-05-01 09:09 am

sewing question

I was working with my sewing machine on Saturday. I've just bought the thing a week ago and I broke it already.

It was working fine for about 12 inches of stitching and then it jammed up. I wiggled the fabric free and found the top thread working fine but the bottom part coming out from the bobbin had a total of 3 threads coming out of it. I opened it up and peeked in there and saw extra bits of thread wrapped around the bobbin case. It took a lot of work to get it untangled, including taking out the bobbin and the spinning parts that make it move. I followed the manual very carefully when I put it back in there but obviously did something wrong because it won't grab the thread anymore when I try to thread the machine.

help!?

[identity profile] queenazura.livejournal.com 2006-05-01 03:08 pm (UTC)(link)
1. Try putting the bobbin in the bobbin case the other way. Some machines are picky about whether the bobbind goes clockwise or counterclockwise when you pull the thread.
2. Try re-winding the bobbin (same reason).
3. If you feel resistance when pulling your fabric away after stitching, turn the hand wheel toward you until it stops resisting (resistance means it's in the middle of the stitch).
4. Try changing the needle-- a bent or broken needle, or even one with a nick or burr on it, will cause disasters.
5. Make sure the bobbin and bobbin case are ALL THE WAY on the post-- if it rotates around freely, it's not (this is assuming you don't have a drop-in bobbin).
6. And finally... this isn't such an uncommon problem... just try rethreading a couple of times. Some machines do weird stuff when they're not "warmed up."

Good luck and feel free to ask any more questions.

[identity profile] tugena13.livejournal.com 2006-05-01 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
i was also gonna suggest maybe a tension problem.

[identity profile] learning2fly.livejournal.com 2006-05-02 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
oh god I hope not. Tension problems are my downfall. That's mainly why I decided to forget about my old machine I got at a garage sale ages ago. I could never get the tension right. It would look perfect on top but the bottom was all wonky. :(

I was so hopeful that a new, very simple machine would work better for me. Guess not...

[identity profile] tugena13.livejournal.com 2006-05-02 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
it's new! i'm sure it will work. just keep messin' with it. :)

[identity profile] learning2fly.livejournal.com 2006-05-02 01:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I was really careful to fill the bobbin and loading it into the machine going the direction that the instructions said. You think I should try the other direction?

I will definitely check to see if the bobbin and case are all the way in.

thanks!

[identity profile] queenazura.livejournal.com 2006-05-02 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
By the way... there should be a little lever on the bobbin case that you have to lift all the way up to get it all the way on the post.