HELP!! My sewing machine is acting up.........?

Question

When I put the fabric under the needle and lower the needle I am ready to do a straight stitch, however I get a perfect stitch on top of the fabric but the thread from the bobbin is all a jumble underneath the fabric. I have tried changing the tension to no avail. I have tried 3 diffrent spools of thread with bobbins to match and nothing, I know about needles matching thread size, but nothing changes. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Unthread your machine.

First, change your needle. Yes, even if it's a pretty new one. Make sure the needle is inserted correctly and pushed up into the machine just as far as it will go.

Next, check the bobbin to make sure you inserted in correctly. Take out the bobbin casing and pull out the bobbin. Look for lint or a tiny short bit of thread that might be loose in there. Use a small soft brush or toothbrush to wipe out any lint you might see in the case or the machine under the plate. Reinsert the bobbin carefully. Reinsert the bobbin case.

Next, lift the needle and open the upper part of the machine so you can see the top tension disks. Take the brush and gently wipe around the disks to remove any lint.

Rethread your machine.

Now try a test. Bring the bobbin thread up to the top of the machine so you can hold it for the first couple of stitches. What happens on some machines is that the "tail" end of the bobbin thread is too short and when the first stitch occurs, the rotation of the bobbin case slightly retracts the "tail" of the thread and it pulls the top thread down into the bobbin case.

To bring the bobbin thread up, lower your needle, holding the end of the top thread. Turn your flywheel one rotation. Pull gently on the top thread, and the bobbin thread will pull up out of the bobbin case under the plate. Give it a gentle tug and it should move smoothly out. Now, place your fabric under the needle, lower the presser foot to engage the top tension, and holding the top and bobbin threads with your left hand, slowly take one or two stitiches. This will "lock" the bobbin thread with the top thread so it doesn't retract under the plate and into the bobbin case. Now you should be able to stitch normally.

If you don't think this is the problem ( or it's the way you always sew and it still occurs), try putting black thread in the top and white thread in the bobbin, clear the clog, and try again. If you get a clog, now you can see which thread is snagged. If the problem is the black thread, the top tension is the culprit, not the bobbin. However, if the clog is showing a lot of white thread, there could be a bobbin issue.

Your bobbin has a small screw on it. It adjusts the tension of the bobbin case, and if for some reason it is too loose, it can cause too much thread to be pulled up by the top thread.

Wind a full bobbin of new white thread. Place the bobbin into the bobbin case and suspend the bobbin by the thread, like a spider hanging from its web. If, when you hold the thread, the case simply drops to the floor you need to adjust the bobbin-case screw clockwise until it just holds its own weight. Now, while the bobbin and case are suspended by the thread, simply jerk your hand a little - the bobbin case should drop a little if the tension is correct. You can tighten or loosen the little bobbin case screw (use tiny adjustments here) and do the test again until you get it to hold it's own weight then give a little when jerked. Put the bobbin case back in, and try to sew. You'll probably have to go back and work on the top tension again to get it right. The closer you are to perfect, the smaller the adjustments need to be to get there.

If you cannot resolve this problem by changing your needle, cleaning the bobbin and top tension disks, and adjusting the top and/or bobbin tension, you may have a larger problem to deal with. Sometimes a broken needle can cause a metal "burr" to form somewhere in the bobbin case and that "burr" cannot be adjusted to. After trying all the suggested fixes without success, I'd recommend taking the machine to a professional to check for something like that.

Good luck! Nothing more frustrating than wanting to sew and having machine problems!

Answer 2

All good advise above, I'm a sewing machine technician and its my feeling that if the thread is looping on the underside of the fabric that means that the needle tension is too loose--the loops are formed because there is insufficient top tension to keep the thread on top. If the bobbin thread is coming to the top of the fabric it means the needle tension is too tight and is pulling the bobbin up. You should be able to get a balance stitch by adjusting the needle top tension. If you can't adjust the top tension then possibly your not threading it correctly,double check that. If still no luck, go see a tech.

Answer 3

The bobbin is placed in the machine in a certain direction...the thread hanging off of it will usually go in a counter-clockwise direction, at least that's what my machine is like.

You may just have a clog of dust getting in the way or something else in your machine is getting in the way of the thread, try cleaning and oiling it.

Your needles shouldn't have to match thread size. Thread comes in 3 different sizes and all 3 can be used by any needle.

I think though it may have to do with your top thread. I've had this happen many times and then noticed the top thread wasn't looped around the thread take-up lever (the hook that goes up and down). This was causing the bottom thread to get all screwed up. So make sure you have it threaded right and see if this clears the problem up.

Answer 4

You have been given a lot of good advice. I don't recall seeing this-
the thread you have on top of your machine, should be the same thread you have in your bobbin. If it does not match, you could have this problem. Don't mix weight/content between the spool and bobbin.
Rule of thumb would be to change your needle with each project. Needles aren't that expensive, so make sure you keep them new.
Yes, old thread can cause problems. So can dried out thread. Some one I knew kept her thread in the fridge between uses.

Answer 5

I bought a brand new machine and had the same problem. I went back and talked to the ladies at the store where I bought it. They told me to make sure I was using newer thread. Old thread (several years old) causes problems apparently. Sure enough, I bought new thread and no more problems.

Answer 6

Are you sure the bobbins are wound correctly? Have you tried cleaning the area under the presser foot? You may also want to oil your machine.