Sewing machine help needed!

bungle82

Hi everyone

I got a sewing machine for my birthday recently and the first couple of times I used it everything was fine (when I had someone who sews watching me!) but now everytime I go to use the machine everything looks fine and goes well until I reach the end of my line of stitches, at which point I realise that the stitches are all tangled and the fabric is now sewed to the machine (if that makes sense?)!

It is driving me mad as I am sure it is threaded correctly and I have had the manual out and done all the obvious things like rethreading and a new needed etc but nope, it still wants to get in a mess!

Can anyone enlighten me as to what is going on before I chuck it out the window whilst shouting "I thought sewing was going to be a relaxing hobby?"! :huh:

Thanks.

Tryingagainandagain

Two possibilities spring to mind straight away - either you are catching the stitches in the tails of thread from the needle or there is a problem with the bobbin.

Can you get a spare piece of fabric and try a normal straight row of stitching - don't worry if it's not very straight, but hold the loose ends of the threads away from the fabric. If it still happens you've excluded this as the problem.

Then take a new bobbin and quarter fill it - use your manual to make sure you go through all the right tensioners to fill the bobbin. If the bobbin thread is loose it can cause problems.

Then make sure the bobbin is put into the machine according to the manual and again the thread from the bobbin goes through the tensioners in the bobbin case. When you are sure of this, try another row of stitching. (a clonking sound when you sew can indicate the bobbin is not properly in it's case)

Then check the threading of your machine - has a thread come out of one of the threading points, have you missed one? Try again.

You should probably also check your needle, make sure it hasn't bent, especially if the machine has tried to chew your fabric at some stage.

DO NOT try to adjust bobbin tension itself, I did this once and had to take my machine in to the repairers to put back to normal and it's rarely the problem.

Are you using the right size and type of needle for the fabric? The right type of thread? For most projects it's not too critical but if you have heavy or thick or very lightweight fabric it can be important. If you've tried everything here, call the manufacturers or suppliers - they are generally pretty good at trying to help.

Please come back and let us know how you get on - by that time someone else may come up with something.

katyboo123

I was a sewing novice (aside from what I remembered in school) and I got a machine and we've had some trials and tribulations together. But here's some of the things I've learnt which may help you...

Check your bobbin case. Is the screw on it the right tension, are there any bits of fluff or debri in the 'river' groove which you put the thread through before 'fishing up the spool case'. Make sure there's no fluff or dust anywhere underneath.

Then, check that your putting down the presser foot. Might sound silly, but I've managed to 'sew my fabric to the machine' this way it jumps all over and then stitches don't form properly.

Another thing I'd test is your tension. And, that your thread and fabric are suitable for one another. If you go to a sewing machine shop / fabric shop, the proprietor will usually help you for free. We have a Singer shop in town and I have a Brother machine and the proprietor was so happy to see someone interested that she helped me out a few times. My town's Boyes also has a knowledgeable seamstress working there. And, there's a fabric shop where the staff are very helpful and interested themselves in sewing.

And, of course, you have Google. Often I type in 'stitching fabric to machine - what's going wrong?' or something that simple, and see if anyone else has asked that question and what the replies were.

Good luck and don't give up!!!! :beer:

winniepooh

Have you sorted it?

glynisrose

I would have said a bobbin problem, but I am no expert!!

almond

glynisrose wrote: »

I would have said a bobbin problem, but I am no expert!!

could be take the bobbin out if its like this and you should be able to hold the thread without it dropping, I had problems a few years ago and I bit of thread was caught in casing, I would not take the screw out