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My bobbin is loopy.!
It is probably not your bobbin that is the problem. Try rethreading your top thread making sure you have the presser foot up when you thread the upper tension. The thread you see down in the bobbin area is the top thread being fed too fast without the proper tension to regulate it. When your presser foot is up it opens the tension disk so that your top thread can "seat" itself completely into the disk, thus allowing for a nice balanced stitch. Once you are sure you have it threaded correctly, check your top tension. It should be between 4 and 6 for most machines for general sewing. If it is on a smaller number , try increasing it until you get the desired balance.
My machine keeps jambing!
All machine require that you have the take-up lever up when you insert your fabric under the foot to start your stitching and when you remove your sewing when you are finished stitching. In order to form every single stitch the take-up lever starts at the top and moves down to release the right amount of top thread to go around your bobbin, grab your bobbin thread and return to the original position. If you try to sew before your machine has completed this cycle it is very likely to jamb. This is because the top thread is still in the middle of doing its job of grabbing the bobbin thread.
Many sewers like to put their needle down when they start to sew. This is a good way to start as it helps to eliminate any small knotting underneath when starting to sew. As long as the take-up lever is up when you first insert the fabric everything will go smoothly.
My machine IS jammed!
The important thing for you to do here is to have a gentle touch.
If you have a machine with an automatic thread cutter do not use it. You could cause some damage.
If you have a no-jamb top loading bobbin system you should be able to turn the hand wheel clockwise about a quarter of a turn to release your fabric. Once your fabric is released you should rethread the top thread. Most likely you missed threading the take-up lever the first time causing the jamb. This would probably be a good time to change your needle as the jamb may have caused it to bend or break. Also check the bobbin area to be sure there are no threads caught. Then sew a sample to be sure that everything is in good working order.
If you have a front loading bobbin system with a metal bobbin case that you remove to get at the bobbin, carefully disassemble the bobbin area. Move the clips that hold the bobbin case in place, remove the bobbin and case. You may have to remove the needle by undoing the screw that holds it in place, turning the hand wheel to raise the needle bar and grasping the needle to remove it. Everything should come loose and move freely at this point. Once the hand wheel is moving everything freely you can reassemble your machine. First check to be sure there are no thread caught in to bobbin area. This would probably be a good time to oil the bobbin area with two drops of sewing machine oil. Rethread the top thread. You probably missed the take-up lever the first time, causing the jamb. It is a good idea to put in a new needle. Test sew to be sure everything is in good working order.
Sometimes after a machine is jammed it will not pick up the bobbin thread and form the stitch as it should. The simple fix is that you put the needle in backwards when you changed it and reversing it will solve the problem. If the needle is in correctly and it is still not picking up the stitch it is probably "out of time". This is a fix that needs to be done by a trained repair person. If you can bring it to us we can adjust the timing for you.
My thread keeps breaking!
First thing to do is use good quality thread. Be sure you are using an appropriate thread for the project you are doing. For example embroidery thread is a decorative thread and is not strong enough for home dec or most garment sewing.
Next use the right needle for the kind of thread and type of fabric you are using.
Did you know a needle only has about eight hours of good sewing life before it is time to retire it? And embroidery needles only have a good life span of about three hours.
It is not just the point that wears out but the eye of the needle wears out from all that thread rubbing it at high speed. This is what usually causes your thread to fray and break.
Husqvarna Viking has collabarated with the very excellent needle company Schmetz to make the best home sewing needles in the market at the same reasonable price as other Schmetz needles. These are the INSPIRA needles. You can purchase them at Mainely Sewing Machines.
I learned a neat trick at convention this year. I was using a 30 weight cotton thread which kept breaking. It was suggested that it was probably dry and I should spritz the thread with water, put it in a plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator over night. It worked and I was able to finish my project without incident the next day!
I also learned that pre-wound bobbins (especially polyester) do not have a lot of give to them making them not very suitable for garment sewing which requires flexibility.
If you are using metallic thread you will need to use a needle designed for that purpose. It has a larger eye to allow the thread to move freely and is coated to reduce heat build up caused by friction which is what frays and breaks the thread. You may also need to sew or embroider at a slower speed in order to get the best results.
My bobbin is stuck on the bobbin winder!
You probably have a machine with a top loading bobbin system, with plastic bobbins and a plastic bobbin winder spindle. You probably wound your bobbin at full "pedal-to-the-metal" speed. Never a good idea with any bobbin style.
First of all by doing this you wind the thread too tight, which will cause it not to feed smoothly. This will result in a poor stitch quality.
Second you can actually cause the thread to squeeze the bobbin so tight that it will warp and/or temporarily "fuse "the bobbin in place. The fix for this is to unwind all the thread off the bobbin. Once the thread is removed you should be able to remove the bobbin and start over again at a slower speed. Before you do that check your bobbin. If it is supposed to have a slightly rounded top and bottom, it may have been sqeezed flat. If this is the case throw it out a wind a fresh bobbin.
My bobbin thread is showing when I embroider!
1. You may need to lower the top tension or
2. You may need to use a lighter weight bobbin thread.
3. If you are using a polyester or metallic embroidery thread you may need to use a cotton bobbin thread which will "grab" the slippery threads better.
4. If you are using a metallic thread you may also need to slow you machine speed down. This also reduces breakage.
5. If you are using a monofilament thread in your bobbin you will need to wind it at a slow speed and only fill it half full.
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