Joanieu

I am machine piecing and my machine keeps messing up on me. I have cleaned/oiled it, changed needles, plus also changed to size 11 instead of 14 and I still have problems where my machine is locking up on me. I could go just a little bit then the needle shaft would lock up and then I have to mess with the hand wheel to get it to start moving again. I am using thread that was my DMIL's (which I know is quite old, but using it anyway) that I have been using in the past. I have not had this kind of problem before. I also have kept messing with my tensions both top and bottom, but I think I have the tensions correct again. I have had this Singer Simplicity #1306 for 4 1/2 years now and have never had it serviced. Maybe that's what I need... Maybe DH can look at it. My question now is since I have one row done, can I do the rest of the blocks and rows by hand piecing or would that make it weak at the seams since I started with the machine? I will be hand quilting it if that makes a difference. I have been doing this for about 3 days now and I am so frustrated that I just want to do things by hand for now on. :?: :?:

Darlene

Remove your bobbin and check it to be sure the threads are in it right. I have had this problem myself in the past and it is almost always the bobbin.

donnajean

Try rethreading both top thread & bobbin. Make sure thread is not catching on the top of the spool where the little nick for catching the end of the thread is.

Grama Lehr

First of all.....{{{ hugs }}} ! Been there, done that, no fun at all!!
It could be so many things, including the old thread, maybe the tension on the bobbin thread isn't right.........
Did any of your kids or grandkids touch your machine? Did you turn it off, count to ten, then start it back up?
Try taking out your bobbin and top thread, put in something newer and grab some scraps and try sewing again.
If all else fails, get a good snack, preferably CHOCOLATE and a cool drink, go to another room, put your feet up, rest ten minutes or so and try it again.

jbud2

I was setting in a disc in my machine last evening and then tried to sew - only went backwards! I have so much sewing to do right now -costumes for a play, stuff for our Bazaar. Tried so many things and here I had the disc in up side down! It is probably something little just like that. TAke a deep breath and a break and it will be well. J

Joanieu

Grama Lehr - I don't have any children (besides DH and dogs) in the house... lol :) But Chocolate!!! - now that is a good idea, I guess I will go downstairs and raid the refrig and see what I have left.

Next break I get from work I will try rethreading everything again and see what happens... good thing I have lots of scraps...

Thank you everyone for your input... Don't know what I would do without you guys. :)

oatw13

Try winding a new bobbin and thoroughly cleaning out everything you can reach with a small paintbrush.

Sometimes, if I just wlak away for awhile, when I come back, everything works right!

WANNABEE

There are no quilt police around. You can machine or hand piece.

sueisallaboutquilts

Where's that darn magic wand when we need it!!
Hope it gets straightened out soon, very frustrating!!

CorgiNole

I had one stretch of time where every time I finished piecing a row the thread broke. I think there was something screwy with the way I wound that particular bobbin - so I unwound several yards of thread and tried again - still broke. Inserted a different bobbin and everything went smooth as silk again.

I've also found that if I don't get everything firmly in place, when I reload the bobbin, screwy things happen. My machine is still fairly new to me.

Hopefully it is something simple.

Cheers, K