.......my sewing machine. I had an inexpensive Brother from Walmart that bit the dust. Bobbin casing, website I checked into said it was a common problem and not worth fixing. I had (generously estimating) maybe 25-30 hours on it.

Before it went out I was able to purchase a Janome 3022. Just recently I got it out. I may have 15-20 hours on it. It started off fine but I can't seem to find a thread it likes so it won't jam up. I'd been using Gutterman. Changed it twice, put in a new needle, rethreaded it so many times I could almost do it with my eyes closed. At times it would just catch the corner of the fabric and knot up on the underside. I've never messed with the tension (kinda like cars that had carburetors, don't mess with it, it'll never be the same.)

I'm just really fed up with these machines I wanted to chuck it out the upstairs window. I asked my 23 yr. old son if he and his Dad would be mad if I took the rent money and bought myself a machine that would sew.

I just wanna sew, that's all. No machine problems, I have enough "operator" glitches to go around. :lol:

Just needed to vent. Thanks!

I have 3 Janomes, varying from the Gold, 6500 & 6600. I could not use Gutterman in mine, why? I don't know. Mettler and Sulky work great in them, but, Coates and Gutterman don't...Good Luck...

did you buy the Janome from a nearby dealer? if so, take it there so they can give it a look-see.

does it knot and clump at the beginning of your seams. you shouldn't need to, but try holding onto the tails of the top and bottom threads as you begin your seam. pull them out to the back, fairly taught as you sew the first few stitches.

for just plain sewing, my janome is happy enough with just about every thread i've tried, so i wonder what would happen if you tried a different brand, type and/or size needle. while i'm sure there are other brands just as good, mine is quite happy with schmetz needles. definitely happier than it was with the singer needles i bought at walmart. (not criticizing either singer or walmart, here. the schmetz just happen to work better in my janome - especially when i want to use the automatic needle threader thingie. the singers just don't line up right. i usually had to give up on the thingie and thread them the hard way.)

different needle types have differently shaped eyes. according to everything i've read online, that can make a big difference in how well they get along with different threads.

just a thought. or two or three.

On your Brother, Did it keep making clicking sounds? My first one did. Had it fixed but then it was worse when I got it home. GRRRRRR so I bought another one as I just love this machine

What about the bobbins? Are they the ones that came with the machine?

How old is the Brother? Take it back if you can. On my Janome the thread slips out of the tensioner and then won't sew, knots up under, making it appear to be a bobbin problem. All I do when this happens is rethread the machine and it works. I don't know why, but this happens every so often.

does it knot and clump at the beginning of your seams. you shouldn't need to, but try holding onto the tails of the top and bottom threads as you begin your seam. pull them out to the back, fairly taught as you sew the first few stitches.


this is a sure fire working solution if you jam up at the beginning of a seam....

If this happens on the first couple of stitches, try this. Cut a strip 1 1/2 x 1 inch. Fold it into thirds, so it is a bit thick, and start your sewing on it. If it goes through, just butt your seam up against the "cheater strip" and keep going. I make two of these cheaters, one at the beginning and one at the end. You save a good bit of thread this way also. Good Luck.

My family gave me a Brother (Quilter's machine) for my birthday once and we had a love/hate relationship from day one. It never worked well. I ended up selling it to the guy who tried to fix it, for parts. I now have a great Bernina that I love, but before that I had a Bernina that I got refurbished and lasted a long time. I also had a nice machine I got in a yard sale and now my daughter uses it for when she needs to sew anything.

I believe you need to work with your tension. You are using good threads and most likely the problem is the tension or the bobin.

Where are you located?

Maria

Or you could try using a leader for your tails. I keep a little bowl full of tiny fabric scraps and I take a few stitches in the side of that prior to feeding my actual piece of fabric that I am sewing on...kinda like chain piecing. I do it at the beginning and the end. It saves thread too.