Originally Posted by
Sarah in Brooklyn
So I'm trying to practice my FMQ, and it's pretty ugly, but tonight something happened that I can't explain. I've just figured out how to bring up the bobbin thread. I'm working on these silly potholders I made to give to family. So I bring up the bobbin thread and work on a nice spiral design, but when I look at the back, it's all thread nests and horrible! What did I do wrong?
All the things others have suggested are good to try and let me tell you what two OSMG's (old sewing machine guys or gals--these are shop owners who service too) told us on my sm list to do. When you start sewing, be sure your takeup lever is at the top of its downward stroke. One said that if you do this, you can just lay the threads back across the bed and not even hold them and there would be no nests or tangles underneath. It has to do with getting the stitch stroke started right. I've been working on a little quilt and tried it and he's right, it worked. You know how sometimes when you press on the foot control, you have to give the handwheel a little nudge to get it going. At one point I even got a new FC, thinking that was the problem. But when I was careful to have the takeup lever at the top, it started right off with no hesitation. Just another thing to try!