annesthreads

For the first time since I bought it several years ago, I've had a problem with my Featherweight this afternoon. As soon as I start to sew, the needle comes unthreaded. I've cleaned out the bobbin case and checked that I have that and the upper thread threaded correctly, but no luck. Can anyone help, please?

Macybaby

Is the thread breaking or are you simply not holding the tail firmly for the first few stitches so the uptake lever is pulling it out instead of pulling it through the tension dial.

Or is it unthreading from somewhere other than the eye of the needle?

annesthreads

I'm holding on firmly to the ends, but the thread is still coming out of the needle as soon as I start to sew. I can't work out whereabouts in the threading process the problem is.

Macybaby

With the thread to the needle (not through the hole) and the foot down, you should be able to pull thread through the tensioner. Don't have it through your needle or you may bend the needle as you can't pull it straight down. Try that - because if you can't do that, then your upper tension is way too tight. You can also do this by threading the machine, lowering the foot to engage the tension and then pulling the thread back to the spool. it should pull with tension, but not be all that hard to pull.

Also try leaving a 10" tail, if it pulls that all the way out of the needle, then you've got something going on in the bobbin area that is causing problems.


I have a Singer 24 (chain stitch) and it has a thread holder, not a tensioner. It releases at the proper point to let a small amount of thread pull through, then it clamps down and you can not pull it no matter what, forward or backwards.

Macybaby

Also, make sure you are between the tension disks and not behind them.

annesthreads

The odd thing is how suddenly this happened: I'd been using the machine through today and hadn't changed anything or rethreaded it - one minute it was fine, the next this started happening. I'll check out the suggestions above -thankyou.

Macybaby

Did you completely thread and re thread it, including removing the thread from the spool?

one time the problem I had was the thread got under the spool and looped around the spool pin. I've also had the thread get caught on the little cut mark on the spool where the thread can be tucked in to "hold" it. And I've even had the darn thread loosen up ON the spool and had it get under another layer wrap and then tighten up on the top thread so it would not pull off the spool. If you check everything, change threads too and try it. I can't put Gutterman thread on my White because it pulls at a downward angle and occasionally gets caught on the wavy edge, but it works fine if I put the thread in the spool holder so it pulls level.

I've had a lot of problems with thread looping around somewhere it's not suppose to be looped and being held tight.

Macybaby

BTW - I've often had things going along fine and then BAM - thread breaks and I can't get it to sew. And it's always been something strange that the thread looped around or popped out of or something like that.

And sometimes I've had thread with bad spots in the middle of the spool - I've stripped off several yards of thread until it looked better, then gone back to sewing without problems. But that usually showed up as thread suddenly fraying at the needle. And rarely, I've given up and tossed out a spool because it just wasn't working.

xxxxxxxxxx

unthreading the needle usually it the needle in backwards

annesthreads

The needle's been in for a while without problems, but I'll change it and check that.