Originally Posted by Miz Johnny
I have had several WR machines, and they take a regular 15 X 1 needle.
Clean hook area thoroughly. Make sure needle is in correctly--take needle out and put in a new one. Recheck your thread path--take thread out and start over. Make sure bobbin is turned the right direction and threaded the right way.
I have been sewing since childhood, and have managed to waste hours on such things as:
Needle in backward (happened a couple of years ago, and took 3 of us 2 hours to get right)
New needle that happened to be flawed
Lint in bobbin area
Poor quality new bobbin in old machine (happened this summer; it took several tries to get it right, and a very experienced OSMG and I several hours to figure it out)
Bobbin in backward
Thread popped out of guide (happened this past weekend--I did some serious ripping of seams before figuring this one out)
No matter how long we've been sewing or how long we've worked on machines, we still have to make a simple mistake once in a while. It keeps us humble. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
Yesterday, I thought I did everything to try and get my WR to pick up the bobbin thread -- nothing worked. I will try again using all your suggestions. But, I am thinking maybe when we took the bobbin hook/race (whatever it is) thing off to get the thread that was jammed in there out that we messed up some timming or something? My DH says he did not mess with any timming as the bobbin casing just popped out and back in when he loosened a screw. Anyway, this machine is so ugly that I really like it! Solid black and embossed, and I want to get it working! The bobbin case for this machine is weird too. It has like a neck that you pull the thread through when you thread the bobbin. There was a needle on the machine when we got it, so I got my magnifying glass out to read what the needle was. It is a Schmetz 80. The WR book says to use 'only' White needles, that is why I was thinking it took a special needle. I am too frustrated today to try.
Between the WR frustrating me with the needle not picking up the bobbin thread; and the Redeye that I can't even try to sew on because I still need bobbins, I am taking the day off from my sewing machines! I am going riding!
Thanks for all your help! I couldn't do any of this without this group! Nancy