Hi Everyone!
 

I hope everyone is well and happy! I am new here and have a question. I am a novice sewer using a new to me machine. Sears Best Kenmore. The top thread doesn't seem to spool off well. It'll be tight then loose. I tried turning the spool over. Also there is a cap on top that is in the correct position. I hope this is an easy fix and just my ignorance with the machine. Thank you for your help!

Hello and welcome, waving from a safe personal space away in Seattle.

Have you tried other spools? Some can look perfectly ordinary but be secret spindles of heck.

Double check all your threading to make sure you aren't missing a step, even the last one down by the needle can make thread jump around quite a bit.

When you sew, are your stitches good on both sides?

Welcome to the QB

Hi welcome from Wisconsin. Have you checked -is it catching on the thread slot on the spool. that sometimes happens on mine I make sure that the slot is on the bottom.

Welcome from So. Cal. Tartan is correct that you need to find out how the thread is on the spool. If it is the cross wound then you may need a thread stand. Which is not hard to make if you you have a cup, straw and a paper clip. You put the paper clip on the top of the straw , put the thread in the cup, bring the thread up thru the paper clip - I use a bobbin on the original thread spindle on the machine and thread it thru the hole in the bobbin so it will follow the path as if it were coming off the spool on the machine. Not sure that make a whole lot of sense. Or you can buy a thread stand. Just make sure it's near the spindle and not near the wheel on the end. (If the thread gets in there its another problem.)

Welcome from Michigan!:)

Welcome to the QB from SE Michigan. I would first check the threading. If you have the manual check this closely. If you don't have the manual I would try and dl it on line. Then check the spool to insure that the thread is not catching on the notch of the spool that lets you catch a thread for storing it. That will occasionally catch up. The other thing you may want to do is change the needle. Jump right in and enjoy the fun. There are a lot of folks here to help you along your journey to learn to sew and quilt. No question is unaskable and there is always an answer to most questions. Have fun that is the most important part of all. Again welcome to the QB!

Thank you everyone for your kind and helpful words. I changed the thread as it was the X style to horizontal. It sews for a while but then the material stops moving forward. I do have a manual and I have nearly worn out the troubleshooting page! It says a cause for my trouble could be that the pressure foot is too light, but I can find how to adjust it. It was sewing fine when I made some face masks. I've checked all around by the bobbin and don't see any rogue threads. The thread on top looks good, until it stops moving forward, but underneath it is loopy and jumbled. Man! I'm just trying to put a patch on my favorite sheets! Thanks again! Sorry for the trouble!

Perhaps if you showed a picture of your machine, it might help. When I googled "Sears Best Kenmore" I came up with a few different models. Usually, in the manuals, there are diagrams in the front with the names of the different parts of the machines. Most machines have the pressure control on the top of the machine near the back. Some machines one has to open the top or nose to get to it.

Another thought is that most spool pins have a felt piece to go on the spool pin, before you put the spool of thread on. It sure sounds like the thread is getting caught on something.

Pictures of stitches and thread path, may help.

How to post images can be found at https://www.quiltingboard.com/attach...020-01-17-.pdf I think the size limit of the pictures is 1.9MB rather than what is shown when you get to the window to attach files. A lot of times the reason the pictures are unable to load is because they are too large. Another item that I need to remember is to scroll over the far right to find the "Upload" button to click so they will be attached.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.


Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Welcome from Southern Indiana! Sounds like you have lots of help with your threading...good luck, and happy quilting!

Here are some pics.
 

The front of the machine and how the zig zag stitch looks underneath.

Here are the pics.
 

Attached photos.

No. The top thread looks good. See photo for underside.

Nope, not stuck on the slot.

Thank you. I changed the thread to stacked. Still not good.

Here's a good step-by-step Wiki on adjusting tension.
https://www.wikihow.com/Adjust-the-T...Sewing-Machine

Your tension is definitely off. Follow all the steps shown with the top part of your machine before you try to adjust the bobbin casing screw. Sometimes it is easier just to buy a new unit than adjust that casing...

Clean everything inside the bobbin casing. Try putting in the bobbin so the thread comes off the front and from the back, see if anything is different. Make sure your bobbin (and top!) threads are coming off the back you as you sew. Notice in the videos how they pull the treads to get started. Your problem, however, is greater than that!

Some machines are picky on whether their foot is up or down when you make adjustments, likewise, some like to have the needle at the High position (there is usually a mark on the wheel/case for this, maybe subtle or use a screw or something but it is usually there). You can try making an adjustment and see whether anything seems to change, then try the reverse (so if you were doing it foot down, try foot up).

I have the tension set according to the manual for zig zag stitching. Thank you for this. I'll try it.

Welcome to the board. Hope you get your machine working right!

Thanks! We used to live in Lake Stevens!

While it is generally recommended to lower the upper tension for zigzag stitching, there should be some tension, I blew up your picture and it looks it is set at "0"

Attachment 624320

I am thinking that most machines that have a numbered dial that the normal setting is around "4", So I would set it for zigzag at 2 or 3 and see if that would help. I would think it would look worse set at 0. I would double check the thread path and make sure the thread is between the tension discs and not behind or in front of them. Sometimes it is hard to see, depending on the machine.

Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

Thank you. In messing around with it I found that the metal plate where the needle goes down through was all beat up like the needle had hit it a bunch of times. The thread was catching on there. This was a much used machine when it came to me. I changed the tension and the problem was fixed! Thank you all so much!!! What a lovely group.

I'm so glad you got the problem taken care of, that was so sharp of Ourworkbench.

Really appreciate you coming back to tell us the end of the story, sometimes we just never find out whether we helped or not.

edit: My mom was born in Lake Stevens! I live in Renton, SE of Seattle proper near the Seahawks facility.

We lived all over. Vashon Island, Fall City, Bellevue.

There is something called abrasive cord that can be used to smooth out some of the rough spots in the needle hole. https://www.sewingmachine221sale.com/store/burrs.html show a plate in a vice and then running the cord through the hole. It also says that it is #52 cord. A couple of other places that have #52 abrasive cord are https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/mi52000/ and https://quiltersapothecary.com/produ...=6837377728575



I agree wholeheartedly with Iceblossom. I, too, appreciate your following up with solution. There are several that have posted and then are never seen again, so don't know if or what helped.


Janey - Neat people never make the exciting discoveries I do.

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Thank you so much!