Bobbin case isn't moving?
 

I have a Brother CE7070PRW that I've been using for a couple of years now. The other night I broke a needle and after changing it, it wasn't sewing. I opened it up and cleaned out the lint, but still nothing. A little more investigating showed that the bobbin case isn't moving when the machine is running. The part underneath it moves, but the case itself isn't moving, so the bobbin thread isn't catching onto the top thread.

To make things worse, I was trying to show the husband what was wrong, and I bumped the case underneath the needle (which was moving) and it broke a corner off the plastic bobbin case.

Any idea what might cause it to not work right? Is it fixable?

I've been wanting a machine with a bigger throat for quilts, should I just look into a bigger, better machine?

Did you take the entire bobbin assembly out and check for extra needle parts? Sounds like something may be jamming the mechanism.

I have had that problem

I did. No extra stuff in there, it's just not working. :(

It's not worth paying to have it fixed. If you can't get it to work, I would buy a new machine.

Go for a bigger better machine!! (Isn't that always the right answer??) ;o)

I like these answers so far! Lol

If your looking for So
meone to encourage you to purchase a new bigger and better machine you came to the right place. We are all enablers here. Love our machines and so should you. Good luck with your choices.

Ok then the next question: any recommendations for an affordable, reliable machine with a decent throat size?

If the bobbin holder isn't seated properly, this will cause it to malfunction. Just a fraction of an inch can cause all kinds of goofy stuff. I have a front loading bobbin. I thought my case was in properly, but it wasn't. Darn thing wouldn't do anything. I took it all apart 4 or 5 times. My friend walked up and said, "Did you push it in all the way?" I thought I did. She gave it a little push and Bingo! it starting working properly immediately. I've had it happen several times in the past couple of years. Mine is a Brother Innovis 4000D. I love my machine most of the time.

Mine is a drop in. I've tried everything to make it work. I honestly don't want to look at it right now, I'm so frustrated. I have projects to finish! 😞

This is probably the most sensible thing to do:p
, but........it would probably be better to get an estimate before you chuck the old one. Depends on what you can get away with.:)

If you want to stay under $200, take a look at the Brother machines at Walmart. Lots of quilters on the QB use them and like them. I would buy one as a backup machine, but my main machine is a 15yo Bernina.

I had this once and took it to the repair shop. Mine was like yours - I could see the bit underneath moving, but the case wasn't. It would move a little and stick - wouldn't pick up the thread at all. Turns out, when I replaced the case, although I was putting it in correctly, the hand wheel was in the 'wrong' position.

All it needed was to be moved a half turn or so and the bobbin case re-inserted :o:o:o

The same thing happened again recently, but this time I was able to fix it by just moving the wheel until the bobbin moved correctly.
Good luck!

The bobbin case isn't supposed to move around, only the hook underneath it is. If you've broken a needle, and the thread isn't picking up, you've knocked the timing off. Usually on those machines, the needle bar needs to be put back in place. Your local shop is likely to charge you around $85 to do that simple thing. I'd put that money into a better machine that will hold a timing setting.

And throw away the big "quilting" pins, and get some fine or extra fine "patchwork" pins. They don't knock the timing out when you run over them.