Brother Sewing Machine Help
 

I have the CE5000 Brother Project Runway machine. I 've been using it for the last couple of years now and lately it has been skipping stitches. It is driving me insane!

I have followed the manual and made sure the needle is in correctly. The book says flat side to the back. I have tried different threads and rethread the thread and the bobbin numerous times. Sometimes it straightens out and is fine and then like now it won't quit skipping. I cleaned out any lint. I took off the covers and cleaned it out thoroughly.

I am at wit's end. I do have other machines I can use but I want to use THIS one!!

Any suggestions?

Did you change needle brands? You are inserting the needle correctly, but is it all the way up the shaft?

It may be the tension kit. I was having the same issue so I took it to get cleaned, then they told me the tension kit was out of whack. I had them replace it ($14.00ish), it took me a while to get my machine back because the tension kit was on back order. Hope that helps!

Do a zigzag stitch. If it skips picking up on one side, the timing is out. It needs to go to a repairman to reset the timing.

The Brother phone support line is wonderful. The only downside - they are closed on the weekends. When I was learning my Brother embroidery machine, I called them often, some days more than once.

Not familiar with Brother sewing machines...but could you oil it?
My Janome was skipping stitches. Putting a drop of oil fixed that.

Good idea.

thanks for all hte suggestions. What has me puzzled is I put it on the 2 stitch and it works fine. but the needle is locked in one place. The regular setting allows me to move the needle from the left to the right for any width I want. THat is what is messing up. So if it is sewing okay in the 2 setting why isnt' it working in the 1 setting?

It can't be the timing or the tension if the other stitches work fine. But if I put it on the 00 setting which is the 1st stitch then it skips.

Yes I have the needle in correctly. You can see if it buts up against the top of the case and it is as far up as it goes.

I can use it for now with the 2 setting but I still would like to know why it is still skipping in the original setting. Not being able to use that setting means I can't use a 1/8" seam allowance which I often use. The 2 setting is a 1/4" seam allowance so it is workable. I just don't like having anything wrong with it.

I appreciate all the words of wisdom and will continue to try to figure this out.

Skipping in different needle positions suggests that the timing is off. Like Girlfriend said, "Do a zigzag stitch. If it skips picking up on one side, the timing is out. It needs to go to a repairman to reset the timing." Usually when it skips "sometimes," it just needs the needle bar adjusted up or down a tiny bit.

thanks for the advice but it is only skipping in the basic straight stitch which is what I use all the time. it isn't skipping in any other stitch.

It also doesn't skip if I use paper instead of fabric. It only skips when i try to sew fabric. and the only stitch that skips is the straight stitch. That is what I've used since I got it. Why it has started skipping is beyond me.

It's done this off and on for a few months. It will be just fine for awhile and then it starts in again and wont' quit. then it stops and is fine again for awhile.

Does it skip with all fabric? My Brother was skipping sporadically but only when I was quilting sandwiched items. Never when just piecing. I had to find the right combination of needle and tension to get it to stop. Are you using a brand new needle to test with? Tried switching brands of needles?

When it gets sorted out and fixed, please tell us what it was and how it got solved.

All my machines are Brothers. When mine start to skip it is telling me to clean the bobbin area. The least amount of fuzz will make mine skip. Once it is cleaned all is good again. Make sure you take the plate off and clean real good.

Rhonda, when did you last have it serviced???

have you purchased or used a not correct size bobbin?

Brother machines are very touchy if they even have a tiny piece of thread or lint stuck in or near the bobbin mechanism. Usually in the "race". Newer machines use no oil. Service visit maybe needed if that fails.

Ukdame - I have several mechanical Brother machines and they are the least fussy of my collection. Are you referencing electronic or computer? What kind gives you trouble?

Rhonda - I would try a different size/brand needle and a new bobbin.

I have not had this problem with my 2 brothers but I also would like to know the 'fix' just in case.

Obviously, you've tried all you can from home. A pro can reach places you cannot without damaging delicate electrical circuits. There's something in the way of one of the electronic contact points in the board. Take it in to repair shop, ask them for estimate before proceeding ( or to call if it's going to cost more than "x"$).Also, be sure to take in a sample or 2 of the problem sewing...because sure as shootin' the darn thing'll behave itself in the repair shop ( at first), lol.

Skipped stitches means the needle thread is not in the right spot for "pick up" by the bobbin thread. Causes: Timing off, needle is not matched to thread or fabric, dull needle, lint in hook race, wrong bobbin for machine, lint or build up in tension disk, or bur/ nick on bobbin case, thread hanging somewhere in thread path. If you check these things....except for timing, you may find your problem. I found my problem was my needle was wrong for the batik fabric I was using. Clean your tension disk with non wax floss, only pull to the left not back and forth,change to a new needle matched to your thread. Try a 90/14 topstitch. Check your bobbin area for debris. Check for bur in bobbin area. Check your thread spool for any "hang ups" coming off the spool. Let us know if you find a fix.

as a last result....take everything out and clean it good...air blow the bobbin area...it only takes a tiny thread or dust

Yes, I meant the computerized machines.My mechanical are usually the easiest to deal with- ha:thumbup:

I really appreciate all the suggestions and help. You are all so great to try to help! Thank you all!


Well as an update I used the 01 position for the same needle and it worked just fine. then I wanted to use the position I usually use so I went back to using the 00 with the needle at 50 which is a 1/4". And it works just fine now.

This is what happens - it skips for awhile - a few days and I try to fix it and can't. then it just starts sewing fine again as if nothing was wrong. No explanation for why it does this.

Yes I cleaned it thouroughly.
I changed the needle
I tried several diff threads
I changed the bobbin
Yes i am using the bobbin that came with it
I rethread it several times.

no I don't have it serviced.

I don't have a clue why it skips off and on and then runs right for several months and then does it again.
I've done everything except stand on my head.
The only thing that happened is it decided to skip and then it decided to stop skipping.
Nothing I did made any difference.

It has skipped several times before.
The last time I thought it was because I had the needle in backwards. When I put the needle in right it stopped skipping. But this time that didn't help
Another time it was skipping and I changed threads and it stopped skipping.
But that didn't help this time.

No idea!

But it is working just fine now!!! For how long tho?? is anyone's guess.

The first Brother I got was great until suddenly it would sew backwards right in the middle of a seam! I got an exchange and it was great until suddenly it started picking up the bobbin thread twice and I had 3 strands of thread coming out of the needle hole. Now I have an upgrade and it is great but every once in a while it will do something crazy. Then it is fine. Who knows why. I love the Brother machines and just wish they would let you know that nothing should surprise you.

Yeah I've done that 3 threads thing too. It happens from time to time. I just straighten it out and go on LOL