I have not been able to sew for a week, thread keeps breaking, skipped stitches, tension not right. I have cleaned the bobbin casing, put in a new needle three times, rethreaded the machine a million times, messed with both upper and lower tension, gave up sending it for repair. Went to sewing room last night to make sure everything was put back on the machine cause I was bringing it somewhere to have it looked at, so I said to myself, self lets just take a look one more time at the manual and see if we can't figure this out and low and behold there is the problem right in front of me. The flat part of the needle faces the rear of the machine. Leave it to me to figure out how to put a sqare peg into a round hole. How was I even getting the needle in? Anyway, my machine is working just fine now and I will go and wipe the mud off my face.

Been there done that. When I purchased my first Featherweight, I kept threading from the left to right. DUH, If all else fails read instructions. It is threaded from right to left, No more problems. LOL

I once sent my machine to the shop to be repaired...the nice man called and explained that I hadn't threaded the bobbin into the case properly. Just that one thing and the machine was breaking thread and sewing tangled knots on the back of fabric!!! Didn't have the instruction book to check since it was a really old machine. I'm sure though that we weren't the first or last ones to do this. We live and learn and will make some other mistake next time. LOL

Don't feel bad, I had a walking foot that came with my machine and when I used it I couldn't figure out why people liked it so much. I wasn't putting the little arm up around the screw that holds the needle in. I felt so dumb. I have to hope even the brightest (of which I certainly don't qualify) of quilters have done crazy things too.

I bet we won't make the same mistake twice!!!

I'm in the the dumbass club! a few months ago my brand new janome suddenly started making thread nests in the bobbin and making a horrible noise, it wouldn't even pick up the bobbin to bring it to the top, the last thing i had done was use the htread cutter, i love that thing!i took the bobbin area apart as far as i dared to see if i could see what went wrong, for 3 days i cussed and cried waiting for monday so i could take it back to the dealer. patrice said "did you rethread it?" i was very adament that the problem was the thread cutter! i wouldn't even try rethreading. finally on monday afternoon i called to be sure the guy was in, 75 miles away, he said "did you rethread it?" i rolled my eyes and said IT'S THE THREAD CUTTER! he said well let's just try it. so i did, guess what :oops: the thread had come out of the takeup lever. you know patrice enjoyed it!!

I will not make the same mistake and everytime I change the needle I will be chuckling and saying flat to the rear dumb dumb.

ROL!!! Yip --- been there, done that!

Add me to the list! I was having all kinds of birds nests on the back of my embroidery. Took it to the dealer had it cleaned, same problems. Went back, first thing she looked at was my bobbin thread. Instead of using the best thin poly thread, I had somehow slipped in a bobbin from my Janome sewing machine with some crappy linty thread. That's all she had to do! Senior moment! I don't know how I did it, but I keep my embroidery supplies totally separate now from my sewing supplies!

I had a Pfaff several years back. The foot lifter would not stay up. Took it to the repair shop waited 13 weeks for them to get the part in. Picked it up went back home ,30 miles, plugged it in and heard a whirring noise. I put it into the car and I was steaming. waiting all that time and now have a new noise. Took it back and was ranting and raving at the salesclerk. She plugged it in and she unengaged the bobbin winder and said."Is that hte noise you heard?" I was so embarrassed that I could have screamed...