Double trouble with my machine. Help please!
 

Maya (my machine) is giving me 2 problems and I keep trying to troubleshoot and I'm having no luck.

1) Keeps skipping stitches
2) Upper thread keeps breaking

I've tried reinserting the needle, adjusting the tension, running test scraps (with no problems-grrr)

I don't know what else to do. I need her working happily away ASAP. I'm involved in a block swap and the due date is coming up.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Skipping stitches can be a needle problem. YOu said you reinserted the needle, but did you try a different one? I would go up a size and see if that helps.
When the upper thread breaks, don't just pull it out & re thread. Take a minute to see if it's jumped out of the take up lever. It could also be the needle is too small.

things that i've found that help
-carefully rethread the machine
-try a new needle
-try a different kind of needle
-try a different spool of thread
-wind a fresh bobbin

I would check your thread spool. Sometimes the thread gets caught on a nick on the spool end. Also, are you using a spool cap? After you thread the needle, pull the thread through the machine several times and make sure it is flowing smoothly and the needle dose not move.
Check to see if the thread is in the take up lever. When you thread the machine, the presser foot should be up.
These tips have helped me.

When my upper thread breaks, my thread is hanging up on something. Once you find & fix that problem you might find that the skipping stitches is no more. I have a great machine, but the spool holder for the threads is mounted as a sideways load. I have problems with any threads that are on the 1000m & up cones. I use a free standing thread holder almost all the time now and rarely have any problems.

If you are running test scraps with no problems it is probably the fabric and not the machine. I had a similar thing happen. I tried everything with the machine, rethread needle, tension, you name it. Finally I realized that the only time I was having the problem was when I was stitching on the blue batik fabric. When I used a test scrap of that sure enough, skipped stitches. When I tried a test of another fabric, also a batik, beautiful no problem stitches. Since I was not using much of the blue batik in my project I adjusted the tension and got it to work. If it had a been a big part of my project I would have switched fabrics. All the fabrics I was using had been bought at the same time, same store, just different colors. Just a thought that this could be your problem as well.

I was told when I had tension problems to set the upper tension to 0 and move up a number until the stitches were sewing right. I have the most problems when using thread coming off a horizontal spool. Did you know the horizontal spool pin was put on the machines to save manufacturing costs and not to improve the thread delivery?

I agree with coffeecozy. Change needle and carefully rethread your DSM. If that doesn't help, then change top thread and if that doesn't help, change the bobbin.

I had the skipped stitches problem with my now deceased Singer. The local dealer suggested that I use only Singer needles as the are slightly longer and this might be the problem. They also suggested that I used the smallest needle possible for the job at hand. Both of these suggestions worked.

I had the skipped stitches problem with my now deceased Singer. The local dealer suggested that I use only Singer needles as they are slightly longer and this might be the problem. They also suggested that I used the smallest needle possible for the job at hand. Both of these suggestions worked.