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I didn't know they were called FEED DOGS bc they are hungry for my fabric! My machine is eating my fabric! The lower bobbin thread is turning into big balls of thread stuck between the top of the machine on the dogs and inside the machine underneath the dogs. It's been taking forever to cut it out of there. The fabric is getting into that mess, too, and it's ruining it. I've cleaned and re-threaded and had it all apart and put it back....tried different tensions/threads...
This is the same thing my older Brother did before I quit using it. I remember this now, after the new one starts up. I haven't even had it one year! I'm trying to contact Brother about it. My closest repair shop is over one hour away! Maybe I should try these dogs on the Purina Diet?! Presser foot pedal (the "gas") has been hesitating, too. Needle bit me good, too, while I was working on it! That's my gripes for the day. Thanks for listening. |
I can't wait for someone to jump in and explain the "whys" for this one! It happens all the time with my BRAND NEW Janome! I want to pitch it out the window sometimes and stick with my ancient Kenmore.
I've tried changing needles, threads, rewinding my bobbins, etc. to no avail. :evil: Maybe it will see the next garage sale first-hand. |
jumperfamily: I know the feeling! I'm thinking, "back to WM you go!"
I'm thinking about trying a different brand. Maybe a singer? I don't know what to do. I never talked to anyone at Brother, yet. I called long distance and it said the wait would be more than 5 minutes. I held for a while. nothing but that lovely music....I called the 1-800 number, but it said the wait was over 12 minutes! I don't have all day to wait on them. I have e-mailed them before with no return answer. I'm about to cut my Brother out of the family tree. |
Are you using leaders or holding the thread when you first start sewing. If you aren't then that explains it. I have the same problem when I don't either use the leaders or hang on to the thread when first starting out. Big globs of thread. What a mess. Hope this helps you, if not then maybe someone else can help.
Rita |
I usually use a scrap to start and finish because I'm too lazy to hunt down all those long threads and clip them. It seems I have the biggest problem when I'm starting on corners or stitching on the bias. Does it then even with a scrap starter.
GRRRR!!! :x I DID, however, find that it helps to start in the "needle down" position and go REALLY slow at the start. Tedious to say the least. Shelly |
Originally Posted by ButtercreamCakeArtist
jumperfamily: I know the feeling! I'm thinking, "back to WM you go!"
I'm thinking about trying a different brand. Maybe a singer? I don't know what to do. piney |
I have a Singer (my husband thought he was "blessing" me) that I really don't like - too "lightweight" for my sewing needs. I also have an REALLY old Kenmore that the only real problem is the lack of advanced quilting accesories and stitch options - otherwise it's a workhorse.
The Jenome was purchased in a moment of frustration - I NEEDED a walking foot and my solution was quite expensive! :mrgreen: Ah, I don't splurge often... I guess I will break down and haul my lazy butt to the dealer and ask them, it just seems easier to whine about it! Shelly |
i'll add myself to the victim list. My Simplicity does that sometimes for no reason that makes sense. the singer, too. used to drive me NUTS!!! After getting sick of trying to get it working again, i'd put the [pick your favorite cuss-type word] thing aside, get out my backup machine and work on that for a few days. when i'd go back to the simplicity, it would work fine. go figure. i guess my machine has mood swings. LOL
purely by accident i discovered that if i take the top thread all the way out, put in a new needle and rethread the top (after unclogging the bobbin well, of course) it works again. i was surprised - and sorry - to read that none of those things helped you, Miranda, cause i dunno what else to suggest. except ... hmmmm .... i wonder .... are you using the size bobbin your machine likes best? all of mine prefer the old fashioned metal bobbins with the holes in them. (i don't know why. i've given up trying to find the answers to such cosmic mysteries. LOL) |
My Singer did that one day. I could not figure out why to save my life, then I just thought maybe my bobbin was too full. It wasn't any fuller than any other day, but I took some thread off and tried it again and it worked perfectly and has since. (KNOCK ON WOOD) I hate that about your Brother, it isn't even a year old yet. If they made things like they used to back when, we wouldn't have these problems.
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Well, thanks so much for all the posts so far.
I tried sewing with it a little bit today. It only once made a funny clunking noise down near the bobbin area or lower. ? I readjusted the thread tension...while working, and it was fine. The foot pedal didn't hum and procrastinate or anything. I only sewed for about 5 minutes, though. The problem doesn't happen when I first start out. Right when you get going good and in the middle of something. When I first start out, I do "practice" on a scrap. Of course the darned thing would mess up on the real thing. I was working on a button hole on the back of the cherry dress I made when it started eating the fabric. I fixed it and it did it again! Now you know why I only showed the front of the dress in the pics. I used snap tape, finally. That turned out to be a mistake, also. But it functions. My bobbin stops threading when it is full. I'm using the bobbins that came with the machine and was careful only to use those. THe ones in my old machine were the exact same, so I have borrowed. That's all I have. It says in the manual to not use the metal bobbins. (or "bobbers" as one woman I met in TN was calling them). I cannot hold onto my lower thread or even pull it back when I start sewing bc it is a drop in bobbin, and to thread the lower bobbin, I have to wind it around a little area and it cuts off. The top is self-threading. I pull out enough and let it dangle behind the machine. It always stays. Maybe it didn't that time, but I was way into sewing... I still didn't get to talk to anyone at brother today. I'm going to email them again. |
Originally Posted by live2teach
If they made things like they used to back when, we wouldn't have these problems.
piney |
Yes, my bobbin stops when it is full also. That seemed to be the problem that day unless it really wasn't the problem and it just happened to start working after I changed it> haha..Okay that was heading for confusion. Now, the only problem I am having is my Jack Russell, Milo, trying to "hunt" for spools of thread that I somehow overlooked when I dropped them and chewing on them. GRR...He had one and I realized what he had and took it away, then he seemed to have a "stash" haha..sounds funny, I know and he took that one and ran and I had to go chase his butt down, just now. Now, he is in here hunting for more. THankfully, there are NO more on his level. LOL.
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I had a nest of thread caught down around the bobbin case and, after I cleaned it out, it kept tangling when I tried to sew. I finally took it to have it repaired and was told that the hook needed adjusted. It works great now.
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Miranda,
My old "good Singer" used to do that before I lost it in a house fire. That would tell me that I'd sewn to many garments and that it needed adjustments by a professional. I had a man that I could take it to and get it back the next day. Unfortunately he's no longer with us, but he told me when the machine makers went to the plastic parts that was when we lost the longevity of our machines. Seems true to me since I had to replace my 20 year old Golden Touch and Sew. I loved that machine, I could make over a 100 garments, repairs, or quilt tops and baby quilts before I'd have to take that baby in. sighhh I would save that you have a big problem with the drop in bobbin if you can't pull it when sewing. You may have a thread caught in the "carry" area or you may have one caught in the bobbin case itself. Have you maybe turned the bobbin tension screw on the case itself without knowing it? Time for a sewing machine repairman. How much have you used it? How many garments? quilts? Sorry I don't have any better suggestions... |
Sharon~
I started using the thing in January of this year. Approximately 7 months. I haven't done that much on it. I would say it has less than 25 hours on it. Probably less than 15. I only stared on my first rag quilt. made a purse, finished a dress, made the 3 mini-minis for SIL...did some embroidery on it...less than a few hours on that part....made a few other SMALL things... Talked to a woman at Brother. She acted like I knew nothing. Maybe I don't , but she was snooty. Tried to tell me the machine wasn't under warranty, and that I'd had it since 2003! That was the old LS-1520...NO WAY! grrr... I had to argue with her about when I got my machine! Found out I have to drive to Dunbar which is below Charleston. Charleston is an hour away from here...forget it if I have to go back to pick it up. OR I can send it to TN and be responsible for all the shipping charges even though it is under warranty. I'm headed to WM today. I have it in its box. I just don't have the styrofoam stuff that goes around it. Let's see if they will give me a fight bc I'm about ready for one. BTW...all the gates are shut this morning. The baby will prob. poop between the first and second gate or something. I Never even got my cup of coffee down...it's sitting cold somewhere. I do have a crock pot of brown beans on, so supper is taken care of, mostly. I will let you all know what happens in a day or two. after I get out of jail. :twisted: |
Miranda, have you tried chanting? seance? sledge hammer? Don't go that far! Try totally unthreading it top and bottom, clean all down in there (vacuum is best, canned air second best) oil as directed then try rethreading. I'm sure this is a silly question but you are using good thread right? No cheap stuff?
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Originally Posted by kathy
Miranda, have you tried chanting? seance? sledge hammer? Don't go that far! Try totally unthreading it top and bottom, clean all down in there (vacuum is best, canned air second best) oil as directed then try rethreading. I'm sure this is a silly question but you are using good thread right? No cheap stuff?
I can't even remember WHAT thread I was using now. I am pretty sure it was a poly/blend. I'm definately going 100% cotton, BUT I don't know what to do bc all the embroidery thread is poly or rayon or whatever. Maybe just use it for embroidery and go all cotton on sewing/quilting. "canned air" sounds great, but I'm ready for a can o' whoop-a$$ right now. As for the vacuum, it sucks. Even if all the stuff is OK internally, it bugs me that it hasn't been taking its gas! (foot pedal isn't working right). Maybe if i gripe enough it will help? UPDATE: I'm back from WM. They told me no. I've had it for over 90 days. They won't take it back. I said I wasn't takin no for an answer. She didn't even say it with sympathy or a smile or wasn't even nice. That's ok, I'll try it again without the receipt. I feel deflated. :( :( Machine is still in the car. I don't want to bring it back inside right now. I'm still mad at it. I'm gonna call the repair man that lives in Summersville (45 mins)...where I just was to WM. I know brother won't cover him because he doesn't have the right papers on his wall. I don't care. After all the good things I've said about Brother... :evil: Everything I get tears up! I hope my NEW CAR doesn't start up like the Durango did. I'm waiting on the Kitchen Aid to lay down since I've got wedding cake coming up in OCT. I think my digital camera is going or the big, expensive CF card, anyway....my washer died a week or so ago...If it doesn't tear up, my son tears it up. He busted one of my big cabinet doors this morning right at the hinges by shoving on it backward! That would cost $90, but I'm not replacing it. I will glue it, and he can buy me a new one when he gets a job! (kidding, but I am only going to glue it some...no need to buy a new one until he gets bigger). I let in 2 sheep before I could get the second gate shut back this evening. Had my FIL help me. I knew they'd eat my tomatoes, and they are just getting ripe! I got my tomatoes out early. They were patching the road I took to get to the highway....and OF COURSE! the asphault stuff was still nice and wet and flew up all over the car. I tried going slow. I was going 5 mph! to prevent it from flying up allover...I could still hear it pinging. I haven't looked to see how much is on the fenders and stuff. Dummy new cashier person at WM tried to make me take out 2 carts after he bagged my stuff and tried to charge me per pound on a bag of on sale bananas. I told him I wasn't paying that for the bananas bc that wasn't the right price he rang up (he was sorry :roll: ) and I wasn't taking two carts, that it was all going in one like I had it (he just stood there with his mouth hanging open). well, going to call the sewing machine man. I have to be nice. He's an old man. I hope he still works on them. |
wow!!! when i bought my machine (not a brother) at wally world i had return rights for a year. i don't know what i have on the singer. i guess i should assume 90 days like you got.
the problem isn't what kind of thread. it's the machine. hopefully something simple. and i hope the repair guy looks at it for you while you wait. sometime soon i think i'm going to invest in a book on sewing machine repair. if i have the skills i'll never need them. that's cosmic law. :lol: if you end up in jail, make sure DH tells us where to mail the care packages. :wink: |
You've got that right on the money Loretta. I live in Wal-mart country and it was never like this when Sam was alive. Actually they still treated their customers really well for a few years after he died, but then it all started going south. I can remember when it was a pleasure to shop there. No more. I hate the place. I know a ton of people who are working for, or have worked for Wal-Mart (stores, home office, return center, warehouses, etc) and I've heard some things that make me leary of buying electronics from their store especially. Like they sell seconds, and often put returns back on the shelves and sell them as "new" when they've been used.
My dd even went to buy a Christmas tree "on sale" near Christmas Eve once and they were selling it as "new"....there were a couple ornaments still on the tree as well as one or two tiny pieces of tinsel! I laughed so hard I cried. :lol: Needless to say, she didn't buy the "new" tree! :mrgreen: |
Sounds to me like you should send Brother a bill for all the gas you've had to use to get help with your problem. (It hit $3.85 a gallon here today) And yes...Sam Walton probably does a whole lot of rolling in his resting place over what his endeavors have turned to!! What a disrespect to a decent man!!
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Originally Posted by PatriceJ
wow!!! when i bought my machine (not a brother) at wally world i had return rights for a year. i don't know what i have on the singer. i guess i should assume 90 days like you got.
the problem isn't what kind of thread. it's the machine. hopefully something simple. and i hope the repair guy looks at it for you while you wait. sometime soon i think i'm going to invest in a book on sewing machine repair. if i have the skills i'll never need them. that's cosmic law. :lol: if you end up in jail, make sure DH tells us where to mail the care packages. :wink: |
You all are so right about WM and their service. That poor old man. :(
I'd quit shopping there if I could...just doesn't seem possible to do. Just about as easy to not buy "made in china"....... |
Those 3 words "made in China" have been recalled from my house!!! I've had to break my girls hearts quite a few times in the past few weeks. Dora's van...Dora dolls...Dora dang near everything! About the only thing that hasn't made the list is the Dora house...great fun with no furniture...but I've got some surprise plans for this weekend that include some yarn, some plastic point needles, and some plastic canvas. To heck with China and their substandard crud...we're goin homemade by mother and daughter. Poor Sam...can you imagine what he's thinking while he's watching all the dangers to our kids from his cloud?!?!?
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My SIL works in customer service in a small town in TX. They take back absolutely anything and it infuriates (sp) her to no end. Hermanager says the most important policy for them is not to hear from HQ! If you really get pi--ed off, they'll offer you a $50.00 gift certificate to make you happy! One couple returned an old Dell monitor in an HP box, they usually don't take them out but she could tell that it didn't fit right because the box was bulging. She called back to electronics and was informed that they don't even sell Dell! The people got all insulted for being called liars,they didn't get the money back for the monitor but they did get the 50 bucks. UNREAL!
Strawberry, I'm glad my little girls are grown because I know the heartbreak of telling them they just can't have something (for whatever reason). They may not think spending time with Mom is a good trade off now but I know they will appreciate it when they are grown, especially when they have children. It's amazing how much smarter we become after our kids are grown! |
They were very sad to lose some of their favorite toys, but they also understand that its for their safety. Unfortunately, they had a very hard lesson this past January in how important it is to keep one's safety first when my brother was taken in a completely avoidable auto accident. They tend to annalyze everything carefully when we discuss potentially dangerous to their health issues and don't put up a fuss when its time to dispose of hazardous things. They really love making things together too, so they will have a wonderful time this weekend stitching up some homemade furniture. I think it hurt me seeing their little faces when I told them we had to get rid of their things than it actually hurt them having them taken away.
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Kathy...I sure hope I'm smarter now!! I have a grown daughter as well (her pic is on another thread here) and trust me...its harder to take things away from her, even now, than it is her two little sisters!! LOL I definitely have learned a few things between the first one and the next too...but I had almost 17 years to figure stuff out between the first two!!
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Miranda,
Get your fingers working on an email to main office of WM, email their customer service MANAGER/SUPERVISOR. Tell them the story, scan the receipt, and ask them to intervene. My sister is a manager in Marietta, Ohio. She said they HAVE to take that machine back and that you should ask for a manager. The thing is, if they will do that, do you want the machine replaced by them? Do you want your money back and buy something else...somewhere else!?! Once they get the message from the corporate office, they have to call you withing 48 hours. If you don't hear within that time frame, email again. Include the info about the time it took to drive there, the amount of gas, etc. ALL details. Also remind them that you belong to a group of over 2,000 quilters and that you will share this story with them, in the 2nd message. They will help you, trust me. If they don't let me know and I'll talk to Luann again to see what else to do. OK? Good Luck!! |
P.S.
Don't let that b - - - - at Brother get away with that either. WRITE an email with Customer Service Supervisor in the subject line. Tell them who it was you talked to and what she said to you! off to wash kitchen walls and cabinets, wanna help? |
That's good information Sharon. Hopefully it will help get her some closure to all this!
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Oh, yeah. I don't think I told you about this part of the conversation with the woman at Brother...she told me if it kept acting up, it would need serviced. I said, "what about the foot pedal not working?"
She had the nerve to tell me I have a start/stop button on my machine (DUH!), and I could use that! I was like WTF!?! I didn't say that to her, but I felt like it. I was so uspet and was at a loss for words. HOW INCONVENIENT IS THAT!?! HOW IS A PERSON SUPPOSED TO WORK WITH THEIR PROJECT AND KEEP REACHING UP TO START/STOP EVERY LITTLE BIT!??!?! If you have something, it is supposed to work! Why bother even having a foot pedal if it isn't going to work? Why do they put them in the box with the darned things? FOR SHOW? When I get settled down, they are getting a good letter. |
Sharon,
WM has to take something back even if it is past "their" warranty? I know when my Ipod messed up they would only take it back within 15 days, luckily it tore up th 14th day. After the 15th day I would have had to use my Apple warranty that is good for a year and send it to the manufacturer. I can't believe the rep at Brother treated you like that. AND that you would have to pay the shipping when it is under warranty...by the time you pay that a few times....you'd be halfway to another machine. Okay..probably not that far but shipping is expensive. I'm sorry you are having all of these troubles! Just remember, what goes around, comes around and those hateful *** people will get theirs....I guarantee it! |
I came across this site about sewing machines being jammed and other helpful topics. I thought maybe you should check it out. It might have something useful and it might not.
Here is the sight for you, Miranda: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf45666588.tip.html And here is a site that has all kinds of different topics about sewing machine trouble. It has the topics listed as soon as the page comes up: http://sewvacdoctor.com/cate.asp?categoryID=11 |
Well, last week I sent the machine to WM with a friend without the reciept....they wanted to do an exchange, but the friends told them they wanted the money back. They were going to refund the money for the machine and had the manager up there at customer svc...Well, they almost gave them the money but found a couple things missing from the box...the 50 cent pair of scissors and the "bag" that covers it.
My washer tore up on 27th? of August, and we went to Summersville (45 minutes) to Lowe's (beside of WM) to get a new one in the MINIVAN I was driving. Yes, it fit, and I've told this story, but...the new one tore up! When I washed clothes, they came out smelling like hot, burning wires! I was so mad. We finally got the thing back over there today. We didn't buy the same kind this time. Mom just got one about a week ago, exactly like the one I had, and her's is fine. :? weird... Oh, DH put new tires on our 4x4 truck that we traded up for Winter...and he torqued them the right way and all, but we ALMOST LOST A WHEEL SATURDAY EVENING! WE thought we were getting a flat at first!! He tightened the lug nuts back up, then torqued them again today! Oh, life's little aggravations! I'm so glad I have all you on here to unload all this stuff onto. It helps just getting out sometimes. ;) So, my digital camera is still acting weird. I think the internal battery is starting to get weak or something....I was trying to put it on charge yesterday, and dropped it about 5 feet from the hard floor! NOw, my new side by side refrigerator, which is slightly over 2 years old, is messing with me. THe option to use crushed or cubed ice won't change from crushed back to cubed sometimes. My cell phone won't charge. Where you plug the charger in is messed up! It hasn't been working right anyway. I've gotten calls that have never made it through. The callers never even got my voice mail! I think the computer has a virus, too. BUT....I hooked the Brother back up, and he's doing pretty good. I guess he thought he'd better straighten up bc I was seriously going to get rid of him! :evil: My DH had his dr. appt. last Thursday. I made him go after he was in the ER and they "thought" he has Pluorisy. He's been feeling better the past week or so. THankfully! If/when it happens again, she/doc said he has to get a stress test. My optomotrist appt. came out fine. My family dr. told me to go bc she thought the blood vessels were possibly pulling loose from the backs of my eyes. Thankfully they are NOT, and I'm not going blind...It's just migraines...(yeah, "JUST" migraines!) DH went, too, and when he got his glasses back, the RX was WAY off! So, he's back in his old ones for now, until he gets the new ones back again. Well, I sure hope the brother keeps going fine...it probably won't mess up again until the one year warranty runs out. I'll let you know what breaks or tears up next...(and did I tell you I broke two of the "sticks" that opens/shuts the blinds in one day?! last week?) I'm on a roll! Until next time. |
Hey Miranda... aka BCA...
Put the Dodge back up there. Them flowers is gittin on my nerves. *L* tim in san jose |
just for that, miranda, you should put up BIG PINK flowers. :lol:
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Miranda sounds like you need a good vacation on just go back to bed and pull covers over your head till this all passes. Hope your gremlin has gone and found himself a new home
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Originally Posted by PatriceJ
just for that, miranda, you should put up BIG PINK flowers. :lol:
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Originally Posted by ceannastahr
Miranda sounds like you need a good vacation on just go back to bed and pull covers over your head till this all passes. Hope your gremlin has gone and found himself a new home
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Originally Posted by k_jupiter
Hey Miranda... aka BCA...
Put the Dodge back up there. Them flowers is gittin on my nerves. *L* tim in san jose |
well I don't even see a picture at all!
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