Help Please! Thread issue...
 

Hi everyone!

I was sewing along fine, until I had to fill my bobbin... Now loops on top of fabric, thread's so loose it can be almost pulled out. :(

It's a fairly new machine to me - Brother CS6000i. Looking thru the booklet, it states to adjust upper tension. I did it tighter, didn't help. Did it looser, didn't help.
I changed the needle, rewound the bobbin 3 times, and put on a new spool of thread...

I hope my pictures attach...

Thank you for any help!
Diana :)

Is your bobbin going in correct direction?

Thanks for responding!

I'm pretty sure I have it correctly. This is only about the 3rd time I've used the machine, with long gaps between....
Just got laid off again, on unemployment, so wanted to get back to quilting.

That is perplexing. And you're sure you aren't missing any thread guides and have the presser foot down? Sometimes it turns out to be something very simple. I have a bunch of Brothers and they usually behave. Keep us posted.

I'm not certain, but I think you are putting your bobbin in backwards. I believe your thread should be coming from the other direction. It's been awhile since I've used my machine similar to yours, but yours looks off to me.

I am perplexed! ;)

One thing I'm wondering - it shows how to wind the bobbin thread thru the little track for it (bobbin tension is located by the 1/4" sign), yet when I sew it looks like it just comes up from the bobbin - no longer going thru the thread tension area thingy? I've had the thing on it's side, looking upside down at it, and it looks like I have it thru it right. Yet when I sew, I might as well not have ran it thru it's little track. - If I'm explaining it right.

I'd say it's most likely that you are not threading the bobbin through its tension mechanism properly. Loops on top of fabric mean either the bobbin tension is too loose or the top tension is too tight. Assuming your photos are showing the top of the fabric, the "loops" are the bobbin thread being loose and pulled up by the top thread, which has more tension on it. I would return the top tension to its original setting and check the manual to make sure that you are threading the bobbin correctly. From your photo it seems to me that the direction of the bobbin thread is correct. I don't have your machine, but it seems to me the bobbin thread is not being pulled all the way through the tensioning area; it needs to come all the way to the front and exit perhaps at the notch at the front left? Or maybe it needs to be pulled even further around? Check the pictures in your manual; they should be explicit about this.

Edit: I found a couple of Youtube videos that show how to thread the bobbin on your machine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKssuOo3VbM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXSIEoGv_dE

See how the bobbin thread no longer goes thru the little track (after sewing), just straight from the bobbin?

Course I don't remember how it looked before, if this is different or not.

or... you may have lint or thread in the bobbin tension spring. the grey plastic in front of the needle snaps out, or you can take out the needle plate screws and the grey plastic is easier to remove. take a thin pin or needle and swipe it through the tension spring to see if something is stuck in there. or you can use unwaxed dental floss. good luck

oops, was typing when you posted the last pic. your thread is not staying in the bobbin tension. try the above.

Thanks so much Prism99, for the youtube videos - I would not have thought of that!

But - doesn't the shot I took of the video also look like the thread's just coming off the bobbin, not from the 'tension' area?

It sure does seem though that it has to be a bobbin issue!

Yay!!!!!!! Thanks so much everyone - there's a little almost microscopic metal slit thingy, that I was apparently missing.
Now, of course, my bobbin is 1/2 empty, so will need to refill shortly... **Hopefully I can get it back in again right! ;) lol!!!

Thank you all again!!!

Glad to hear! It does usually turn out to be simple but takes a while to figure out. We are lucky to have more experience to help us.

And it could be a piece of thread caught somewhere in the bobbin area. If your machine has a thread cutter, there might be a piece of thread around it, I have had that happen to me and it screwed up my tension. Good luck!

Yeap, usually something ridiculously simple, which my mind always fails to catch! lol!!!

I have always been grateful for the quick responses I've always gotten on here! You all are lifesavers!!

For anyone new - don't ever hesitate to ask any questions - such a wealth of experience here!!

Thank you all!! :) :)

I think you are correct. My machine threads like you said.

Yes MaureenNJ - it's sewing perfectly again! I don't know how many times I reinstalled that bobbin, and don't know how I ended up finally getting it right! lol!!!! Almost time to rewind it again.... I have my fingers crossed I can do it again! ;) :)

If you look at the bobbin picture the thread is coming off the top right to left. You need to turn it over and insert it with the thread coming over the top and then under (right to left) through the tension and then into guide on the left...up and over and down to the blade. I hope this helps.