My guess is your bobbin was put in backwards.

I am glad I am not the only one with problems. I have a new Smarter by Phaff. I was half through pieceing a top and bought the new machine. I completed the Q size top and a baby quilt top. I started to machine quilt the baby quilt and the thread started balling up on the back. I tried everything I know of and all of the suggestions here. It will go to the shop next week. Back to my old cheap machine.

This is why my new Brother machine stays under the counter and my vintage Singers and Morse machine get used ALL the time. They are simple, they sew a beautiful seam, and I can open them up anytime I want and see what's going on inside. Good luck, and hang in there. Sewing is a wonderful skill to have.

I think the vintage machines just work so much better as they were made to last, not be throw aways after 3-5years
of use.

I love sewing on my Featherweights. They're so easy to take to workshops. I use my Janome Quilter's Dream at home, but hate to have to unplug everything and pack it up to go to workshops. It's so easy just to keep the FW in my trolley. I also keep a kit of everything I could possibly need while away from my home sewing tools. I've duplicated all my favorite things, so I don't have to pack those either. It's a joy to go now. All I have to grab is the current fabric I need.

My first thought also.

Take out the bobbin, get the instruction book out and refresh your memory as to how to put it back. ;-)

Rule one: Don't monkey with the bobbin tension.
Rule two: If you MUst monkey with the bobbin tension, make a Teeny Tiny marker mark at the screw where it is set before you monkey with it, so when you monkey with it and find out that was not the problem you can set it back where it was!!
Rule three: Don't monkey with the bobbin tension.
Rule four: Unless you MUst. Then see Rule two.

;) ;) ;)
.

Wise advice!

not sure if this will help or not but you may want to try to put your spool of thread in the other way. the spools are to be put on a certain way according to the way that they were wound at the factory. try that and see if that helps stop it getting tangled up. good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of sewing and quilting. you will love it I know I do. :D :thumbup: :P

Yes the direction of the thread is something that needs to be paid attention to. It is my understanding that those threads which are wound crosswise upon spool (that means a gradual up-down wind) should be placed on spool holder that stands vertical(tall like a tree); and those spools that the thread is wound in a zig-zag fashion should be placed on a spool holder that lies horizontal(like horizon in sunsets) to machine.

Also one needs to make sure that we NOT USE thread that is designated for hand quilting. Those threads have a coating upon them which can, after time, cause problems in the mechanics of the machine.