I need sewing machine help.....
 

As I was sewing last night, my sewing machine started acting up. The photo below is of the back of the fabric, the thread, i think, is from the bobbin.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]423529[/ATTACH]

Much to my sadness, my machine is going to the sewing machine hospital as soon as I can drive to Greensburg. Anybody have any ideas?

Have you tried to re-thread the entire machine, new bobbin, new needle and reset it back to factory tensions? That might help. Have you used this thread successfully before? If not, try one you have used.

One of the first suggestions is to rethread the top and take out the bobbin and reload it in the bobbin case.

I would second the rethreading idea. I would also change the needle, and make sure the presser foot is down!

I would just try re-doing everything. Make sure the bobbins is in correctly.

I also say same as above but make sure in the top it is threaded correctly and bobbin in correct way does it need a clean in the teeth or bobbin areas oil.

You might want to clean out your bobbin case too.

Everyone has great suggestions. Change threads too! My machine is picky about the manufacturer of different threads.

When this happens to me, which it does a couple of times a year, I unthread it, take the bobbin out, and take out the plate. Then I get my bottle of rubbing alcohol and q-tips, my vacuum attachment and I clean everything. Then I oil it and put the plate back on, followed by rethreading, and putting the bobbin back in. I have found that sometimes it was how I was holding my mouth or something when I was threading it. The rest of the time it has been a itty-bitty piece of thread or just some fuzz built up. Either way, completely taking it apart and putting it back together fresh and clean (and oiled) seems to fix it. Good luck!

Also, Lisa, when the thread does this on the bottom of the fabric, if it is a tension issue, is from the upper tension, not the bobbin tension.

just another thought... did you have the presser foot down?

Did any of these hints work? Sometimes you may have one weight thread on the bottom or top that is different so make sure they are the same weight too. Good Luck:thumbup:

When I have bird nests that severe it's because I recently rethreaded the machine and missed the take up lever or, on one machine, the thread jumped out of the take up lever. I vote for a quick cleaning and rethreading, too.

Be sure and check the bobbin race for any extra thread that may be looped around something. Sometimes they can be hidden and hard to see but certainly cause problems such as you show.

Lisa, this happens to me occasionally. Like everyone has suggested... rethread, clean under the throat plate and the bobbin race and I bet it will sew just fine.

P.S. I wouldn't mess with the tension till you've done all the above and tried sewing again.

I agree with all of the above. However, I do check my tension first because it is so easy for me to accidentally change the top tension when I move around in my 'studio.' It must be how I move, exp when I am carrying something. The machine is just at the right level for me to brush against the top tension adjustment wheel.

Everyone has given really great advice I hope all is working now!!!

and if you are doing free motion quilting by chance, you need to pull your bobbin thread up to the top and hold it and the top thread and take a few stitches.

Mine does that when I forget to lower the presser foot. otherwise I'd recheck the threading

This was my question, too. When I'm FMQing I sometimes forget to put the pressure foot down before I start and this is what it looks like on the back.

Just another hint . My machine has just done a similiar problem . I knew it was the bobbin almost empty of thread. Stopped filled bobbin put back hey presto no more birds nest.

it could also be your bobbin is not wound right so try another bobbin to. Or you don't have enough thread on bobbin when it gets low sometimes that happens.
Deb

Love the phrase "how I was holding my mouth". My mom used to say, "You're not holding your mouth right." when she would see us struggling with something.

Not sure what machine you have, but my 6600 does this once in a while....all I have to do is turn it off and then on....some "technical" glitch in the tension discs....or sometimes the thread pops out of the guides.

You ladies and gentlemen are the best, I tried all of your suggestions and now I am sewing beautifully. I think it was really dirty as I got all kinds of dust bunnies out of the machine. I also changed the bobbins and the thread. Thanks for all the advice.

"You're not holding your mouth right", got a big smile from me! When this happens to me, it's because my top tension dial has moved (on it's own), all the way down to "0". I have to be soooo careful about touching it. Just a "glancing blow" will cause my dial to move. I've taken it in to have it fixed and it's better. It used to move on it's own.. just the action of the machine sewing would cause it to move. So... I'd check your top tension dial.

Glad to hear that it's sewing like it's supposed to again! :thumbup:

So glad you're sewing along beautifully again!

Yeah, that "holding your mouth right" must be the tricky thing I have to try sometimes too!

If the thread nest is on the bottom it is from the top thread. Clean the machine, oil it, put in a new needle and try again. Sometimes thread gets tangled up in the tension disks and causes lots of grief.

A good portion of the time it is caused by the top tension.....make sure the thread is through the take up lever.....rethread your machine.

Ditto! - or the thread has jumped out of the take up.

Try oiling the bobbin case.

Change the bobbin if that doesn't work, change the needle, if not change the thread from top to bottom. Blow out the bobbin area and check where you should have it oiled.

Everyone has given good advice. This is what I have learned over the years. If it is nesting on the bottom it is usually your top thread. Mine will jump out of the take up lever sometimes. Another thing is always thread the machine with your foot up. That way the tension disks are opened and the thread will be in the tension disk correctly. If you thread with the foot down the disks are closed and the thread won't lay right. I had been sewing for 35 years before I learned that. It took buying a new machine, taking my machine classes, and that was one of the things they taught.

It could be one of two things. Either your thread jumped out of your take up lever...so rethread....OR, you forgot to put your presser foot down. One other thing, is your bobbin in correctly? Best wishes on a quick fix.

That happens in my machine (I think of it as a long birds nest) when it needs to be re-threaded completely. When I do that, I also pull the bobbin out and put it back in & pull the thread up again. Works perfectly. I have a Husqvarna -- absolutely love the machine, but this is a small flaw that I don't mind dealing with as it happens so rarely.

Rule: bobbin thread messing up look to the upper thread or area, needle etc. A the reverse with poor upper stitch..........calla

I do hate when that happen. Just out of the blue I would be using the same thread then boom it get all mess up . I just turn it all off go away be for is makes me mad lol
Just like 3 days ago I put new thread in I got from walmark have not us that in a long time got is all ready turned it off and on. started to sew I was sewing for over 20 min then the needle just move over on my free mo- food and brock . why do the machens do thing like that,

I do the same thing. Mine usually does it suddenly after I have been sewing a lot. I think it is the build up of lint in the feed dogs and bobbin case that affects my machine the most. But as stated above, I clean, oil if need be, rethread, etc. and am usually good to go without a maintenance visit. Good luck.