I have been reading posts about tangled bottom threads, especially with FMQ, I read one and the member had tried everything and couldn't resolve the problem. I knew there was something else to check but for the life of me I couldn't remember it and then........ Last week I had the dreaded tangles when doing FMQ and tested out the TNTs; thread; needle n tension and nothing solved it, so I put the project to one side and did something else.

Yesterday I had to do some FMQ and when winding my bobbin I realised what the problem was, I was using the WRONG bobbin :shock: It works OK for ordinary sewing but not with FMQ so what I would say to anyone having a similar problem, do make sure that you are using the right bobbin and that you are winding it correctly, using the smaller hole nearest to the spindle of the bobbin to start the winding, you never know it might help.

Ah yes - that happened to me with my trusty mechanical Kenmore. Was sewing wonderful for piecing but trying to FMQ it all jammed. Finally took it in for service and it came back with the bobbin in a little bag with the message WRONG BOBBIN!, Oh well, it was time for a cleaning and checkup anyway. That was the first time I realized that all Singer bobbins are not the same.

Good detective work!

i'm confussed (easily done) why would it take a different bobbin? and what is the difference in them?

I have three machines and the bobbins are different for each one.
My problem with the Kenmore is that Singer bobbins come in different profiles. The wrong ones I was using were taller than the correct one. I have since saprated them and put a K in Sharpie on the correct ones.
My Pfaff bobbins have a notch that has to fit in the bobbin winder.
My Vikings have to be placed a certain side up - fortunately I only buy the green ones else I would really be in bobbin h*ll.
It would certainly be too easy if they were standardized!

thank you so much for this advise I too was have tangled bobbin thread problems when using my kenmore for FMQ, never thought it could be the wrong bobbin, I do use singer bobbins also....going to check right and try again with the kenmore bobbin.thanks again for the tip...

Nearly every machine comes with it's correct bobbins when new but as you get a few machines, like me, and I do Patchwork classes, the bobbins can get mixed up, as in my case. The one that wouldn't work when doing FMQ turned out to be a smidgen smaller and a bit more domed, don't know what machine they belong to but at least I know what my Elna ones look like now. Check out the number and model of your machine and check the required bobbins, a site like this one is very useful for them: http://www.singermachines.co.uk/sewi...parts/bobbins/

If you have a modern machine got to your LQS, take the model and make details with you and there will be a display of all the bobbins, on cards normally, and you can check out the correct one for your machine.

BTW never ever use plastic bobbins on the older, vintage type machines, as they didn't make plastic ones then, you must use the metal ones as the weight makes a difference with the tension as well.