I have the machine manual but it sucks to be honest. Not getting a whole lot of info out of it. I bought the machine new but it is has been sitting unused for a while.

Berries, I PM'd you

I think I would clean and oil/lubricate the machine since it has been sitting for awhile. In addition changing the needle, rewinding bobbins tightly and rethreading with the thread coming off the spool in the correct direction according to the manual.

When I have problems with my singer, I unthread everything,and start over. It seems to help.

It's amazing how much difference a really good machine can make. I went from a 1958 Montgomery Wards mechanical machine to a 2000 Pfaff computerized machine. Amazing! I could sew a straight seam afterall! Go buy a decent machine. It doesn't have to be an expenisve machine, there are plenty of reasonably priced, good machines out there.

You may consider the thread you are using - some machines are partial to what kind you use.

My "basic" Singer machine hates 100% cotton thread. I used a full bobbin and 1/2 of another wound with cotton thread - then my machine locked up several times - I rewound bobbins - rethreaded machine - changed needle - then I switched back to polyester thread and it works just fine. I don't know why I could sew with the cotton thread for that long before the machine threw a hissy fit. I was just happy to figure out it was thread causing the problem.

Go buy you a new machine. After you decide on the one that you will buy, don't buy it. Buy the machine that is one upgrade model from it. Settle up not down and you will have a better value over time and will thank yourself every time you use it.

If your machine has been setting for sometime, it most likely needs to be cleaned. My type of mechincial object
gets gunky when left unused. My grandfather clock was left unwound for several months while we did some remodeling
when I got it back place it would no work. After a good cleaning it works fine now.
Anyting man made needs a good cleaning once in a while.

I know this is going to sound dumb... but are you putting the bobbin in the wrong way? one way it unrolls against and the other way it unrolls with.

my friend very frusterated with her machine, about ready to chuck it in the garbage was putting the bobbin in wrong.

sheesh! crazy I know... but it can be something so minor that throws off the tension

My neighbor had a problem and it turns out that he wasn't holding on to the threads for the first few stitches, Ive also had problems when I forget to put the presser foot down. Grrr. How old is the machine? IMHO Singers of today are not anything like the work horses of yesteryear. You can usually find good deals on trade-ins at machine dealers.

piney