Sewing Machine/Embroidery Machine issues
 

I have a Brother SE 400 which is a combination of sewing and embroidery. The sewing part works fine. However when I try to use the embroidery it jams in one spot after going a few inches or doing a couple of letters. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!

i have the 350 and400 i dont have any trouble with mine make sure you have the embroidery needle in it instead of sewing needle

That just might be because of the way the thread comes off the spool. Do you have it on a horizonal spool? If not, maybe you need to get one of those thread holders to allow it to feed right. I had your problem too and that fixed it. Also, don't hoop it too tight and use the correct stabilizer for your fabric you are stitching on. Oh, and the needle can have a burr on it, even though it is new. The needles don't last very long, so change them up after a while. I can't say when, it depends on how many stitches your designs have in them.

Are you getting a thread nest in the bobbin? When embroidering, the needle goes so very much faster than plain sewing, and I wonder about correct threading. But most important of all--you must let the foot down just as if you were doing regular sewing. Some think that the emb foot attachment means you're ready to go--but you must drop the presser foot handle--it activates the tensions that the thread passes thru. And always put in new thread with the lever up, and then drop the foot to sew. Sounds like that might be your answer.

Does the hoop have room to move freely or is it maybe getting caught against something on your sewing cabinet?

I am!!! On more than one occasion now, I have been sewing, moving along very nicely, and after a number of thread changes, all of a sudden the whole thing is bound down by all the thread wrapped around the underneath part. And I end up cutting it out of the machine. Grrrrr!
I asked at my LQS and the lady there said it is the upper threading. Sometimes in threading I must not get it exactly right. So I thread, pull it from both ends to make sure it's in the loop correctly, and dang it - it still happens. She also mentioned that sometimes the thread will jump out of the upper loop. So I checked that too and it wasn't the case.
I have moved to other projects that don't mean quite so much and of course, it hasn't happened.
Any suggestions would be awesome!
I have a Brother Inova 6000.
Jane

What kind of fabric were you using? Sometimes if you use heavier fabric and a dense design - like lettering - it will cause a jam. Try reducing the density of the design in the editing part of your machine. I think the machine will let you reduce it up to 20% with no loss of quality.

I don't have this particular model but do have a Brother sewing/embroidery machine-mine did this once and I carried it back to my dealer=there was some thread up inside when he took off the side plate there was several colors up in there, on more than one occasion I did not pull the cut off thread from the bottom but from the top-my bad

Where did you get the embroidery from? It could just be too dense if you resized it. Resizing doesn't always reduce the stitch count, so smaller designs get denser. Does the hoop move right? Can you slow it down?

Jratcliff--I think you are on the right track--the thread is loose on top and allowing it to nest underneath--meaning it has jumped a tension disk probably. First I'd be sure I had all loose thread from bobbin area (clean under bobbin plate) if you can remove the end of the upper part of your machine, make sure there are no loose bits in the bronze bearing--then locate your thread farther away from the take-up lever....if possible. There is much much helpful info on line at
http://www.annsultfixit.com/ultfixit.html. She gives how-to's for the model Brother Pacesetter ULT, but the Brother machines are similar in "guts". if you will....and I find the pix and fix-it descriptions invaluable for looking for answers.

My thought, always, with any kind of problem like this, with any kind of machine, is to contact the dealer/company - especially if you have already tried all of the well know, likely fixes (changing your needle, rethreading, using a new bobbin, turning the machine off for 5 minutes, etc). I know that so many members of these boards have a wealth of experience with mal-functioning machines, but for my money, once non of the normal fixes work, it is well worth spending the money to have a certified tech look at the machines.

It's not in the bobbin. There is a nest of thread on the bottom side of the fabric. I was trying to make an "r" and the needle stayed in one spot. When I took the fabric out it was like a knot underneath the r. I have tried everything except replacing the needle. I'm out but will get more. If that doesn't work it will be off to the shop!

If you threaded correctly with the lever up, and then you dropped the lever?foot to begin stitching---have you tried another design--or another letter? I've certainly had that happen to me--and such a mess that I'd have to cut my project loose from the needle plate. But usually after cleaning all the threads from under the plate, and making sure the thread goes thru all the tensions & take up....it all begins to work again. Tho sometimes it turns out the design was not digitized well, and I just toss it. Once contacted the creater it was bought from & received a corrected one. But it did the same thing. So...guess no help from here!! Would love to help you out so you don't have a "medical" bill to pay.

Thread the machine with the foot up. Adjust the tension up. Put the foot down and pull on the thread. If there is no resistance in the thread, it isn't threaded right somewhere, or not in the tension discs all the way. I'm saying increase the tension to feel any resistance as embroidery tension is lighter than sewing. I've had the thread pop out of the takeup lever and not notice it. I got those nests with a vengeance. Someone showed how to "floss" tension discs with a dollar bill. You could just have a broken thread in there.