Sewing Tip - bobbin issue
 

I just experienced this with some free motion quilting but it could apply to regular sewing too, I presume.

I was getting eyelashes on the top of my quilt sandwich all of a sudden. I knew I hadn't changed thread or bobbins, or made any other changes. I checked the bobbin case to make sure it was still clean, even knowing that I had just cleaned it, rethreaded the bobbin and top thread. Still eyelashes.

I hate this kind of stuff.

Anyway, I removed the bobbin (top loading but I have had this happen with side loading bobbins too) and didn't see anything in the tension area. But I have cleaned bobbins out before to find a tiny tiny piece of thread inside the tension that was causing the problem. And that's what this was, a tiny piece of thread lodging down inside the bobbin case. In order to access, I had to loosen the tension (using the tiny screw on the front of the case) and use a dental pick with a tiny brush on the end. It pulled up the thread and fixed the issue.

Just passing this along. As stated above, I had experienced this with old and new machines. And different threads too.

Maybe it might help someone else. I don't always think of this when I have issues since it only happens rarely.

Serita

I have had this happen occasionally as well. It only takes a tiny piece of thread to cause problems.

I just don't think fast enough to check that area first. It's a pain. This time I put a note on the outside of the machine to check that area if eyelashes occur.

Serita

I read some where that you can use an index card to clean dust or thread without touching the screw (hate to touch the bobbin tension). It will slip in the slot area. I also use canned air in the bobbin case. Hope this helps!

I'm the same way, I hate to touch the bobbin tension and usually don't have to. But that thread was really down in there and I couldn't get to it.

Those little, tiny snips of thread have played havoc with my machine more than once. I've learned all the places to look.

I can so relate to this problem too. I am glad to learn how to fix it. Thank you!!
:D :D :D :D

You know, it is not the kind of thing that happens regularly so I don't remember to try that area. I do check for cleanliness in the bobbin area in general but not between those tension prongs. Now I have a tacky looking note on the outside of the machine to help remind me to check there.

Serita

I have never had that problem. I hope I don't .

I check that little flap and slide a corner of a piece of paper in there each time I put in a new bobbin.....along with cleaning out the bobbin case......I use primarily cotton/poly threads in both DM and L/A machines...so this has become a second nature move.... Saves lots of frog stitches........

Thanks for the tip. I would have never thought of this and may have assumed my machine needed major adjusting.

Have a watch of this video. I found it helpful for tension issues.

http://youtu.be/Q1mRhcquZTM

I always jump to that conclusion...it's my nature. Hope this helped someone else. I just hope I'll remember to check it myself next time too.

Thanks for the link. I watched the first part of it and need to go back and finish it. Looks helpful.

Great ideas! I got a piece of thread out with a hair off of my head. Worked! LOL!!

thank you for all the great info. Sunday, I started to sew a rag quilt for my granddaughter's 1st birthday. I had the most trouble ever sewing. Being new, I had no clue what was going on. My thread would either bunch up all over the back, or it would keep breaking and it even sometimes seemed like it just quit. Hard to explain that one. I would take it out, rethread and sew a little more and then more trouble. I tried everything, Finally, I threw the bobbin in the trash can and got another one, no more troubles. Like the guy in video said, sometimes they warp. Don't know if that is what happened, but it fixed the problem. Of course, having to buy bobbins cheap from ebay from China probably isn't helping me much either. Just not much money to work with so I am always trying to find things I need cheaper and sometimes, that just isn't the thing to do.

Thanks for the tips.

Yes-machine bobbin areas like to be clean. One more idea I learned about on a FMQ Craftsy class was to use a bobbin genie in the bobbin case. Mine is a drop in bobbin but I'm sure they will work in a front bobbin case. Good luck.

I totally agree withe Sebrita and thank her for sharing this important tip as I think a lot of sewing machine users fail to realise just how sensitive and finely tuned the sewing mechanism is. All of my Quilter groups that I have start off with the 1st lesson is how to clean, oil and look after their machines along with when and how to change needles, and which ones to use.

They are taught how to clean, oil and defuzz their machine, often but I also suggest at least once a year they take the bottom off their machine completely and give a good all over clean from below, you will be amazed how much lint, thread piece etc; get in their. Besides a good little torch, I really recommend a good quality tiny brush, similar to this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5PCS-7-6-L...item1c3734109d cheap but really well made, being for the medical industry and also a good pair of tweezers.

I do advise at the for the very last desperate measure to touch the bobbin tension screw but if needs be needs must, I normally advise them to have me there to supervise, just for a second pair of eyes.

Sounds like you are a thorough teacher.

It never ceases to amaze me, the things that can mess us up in the middle of working on a project.

Same here.

Umm I am a bit picky but my ladies so appreciate being able to do a basic maintenance service of their machines as local servicing is a bit thin on the ground locally, temperamental in service and EXPENSIVE. So much so although I am in North Wales I send mine all the way up to Scotland, hundreds of miles and a different country but IMO worthwhile!

So the more my ladies can do themselves the better, shame my computer expertise doesn't help with posh machines :)

Recently, my top thread was pulling down to the back of the quilt. I changed everything, cleaned, rethreaded, and finally turned the machine off and waited a while and went back to it later. It worked. I have always found it to be "operator error" in my case. LOL!!

I think that is great. And it sounds like you have given them the knowledge they need.

Probably a lot of problems are operator caused. Good that it got straightened out for you.

OMGsh! I've never thought about cleaning the tension slot. Thanks.

I hadn't either. But on another machine (front loading bobbin), I was having all kinds of stitch issues and just finally took a closer look at the bobbin case, where a tiny piece of a thread got caught in the slot. Fixed it.