stitches looping
 

My machine will sew a perfect seam for about 12 to 15 inches and then will have loops on the back. What is causing this and how do I fix it? Many thanks for your help.

I have had this happen. Either your needle thread is coming out of tension somewhere or your machine is out of time. I had this happen with a machine and had to have the hook assembly replaced. On another machine I found the needle thread was popping out of the tension disks and had to replace that.

Generally, loops on the back means your top thread tension is too loose. You might try turning the dial incrementally and tightening it.

This article might help.

http://www.threadsmagazine.com/item/...nsion/page/all

At the bottom of the article is a list of possible reasons that might be affecting your tension:

Incorrectly threaded machine
incorrectly wound bobbin
dirty machine
damaged parts
needle/fabric/thread factors

For quilters, the problems are usually incorrect threading, a dirty machine (even something as small as a tiny piece of thread caught in the tension discs will throw off the tension), or the tension needs to be adjusted.

I usually try rethreading my machine - top and bobbin, and changing the needle. Then comes cleaning the bobbin area.

I doubt that the problem is in the threading. I had the machine serviced in Dec of last year. It sat for three months before I sewed on it and it was doing that from the beginning. The warrenty only covered two months so I was out of luck. I made a baby quilt on it and had to change colors about 4 times. Does anyone know approximately how much it will cost to repair the hook assembly or the tension disk? I am replacing the machine shortly and had intended to sell it to offset the cost of the new machine.

Problems on the bottom means the real issue is on the top. Normally I just rethread the whole thing and that takes care of the problem

Try using a different thread. Sometimes a spool will have an invisible defect and just won't sew right. I have doubts it is the bobbin or timing. Timing would mean it won't sew at all, and the same thing for the hook. Is there somewhere along the thread path that it is getting caught?

Of course you have already tried the standard things - new needle, cleaned out bobbin case, oiled bobbin area (if applicable for your machine), retreaded ...

Pam