Tangled Bobbin Thread
 

One of the problems I'm having is the bobbin thread getting tangled in the first few stitches. My bobbin loads flat in my machine, rather than loading from the front. With my other Brother, I could pull thread up for the bobbin and lay it behind my foot, along with the thread from the spool. Is any of this making sense? Because I can't do that with this Brother, the end gets tangled underneath. Sometimes I can untangle it, but often not. This makes my SITD look messy on the back. kwim?

Try holding down the two threads with your finger as you start to sew. Many machines require this. After the first few stitches, you can let go.

If the problem is with the machine, then your bobbin thread will tangle in the first few stitches EVERY time you sew a straight line, not just stitch in the ditch. So, are you having this problem with your seams? If not, then it has to be with your technique. We need to know this info before giving intelligent advice.

Why can't you pull up the bobbin thread? I have a Brother with a drop-in bobbin, and I can pull the bobbin thread up.

I would second the suggestion that you hold both tails as you start to sew.

I would suggest you use thread savers or enders. It a small piece of fabric you stitch onto at the end of a seam..just a few stitches. Clip the project inbetween the seam and the ender. Leave this in place for starting you next seam. Any scrap will do.

Why can't you pull up the bobbin thread? My Singer's bobbin lays flat and I just do like my old treadle singers that bobbins go in the front I hand turn to get the thread up and pull it out. Make sure your bobbin is laying the right way. If unsure turn it upside down and see if that helps.

The suggestions so far are fine for solving the problem, but I can't resist pointing out that instead of a scrap for your enders, you can keep a supply of little squares next to you and use those stitches to join them into quilt blocks for other projects. This is not my idea, of course. Got it from Bonnie Hunter: http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/...-and-hows.html I had read it before she came and spoke to our guild several months ago, but seeing her quilts in person, and hearing the enthusiasm in her voice finally moved me to get busy and do something about my accumulated stash.

I'm with Toni C...it doesn't matter whether your bobbin lays flat in front of the needle (I actually prefer this location myself) or stands sideways underneath the machine...you can still pull up the bobbin thread with the upper thread. You also need to be sure the bobbin thread is making that U turn as it goes from the bobbin to the notch in the bobbin case. Sometimes I get mine in backwards which creates all sorts of problems.

But the main reason for the thread creating a tangle at the beginning of your stitching is not having both threads back or to the side where you can hold onto them for the first few stitches. Any time I forget to do that I have a mess (usually accompanied by much muttering and mumbling. LOL!) I'm starting to "chain" from one stitching line to the next without cutting the thread as much as possible.

I would suggest that you leave the bobbin thread a little longer and hold onto it while you bring it up. then you can pull it around behind like you are supposed to. You might have a problem with which way your bobbin tis turned. You might have it in backwards. Hope you find the answer without too many headaches.