Irishrose2

I am sewing with my pretty Montgomery Wards 15 clone. It has a slot for the thread on the take up bar instead of a hole like the 301. Twice in a few minutes, the thread has slipped out. Is there any fix for it besides a piece of tape? My children call me the duct tape queen.
I'm working on first jelly roll race quilt and I won't appreciate having to stop when I start the long seams.

miriam

Are you talking about the slot at the top of the machine? That is an issue if you use a tall spool of thread. Some times I replace the spool holder with one of the ones with holes in it for the thread, then use a thread stand and a cone but the Singer 15s have the same problem.

If it is the take up lever you might want to try cleaning, then rebuilding the tension and adjusting properly. Then make sure the spring is working right and is the correct spring for the machine - I've seen all kinds of things.... Also make sure the tension is threaded right. I love the MW clone machines - I have two with little clovers everywhere but not exactly identical... They make me smile. One of my machines was made by the Happy company - I call it "Happy-go-lucky" I haven't looked at the others. I pulled 7 tension plates to redo over here at my Mom's house this week. A lot easier than hauling the machines. Maybe I should do a tutorial if pics will load.

Irishrose2

It's the take up lever. The thread slips out when there is slack in the thread. The machine doesn't need tension work. It sews a very nice, well balanced stitch. I put some heavy duty duck tape over the slot and now thread it like a machine with a hole instead of a slot. I just sewed my first 25 yard seam on that weird quilt and it was fine, so I guess it's problem fixed. Good old duct tape.

miriam

I'll have to see if my MW clones have open take up levers or closed. I won't get there today though. I do have the tension/nose plates here to work on but that won't tell me about the levers.

Snooze2978

I have problems with my quilt machine with the thread guides. Not exactly the same problem you have but the thread slips out constantly. Someone mentioned stuffing a tiny piece of batting in the area where the thread slips thru to keep it from jumping out. Works most of the time. I'm still wondering how in the dickens it can jump out thru the batting but it does occasionally..............just not as often as it once did though.

Rodney

Is it possible to bend the end of the take up arm just a tiny bit so the thread still passes thru but not so easily? Basically pinch the gap shut just a bit. That's the only non duct tape solution I can think of.
Rodney

Irishrose2

Miriam, now you've made me curious. I just checked my other shiny black machine, the Universal, that may not be a 15 clone because it's take up lever is on the front, not the side. It has a hole. I know the 301s and the Elna have, too. The Necchi has a hole with the lever on the front. Is that the machine that the Universal was cloned from? There are some strong similarities.

The tape is a dark gray so it doesn't show too much and it's working wonderfully, so problem solved.

Rodney, I'd be afraid of breaking the top of the slot off, so no pliers near the machine.

Snooze, on several of my machines, the thread jumps out of the bottom thread loop, but I don't argue with it as it doesn't affect the stitching.

DonnaMiller

Yes, yes, please do a tutorial. I, for one, need it right now to work on a blue, Singer 348 (?). Looks like the tension is in need of a good cleaning. Trying to get my confidence up to work on it. Have a replacement just in case. Your help is always appreciated out here in the country.

ThayerRags

I had one machine with a lay-in slot on the take-up lever that the thread kept hopping out of the slot. I took a bristle off of an old brush (fairly stiff bristles) and glued one end of it to the take-up lever pointing so that the thread could pass by it going in, but not coming out. It worked, and was barely noticeable.

CD in Oklahoma

Irishrose2

[QUOTE=ThayerRags;7310902]I had one machine with a lay-in slot on the take-up lever that the thread kept hopping out of the slot. I took a bristle off of an old brush (fairly stiff bristles) and glued one end of it to the take-up lever pointing so that the thread could pass by it going in, but not coming out. It worked, and was barely noticeable.

Sounds like a good idea. I can't believe how straight that machine sews so I do like using it.