Sewwing Machine is nuts

[xxnanaxx.livejournal.com]

My sewwing machine is nuts. I sew for a few inches then the under side of what i'm sewwing, gets stuck and the thread from underneath is all bunched up, knotted and a MESS meanwhile, the top part isn't messup up at all...

whats wrong with it?

Comments

[uhrwerk-requiem.livejournal.com]

hm.. I think, either you didn't fic the needle-piece, that's most probably. Or, when you started to sew, you forgot to hold the threats tight until they were fixed o.o

[fuunsaiki.livejournal.com]

Hang on, I did a sewing machine trouble-shoot on a forum a few days ago. Let me just dredge it up for you...

Okay, just pasting the lot, sorry if most of it doesn't apply. XD

First up - eating the material? My first guess would be a tension issue. There should be a dial near the left hand end of the machine or the middle (but not the right) with numbers on it that doesn't seem to do anything. That, ideally, should be at number 5.
Second - is it all threaded correctly? Around the thingy on the top, down, up, down, around a tiny little catch near the needle then through the needle from front to back (yeah, sewing machines are different but they mostly follow that vague threading pattern)?
Third - the bobbin. When you put the bobbin in the little metal bobbin holder, was the thread going over the top from left to right, like a number 6? That one's a killer if you get it wrong. >_<
Finally - the fabrics. Are you sewing together two different fabrics or are they the same? If they're different, then throw out EVERYTHING I said in "First up". Get a spare bit of each fabric and practise sewing 'em together at varying different tensions (ie - don't keep that dial at 5, try it at 3 and 7 to see which of those works better, then fiddle around from there until it's going good).

My final bright idea. Hope it's the one. >_<
Okay, near the left hand end of the sewing machine are two vertical channels (the bits I'm referring to when I say "down, up, down" about the threading process). In the left hand one is that bit of metal that goes up and down when you sew. Rotate the wheel on the right hand end of the sewing machine so that that piece of metal (you'll know it if you rest your head on the sewing machine and get hit by it repeatedly; not that I've been known to do that XD) is right at the top and the needle is about as high as a needle oughta go. Then thread the machine. Around whatever awaits you near the left on the top, down the right hand channel, up the left hand channel, around that bit of metal at the top and down the left hand channel, through the little loop/catch/hook/whatever thing above the needle but below the channel and through the needle. Make sure the thread is taut and not hanging loose anywhere.
And check you've loaded the bobbin correctly just for good measure. Over the top from left to right, making a number 6, put it in the metal, pull the thread through the gap-thing,and click it back into place.
PLEASE let that fix it. >_<
EDIT: and check the reel of thread at the top is facing the right way. It doesn't matter what shape the reel is but it needs to be so that the long bit of thread is going across the back rather than the front, if you catch my meaning. If you sit at the end of the sewing machine where the wheel is and look along it lengthwise, the thread on top should be forming a "d". But I'm sure that's not it.

Here's praying something in there helped. :)

[loli-miyoko.livejournal.com]

This happens to me when I sew too fast. It could also be that you messed up while threading it. I have had it happen, just try to go a little slower and make sure it's threaded perfectly!

[aitreni.livejournal.com]

Is your bobbin wound really nice and tight? If it's even the least bit loose/squishy it'll cause a problem like that. I've had a terrible time with this because my sewing machine is a very cheap one that does not wind bobbins well if I follow the instructions.

[xxnanaxx.livejournal.com]

mm I shall try to hold the thread thight then
It doesn't eat the fabric, its just that the thread that stays underneath gets fucked up crap...

[lazyangel.livejournal.com]

i had this happen on my old machine, and usually after cleaning out the bobbin case, it would go away. what is actually wrong, i cannot tell you, sorry ^_^;

[indivia.livejournal.com]

Tension!!! You can change the tension of the bobbin, there should be a screw for it on the bobbin case.

[lady-vader.livejournal.com]

Yes, it is a case of tension... Make sure to get the top tension to medium level first (if there's a dial of 1-9 try pick out 4-5) and then adjust the bobbin tension with a screwdriver, until you get a seam that you do not see any thread loops, just a nice line of ----- on both sides. The threads should interlock in between of the fabric layers, not on the top or the bottom.

Remember to thread the machine correctly. Not only the top thread, but also the bobbin thread (the bobbin should roll clockwise when it is in its bobbin case). If you've got a manual, do exactly as it states there. A wrongly threaded machine, no matter how little the "wrong" is can cause a lot of mess...

Getting the tension right is a bothersome task. You do not only want to have equal ttension on both top and bobbin, you also want to have the right tension. You do not want to have too loose tension that you can pull the fabrics and see how the threads give away, and you do not want to have too hard tension so that it make puckerings in the fabric. A good way to check it is to set to the widest zig zag width /\/\/\ and about 2-3 mm length. If it start to pucker the tension is too hard.

[xxnanaxx.livejournal.com]

ahh i see.. i changed the setting to about 5 and it was a little better but i had to sew really slow.. not to check the bobbin

[bloodysakura.livejournal.com]

That happened to me last night. I think I know the reason now. I shall have to fix it soon.

[garagesuperstar.livejournal.com]

this has happened to me on the few occasions of - I forget to put the foot down X( doh; the thread I use is too think; or I've not wound the bobin very well (I don't know why that happened) I'd try changing everything, bobins, thread, fabric, and try setting it up again and see what happens :| I doubt this will help as I'm not very good with sewing machines but it's worth a try ^_^;

[bluie2323.livejournal.com]

Watch your fingers!! -___- /

I recently had a run-in with my sewing machine while putting in a zipper..... the needle went right through my finger twice. So watch your fingers, lolis!! @_@ It would give me nightmares if I heard about another run-in such as mine

[riffraffstail.livejournal.com]

If it is the tension like it is with mine right now you might need to take it in and have a pro look at it for you. I've tried everything with mine and finally had to borrow a friends until I can get mine fixed.