Sewing machine woes

[same_sky]

My sewing machine has gone wonky. I know almost nothing about how sewing machines work, so bear with me. It's been working just fine until it suddenly started misbehaving. It doesn't always feed correctly anymore when I first start sewing. It will just go up and down in the same spot forever, or until I make it move manually, and then it's fine. I thought it could be dirty and in need of a tune-up or whatever you say about sewing machines, so I took the bottom thing (technical term) apart as directed by the maintenance page of the manual and cleaned it all with the brush, and followed the instructions to clean and oil the squicky bits. (I have no earthly idea what squicky means. Sometimes my brain tunes out and my fingers substitute words.) No change for the better, although the stitches just completely knotted up on the back one time, so the opposite of progress. M changed the needle for me tonight, and it worked okay for a few minutes, but then the needle snapped. (I don't know if the problem was actually solved by anything he did or if it was coincidence.. it didn't happen every time.) Anyone have any idea what's wrong with it? I don't understand why it would behave differently all of a sudden, but I really need it to stop so I can get stuff done.. it's very frustrating, especially since I know so little about it.

Comments

[reebert.livejournal.com]

What kind of fabric are you sewing? Is it thick at all? Fuzzy? Or does this happen no matter what you sew?

Some things to check:

Make sure the needle is in the right way, meaning that the hole is either to the side or facing the front, whichever is correct for your machine.

Make sure your bobbin is inserted with the thread going the right direction, your manual should show you the correct way. A lot of people get this one wrong which is why I mention it.

When you begin sewing always hold tightly to the top and bottom threads for the first few stitches.

I have to take off for work now, I'll check back if anything else comes to mind.

[sandykins57.livejournal.com]

Also, I lot of machinces have a button you can press to stop the bottom feet from moving the material (for sewing on buttons). Check to see that it didn't get depressed by mistake.

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

I don't think I have a button for that, but I'm not sure. (Obviously, if I accidentally pressed one!) I'll look at the machine, and the manual, to make sure when I get home from work. Thanks!

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

It's either two pieces of flannel or one flannel, one terry. It may happen more often with the terry, but not significantly more so, if at all. However, I was doing the same fabrics (for quite a while) before it started doing this. That seems like it should mean it's not the fabric in itself? But then, I am a programmer and not a sewing expert, so I could very well be wrong. Last night, it worked just fine with the first three pieces that I did, and then it balked at the next one. It confuses me even more that it seems so random.

I will check the needle and the bobbin when I get home from work. I do hold tightly to the threads for the first few stitches.

Thanks! :)

[carrieb.livejournal.com]

I am no expert by any means, but I have lots of problems like that and it always seems to come back to the bobbin for me. Maybe try a different bobbin than the one you've got in. Also, try adjusting your tension. Tension can be an amazing thing. (I really have no idea of the "whys" of any of this. I just play around until things get fixed, without understanding any of it).

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

Oh! You might be right. I'm not sure it did this until I refilled the bobbin! Maybe I screwed that up somehow.. I had forgotten that I'd even done that recently. I will definitely try that.

[carrieb.livejournal.com]

I've been having weird thread problems for weeks with my machine and have tried EVERYTHING. . . my bobbin finally ran out of thread, I re-filled it, and BAM. Problem solved. Weirdo bobbin.

[e11en.livejournal.com]

What kind of machine is it? What brand, I mean? A link maybe?