bobbin and loaded it with all purpose thread and tried the tension at a higher # and a lower # and tried a different design on felt plus I use thin wss on top and tried heavier wss on bottom and I still have bobbin thread pulling to the top! I could use the same color in the bobbin but that defeats the purpose of finding the cause of this altogether!

Hi curious anything new on your problem or should I say walmarts problem? Suzanne

Sometimes a piece of thread gets hung up on the take up lever ..I had a piece to do that once

2 comments

by leenova54 29 Aug 2010

I have looked as best as I can, used a can of air and blew out every place you can blow out. Repair man might make it over tomorrow, if tension isn't the problem it is going back to Walmart by an irate customer and I will shop for one elsewhere.

by lflanders 30 Aug 2010

I have always been told not to use canned air that it would just blow the problem somewhere it could not be reached without taking machine apart. I was instructed to vacuum out the machine instead. I was using canned air and the dealer very strongly told me not to use air. If you try to vacuum it out, it just may be able to pick up any loose threads or dust from the threads. It would not hurt to try.

Have you tried loosening your top tension?
Hugs n roses, Meganne

1 comment

by leenova54 28 Aug 2010

I had it dialed down to between 0 and 1 and then barely saw the bobbin thread on top but it can't be good to do that. Expecting different bobbin thread on Tuesday and if that doesn't help it's going back to the store with a hissy fit!

Another thing I can pass on to you is that I use some attachemnts that I bought at my sewing store that fit on my home vacuum cleaner and these allow me to vacuum out my bobbin area out.
It has an adaptor that fits on the hose of the vacuum and then the attachments fit on the other end of the adaptor.

They are small and fit nicely in the bobbin area so it makes cleaning this area easy.

I find this better than blowing the lint or dust build up in the bobbin area with the canned air as the canned air just blows it further into the machine.
I am sure you can find them in most sewing stores in the Notion section or the Machine Dealer stores.
Some times you may find them in the computer section of stores as they are good for cleaning other electronics like computers.

EastWitch2

1 comment

by leenova54 27 Aug 2010

OK, I have seen those before.

Here is a couple of charts on Stabilizers and fabrics for you. You can print them off if you want to keep them by your machine.

http://www.diamondthreadworks.com...

http://www.diamondthreadworks.com...

One thing to remember about stabilizers is that depending on the stitch count of your design you may need to add an extra layer or use a heavier weight or use a completely different stabilizer or use 2 different stabilizers together get a good stitch out on your fabrics.

EastWitch2

2 comments

by leenova54 27 Aug 2010

On the felt, I did snowflakes with no stabilizer and they turned out perfect. The first stick Christmas (it kinda has curly branches far apart, might have been a DBC one), I used thin plastic look wss on top only. The next one that messed up I started experimenting with it, that wss on top, heavier fiber type wss on bottom, then tried tear away on bottom. Still had the problem.

by leenova54 27 Aug 2010

Oh yeah, then I used poly/cotton material (a new sheet that I used some of for another project) and tried cursive writing of a design I had digitized for me to use for something for my son's up coming wedding, their names and the wedding date. I also want to do embroidery on a vintage hankie I got for her to carry during the ceremony. I am hoping I will be able to do those.

What weight is the bobbin thread that you bought at Jo Ann's?

How many stitches were in the designs that you had trouble with on the felt and the cotton?

I posted some information about the Brother Bobbin thread in your other post here on the forum.

Did you have a chance to read it?
Here is the link for you to read.

http://answers.cuteembroidery.com...

EastWitch2

1 comment

by leenova54 27 Aug 2010

The bobbin thread I got at Joann's didn't have a weight marked on it. It says filament poly made by Robinson-Anton Textile co. Thread stitch number is a mystery but I have tried it on simple line alphabet and a stick style Christmas tree. The tree, I completed one that came out fine then the next one was showing the bobbin thread. Then I started testing it with the alpha that was programmed into my machine to begin with.

Are you using 40 weight Embroidery thread in the top?
Are you using Bobbin thread in the Bobbin?

What size needle are you using?
Is it an embroidery needle?

Usually a size 75/11 or size 80/12 needle is used when stitching with 40 weight Embroidery thread for most embroidery.
For woven fabrics use Sharp point Embroidery needle.
for knit type fabrics use a Ball Point embroidery needle.

Try using a Tear Away stabilizer as your backing for the felt.
I am not sure you need a water soluble stabilizer on the top but you could use it.

Depending on the number of stitches in the designs you may need more than one layer of the tear away stabilier or use a cut away stabilizer for more stitch intensive designs on the felt.

EastWitch2

1 comment

by leenova54 27 Aug 2010

75/11 sharp on cotton/poly and on felt, 40 wt. embroidery thread on top. I had started using Gutterman bobbin thread but it has a more cotton feel to it so today I went to the embroidery shop inside Joann's and the woman sold me a thin whitish filament bobbin thread and I still am getting bobbin thread on top. I also bought a can of spay air and blew out the bobbin area and the top thread area to no avail. I have tried tear away on back, wss on top, heavy wss on back, nothing is helping. Was emailing with Brother, now they can't help me and said to call their customer service number and when I did they had already closed so they won't be open again till Mon morning and I am so frustrated! Last night I just did white FSL ornaments and I plan on doing some red ones over the weekend while I wait.

Well, the advice is .... from the pros.... don't touch the bobbin tension because it's already set!!! .... so ... having seen my bobbin thread way too loose for the top tension adjustment to work and give me the stitch I wanted I did adjust the bobbin thread, just the merest tad and the machine liked the little tweaking experience and works like a charm.
I live too far from a mechanic to trot off every time with the machine gets a fit of the hiccups and I've had to try different ways to make my machines work over the years. Trust me, living in the backblocks of Papua New Guinea for five years taught me a certain amount of self-dependence and a great deal of sewing machine mechanics.
If you adjust the bobbin tension screw too far either way at one time it will react adversely - it's a touchy little beast. Sounds like you've already tried this so maybe you have a faulty bobbin case in the machine.

You're going to have to take the machine back to Walmart and get another one, so in the meantime have a look for the bobbin tension screw and turn it just a tad, not even a millimetre, and see if that makes any difference at all. The machine won't explode!!!
This problem sounds very much like a too-loose bobbin thread tension screw or a faulty tension spring rather than anything else to me.

I think you are very wise to contact Brother company yourself and explain things, giving them all the facts like it being a Christmas present, not using it very much since then. One voice is worth a hundred, so I'm told, and when other people are having such success with the Brother machines how is that yours is giving you grief!!! (Either you get a new machine or they get a negative writeup.)

Be strong and definite but not aggressive or abusive. People listen to gentle words.
Let us know how you got on with this challenge and I hope you are soon sewing again on a new machine.

AlmaG.

1 comment

by leenova54 25 Aug 2010

Thank you for the advice, don't even know where the tension adjustment on the machine is. Funny, don't know where it is on my regular old Kenmore either, lol! Wouldn't know I have been sewing for most of my life....won't put that in numbers, lol!

Try changing your needle, if it has a burr on it, it could be pulling the bobbin thread up.If that is not the case, make sure that your bobbin is inserted correctly and that you are putting the thread in lower tension groove. Having said that, I'm sure you know how to seat your bobbin, so it really sounds like is your upper tension that is the problem. It is of course too tight, may be that you have something that is making the thread hang up. look for burrs or tiny chips in your thread path.
Barring that, you may need to have it looked at by a professional...

1 comment

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

Already put in a new needle and checked the bobbin case and put the tension now down to between 0 and 1, almost no bobbin thread is showing now but that can't be good anyway. I rubbed a piece of stabilizer through the thread areas to make sure there wasn't any lint or thread in there but all that and I am sure I will need a pro to look at it. Sad cause I haven't used it enough for something to go wrong yet.

OK cuties, I have the thread tension between 0 and 1 and the bobbin thread is almost all staying under! This can't be right, it was always set at 4 and did fine till now. I did 2 beautiful blue snowflakes on white felt and they came out perfect but now this keeps happening. Any thoughts on why I have to have this tension so low? As I said, I tried 3 different spools from 2 different brands and now have all purpose thread on the bobbin.

I am new to this embroidery world and the machines, but when I first got my machine, I had quiet a few problem and I was use to my Bernina and I could sew on any thing at any time with any thread and it never gave me a problems. I think these machines are so sensitive, like computers, which they are and it is a whole different world. Turning it off and setting a while can help too, but I think it might be the most minor thing. we have to get every little thing right and sometimes we are in too big a rush to slow down and it right and we get frustrated. when I got my Janome I was not use to the tiny details that need to be addressed. I had problems with the bobbin threads coming up to the top and knots being on top and after much frustration and a trip to my dealer, where she went through step by step with me threading and doing the bobbin, that the next time it happened I checked all the things she said and found that sometime when it is sewing so fast that it actually caused the thread to come out of the upper tension groove because I wasn't clicking it into place well enough. Now I listen for all the teeny tiny clicks to make sure it is in sink and if it acts up I check this first and 9 out of 10 times it has thrown the thread out of the take up tension. So check this and see if it could be this on your computer machine. If not, just download some freebies and it will be all better....

3 comments

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

1st off, we got my machine at Walmart so they can't show me what to do, the woman who sold me stabilizer, well, she actually sold me iron on for appliques! I have everything threaded and in the right order and I have never ran the machine at any speed other than the slowest for fear it will go crazy on me. Now I just did a letter with the tension set between 0 and 1 and I am barely seeing bobbin thread now. That just can't be right.

by quilter124 24 Aug 2010

NO that is not right! Since it is from Walmart, take it back with some of the messed up designs that you have done, and you just might get a replacement. After all there are lemons in everything from cars, to computers to machines. I would give it a try at least... all they can say is no, but I bet if you gave them a sob story to the manager, it will happen..go for it girl and GOOD LUCK! May the force be with you.....

by leenova54 25 Aug 2010

That's it, tomorrow I am contacting Brother about this problem. See what they want me to do.

Did you turn you machine off before adjusting the tension and then turn on and try. Remember they are computers to not just sewing machine. I had similar problem whe I change bobbin thread was blaming the thread. Turn off my machine set everything up with new tension and tried.
Can only try. Good luck hope you figure it out.

1 comment

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

Well, I didn't think about that but the last time I used it I was having problems too. Been away from it for 6 days, traveled 6 states in 5 days, wasn't fun, won't do it again! First time we spent more than one night away in almost 30 years! Ohio to Fl and back again.

I think these new machines just throw temper tantrums sometimes. Have you tried another design that you have used before successfully?

3 comments

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

Tried 3 designs, one lower case "a" and 2 deco stitches. How rude these machines are, don't even appreciate when you adopt them into a good home! Show me as much respect as my cats!

by zazmau 24 Aug 2010

They can be so aggravating!

by jayce 24 Aug 2010

ha ha thats funny, but sometimes it can be just a small piece of cotton caught in the machine that causes the problem

I think all of our machines are in cahoots. Neither of my machines will embroider using WSS. So much for the FSL I was planning to do. And my multi-needle is refusing to let the #1 needle do its job. Hmm. Hope your machine becomes happy soon so you can get back to work.

3 comments

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

Ah-ha, I knew it couldn't be me! ROFLMFBO!

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

Shoot, could it just be the wss? I will have to try that later this evening. Got back from vacation and trying to get laundry done plus one cat barfed on the quilt at 6 a.m. so that had to be washed!

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

Not the wss either.

What type needles are you using and also what size? what type stabilizer...Is there alot of thread being pulled to the top or just a little?

1 comment

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

If I do a satin stitch you can see the bobbin thread on the edges, a straight line shows the bobbin crossing the line with each stitch. The new needle I just switched to is Organ 75/11 sharp but I was using one that came with the machine. Using the thin plastic look stabilizer on top, tried the med weight wss on bottom but it didn't make a difference.

Sometimes even a little bit of lint in the bobbin tension area can cause the bobbin tension to be too loose, try pulling a fine thread back and forth (much like flossing) in the tension spring area in the bobbin case.

1 comment

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

done that too, no luck.

Sorry to hear your trouble, I don't know what to tell you if you have done all the things you said other than the bobbin being in backwards. I have not encountered this before with my emb machine.

Mine does this also sometimes, Be VERY sure that your bobbin is inserted correctly. This means that as the thread is coming off the bobbin, the bobbin is rotating in a Counter-clockwise direction. This is essential on almost all machines, the only one that I know of that is different are some Pfaff machines. OK, be SURE that the thread is going thru the little "dent" in the bobbin case, then pull up your bobbin thread to the top.

Set you top tension to the middle range and sew a few stitches. If you are using an embroidery machine make sure it is set to "E" or whatever setting the manual says to embroider. I'm not sure which you are doing, sewing or embroidering but the bobbin stuff is true in either case.

Hope this helps, I am so glad that I am not the only one who wants to send the machine out the window. Let me know if this helps.

1 comment

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

I made sure the bobbin thread was in the right way and right place and it pulled up fine. I am using embroidery and things ain't lookin good. Frustration! I haven't used the machine enough since I got it for Christmas that it should need any adjustments, it's practically brand new, grrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Debra, I don't know what to tell you if you have tried to do everything you know to fix it. Did you go by your manual? Are you making something with felt? You shouldn't have to use a heavier stabilizer, a lite wt. should have been fine. I think you might need to take it in for adjustment.

2 comments

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

I looked in the book. I didn't start with stabilizer on the bottom to begin with but thought I'd give it a try to see if it helped but it didn't, sniff sniff. Don't know where to take it around here, guess I better start looking for a place that will work on it.

by keeponsewing 24 Aug 2010

Call some of your vacuum places also work on sewing machines, but I'd ask first.

I have no ans. but do feel sorry for you. I wish I could help but I would do all you have done. Good luck on find the problem. Did you check under the bottm to make sure ther is no dust or anything? Arlene

1 comment

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

pulled out the bobbin holder thingy and blew into it as much as I could, don't see any thread stuck down there. sob

So pleased to read your note I have been having the same trouble the last 2 days on my new machine .Go ok then all of a sudden the bobbin thread came to the top .Did all you have done .Going to leave it alone for awhile !!!!!!

1 comment

by leenova54 24 Aug 2010

It was doing this the last time I used it too but then it worked again so I thought my bobbin was just too full. My machine is a Brother SE-350 that I got for Christmas but haven't gotten really into it a bunch yet and need to start my Christmas gift stuff!