Community / Embroidery /
255054
by airyfairy 18 Jun 2015 ( edited Jun 19'15 14:09 )
+36

I had a bad time with my embroidery machine earlier today. The upper thread broke every few minutes, causing me much frustration. I eventually took the bobbin housing out and I could not believe my eyes. There was enough solid fluff to stuff a small pillow!! It has been ages since I have cleaned the bobbin housing and have been embroidering a lot of fleece garments. I must try to remember to do this easy job a little more frequently.

Comments (8)
115778
by asterixsew 18 Jun 2015
+12
There are many jobs that one intends to do regularly - I am excellent at forgetting. My Brother Galaxie went off for some tlc today to mend the memory card lot that I damaged. As the machine left the house I thought ah I have forgotten to defluff the machine and I will get told off by the repair guy:( Goodness knows when I will get my baby back.
3 comments
by airyfairy 18 Jun 2015
Hope it will not be too long for you Caroline.
by mops 18 Jun 2015
I used to laugh when my mum said she had to clean up before her help arrived and what do I do: clean my machine thoroughly before handing it over to my repair guy - he always tells me that cleaning adds years to the life of machines and who am I to disappoint him. :)
by jrob 18 Jun 2015
I, too, am guilty of pre-cleaning....
145305
by mops 18 Jun 2015
+11
I usually clean it when I have to change a bobbin; fleece produces so much fluff that an extra go might be wise but I am apparently not very wise. :) . I hate what fleece does to a serger/overlock machine, a brush is not enough, it takes a vacuum cleaner to get rid of the mess. But don't you just love working with fleece notwithstanding those drawbacks?
3 comments
by airyfairy 18 Jun 2015
Fleece is one of my favorites Martine.
by toogie 18 Jun 2015
I vacuum my serger too,mops. I know all too well about lint. I worked at a sewing factory for seven months, once. Everyday, I would get lint out of my nose! and I wasn't near cutting. I was on the opposite end right before pressing. I think that was the beginning of my sinus troubles.
by asterixsew 18 Jun 2015
Stitches melt into fleece it really is great fabric to sew with I had never thought of using a vacuum cleaner on my serger. Something for me to try
234507
by pennifold 18 Jun 2015
+13
Good thing you cleaned it out Sarah. I do mine every time I sit down to embroider. My Husqvarna is back in with Maarten at Thorpe's Sewing Machine shop as the needle holder mechanism won't go sideways - so can't do any of the zig zag or special stitches!!!!!!!!!!!! The embroidery arm is fine, 'cause the needle just goes up and down. It's been back in there 2 weeks again. So frustrating!!!! I want to start on Cohen's quilt for his 1st birthday next February. I like to get most of the patchwork done before it gets too warm over here. Love Chris
1 comment
by airyfairy 19 Jun 2015
Hope your machine is back soon. I also rather sew in the winter than the summer. Hugs
169064
by 02kar 18 Jun 2015
+11
Tape a Q-tip to the machine for a visual reminder. I doubt it would work for me, but maybe it will for you. Isn't it funny how we are so intent to work on our projects, we forget to treat our machines to a little spa treatment. I'm glad you found out the problem and got it fixed.
2 comments
by graceandham 18 Jun 2015
Mine had a spa treat this afternoon. Now, my nose is stuffy - probably related! I try to clean out the bobbin area every five days (sew a lot) and the upper areas every 2nd or 3rd bobbin cleaning, just in case of lint, fluff or shreds.
by airyfairy 19 Jun 2015
Karen, you have hit the nail on the head.
158718
by jrob 18 Jun 2015
+10
Lucky you, an easy fix. I spend 3 days trying to find out why my thread was breaking and finally discovered that there was a nick on embroidery foot that was causing the trouble. A sliver of a nail file and I was back in business.
1 comment
by airyfairy 19 Jun 2015
I was nearly going mad Jerrilyn. It was just lucky that the bobbin case was the first thing I tried. Machine now purring like a kitten.
18140
by sebsews 18 Jun 2015
+9
I clean mine often. And I have stopped using can air. Suzanna
1 comment
by airyfairy 19 Jun 2015
I am also going to clean my machine a bit more often.
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by cfidl 19 Jun 2015
+6
mine gets cleaned regularly. The only machine I could ever fill up was my 400. It was a workhorse!
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by dragonflyer 19 Jun 2015
+4
Glad it turned out to be an easy fix...I, too, don't always remember to clean out the bobbin housing either...big sigh!