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Any users of sewing machines out there?

Posted: Apr 17, 2014

I have an approximately 15 year old sewing machine I picked up in a lawn sale. There is no user's manual with it. It worked great for a while, but now it's alternately knotting and leaving loops on the underside of the cloth. Any idea if this is an easy fix? Or should I take it to a repair shop? I don't want to spend a bunch to fix it if it's something I could do myself.

;

Sewing machine - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Sounds like a tension problem to me. Usually adjusting the tension is easy to do. In the past, I've been able to get instruction books by Googling the product name and model, even when the product itself is outdated.

Sewing - Alice

[ In Reply To ..]
I agree with the other poster--it could be tension. Also, if the needle is inserted incorrectly (like not pushed up high enough in the slot) or if the thread is not threaded exactly correct, this problem can result.

After many years of sewing, I am always learning something new. Just recently, I learned that universal, generic needles don't work too well in a Singer sewing machine, and this is why my old Singer (a 1990 version) was messing up when I used the generic needles.

sewing machine - elaine

[ In Reply To ..]
That happens when the upper thread tension is not high enough. Do you see a knob that the thread is wound around above the needle? It should have numbers on it. If it is set on 1, try 1.5, and gradually tighten the upper thread tension until the loops on the bottom disappear.Otherwise, you may have the bobbin that holds the bottom thread in the wrong way. You can always write down the make and model number and look it up online. Then order a manual for it. Have fun. I sew all of the time.

You'll laugh at my sewing story! - SayItGirl

[ In Reply To ..]
First off, I'm glad you gave that info, because I don't know much about sewing machines at all! I had an old generic sewing machine with no manual that did the same thing. I'd been told it was the tension, but was never able to get it working right. I finally gave it to the Goodwill.

Then I got a cute little portable Singer for sewing. I love it! So, one day I was getting all ready to sew, and when I turned it on and stepped on the pedal, nothing happened. The needle didn't move at all. When I tried moving it up and down with the hand wheel, it barely would move. After trying everything I could think of to fix the problem, I called this really good sewing machine shop in another town, which had all five-star reviews on Yelp. They said yes, bring it in.

So I drove to that town and brought in my sewing machine, and told them what my problem was - that it just plain wouldn't go at all. The manager/owner said, "Let me take a look at it before we give it to our repair guy", and she takes one look, flicks the bobbin-winding level, and VOILA! It worked perfectly. It turned out I had simply bumped the bobbin-winding level into bobbin-winding position, and hadn't realized it. What a "duh!" moment!!

The people there were all EXTREMELY nice, didn't charge me anything for the "repair", and didn't even laugh at me. (At least not while I was within earshot, anyway!) LOL!

(oops - "bobbin-winding LEVER", not "level"! - Typos B Gone

[ In Reply To ..]

This reminds me - Question

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm not much of a sewer, but I know my way a little bit around a sewing maching for mending purposes.

On my machine, the "reverse" lever somehow loosened, and I wasn't able to "end off" a seam to "lock" the seam in. For the amount of times I used it, it wasn't worth it to get it fixed or buy a new maching.

For my own future reference, would there be another way to "end off" a seam, other than taking a needle and thread and doing it manually??

I don't know if I explained all this right, so let me know and I'll try to explain better.

You can - xx

[ In Reply To ..]
pull both threads through to the back and tie them off.

You can leave the needle down in the last stitch of the fabric, lift the presser foot, turn the fabric 180 degrees, put the presser foot down again, and sew a few stitches, essentially replicating the reverse stitch.

Or you an get the reverse feature fixed. It sounds like all it needs is a simple adjustment that probably wouldn't cost very much to have done.

Oh, wow, thanks - I never thought of that-duh

[ In Reply To ..]
Geez, you can see how much I sew. I never thought of turning the fabric. Thanks!

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