Can you help me fix my sewing machine???

Question

it is only a year old (dont tell me anything about warranty i understand that). It is very hard to catch the bobbin thread and bring it up, takes forever. But the main problem is that it sounds as if it is sewing (needle going up and down, motor going etc) but no stitches are made!!!!

please help

Answer 1

Take the current needle out of the sewing machine and put in a new size 12/80 needle (that's what machines are timed with, and has the best chance of telling us if the timing has gone off).  Make very sure the needle is correctly oriented  -- needles do have fronts and backs (take a look here at needles in front, back and side orientation: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/vi... ) Typically the flat side of the needle either goes toward the back or the right hand side of the machine BUT IT VARIES SO CHECK YOUR MANUAL!!!  Also thread the machine with manual in hand.

If you have the needle in backwards, the sewing hook won't be able to

pick up the thread from the needle.  Or it'll pick up the thread every once in awhile and you'll get skipping stitches.  Misthreading, particularly threading the needle backwards, can also produce this effect.  The third common thing that I see with beginners is that they've hit something and the needle has become slightly bent... even a pin is enough to do it.  Replacing the needle with a fresh one, unbent, fixes everything.

The most common thing you'll hear (even from repair shops who know better) is that the timing is out.  Very few machines have timing problems unless they've been badly mistreated.  Timing problems are almost always preceded by a broken needles and loud noises from the machine.  Whenever you expect you have a "timing problem", clean, oil, and put in a new needle as recommended by your manual, and try again.  99.99% of the time, that'll fix things.

Here's how a sewing machine works -- as you can see, the dance of the needle, thread placement and sewing hook is very important, and the tolerances for a bent needle are very small.

http://blog.craftzine.com/ani_lockstitch...

Or more amusingly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAhmYzmkv...

Anyhow, put in a new size 12/80 needle after cleaning and oiling and rethreading your machine from scratch, with manual in hand.  If it still doesn't work, feel free to drop me an email and we'll go on from there with troubleshooting.  

If it works with a size 12 but not a 14 or a 10, then you've probably got a tolerance or timing issue that will take a shop repair.

Answer 2

Not sure I have interpreted your question quite properly as I only started sewing recently but if it is what i think, I empathise totally, and will answer anyhow. I assume that you have threaded your needle and are trying to bring the thread on the bobbin from the bottom up? This will allow you to have thread coming from the bottom as well as the needle itself. If you do not bring that thread up from the bottom, you will not sew anything which is why it does not make any stiches.

Ok. You need to take your threaded bobbin for the bottom part and place it into the little gadget that it slips into. Make make sure you thread it through the tension spring and pull about a ten centimetre piece of thread out. Pull and hold the little clip on the back of the gadget that attatches and holds it to the bobbin, slip it into the fitted slot in the sewing machine and then let go the clip (it should fit snuggly). Close the machine flap leaving the 10cm thread hanging inside.

I assume your needle is threaded and you have pulled at least 12cm extra after threading it. After all is done, wind the gadget that makes your needle move up and down. Wind it so that the needle goes as high up and keep winding until it comes down and loops your thread up from the bottom bobbin. ( It might have to go up and down a few times). If it is take too long what i usually do is pull the needle thread up by hand because it will have already looped the bottom bobbin thread - all it needs to do is come up. Once you have done that, pull about 10cm of the bottom bobbin thread, readjust your needle thread with some left over and your ready to go or should i say sew:)

Hope I'm on course here and hope it helps!

Answer 3

Usually when i don't have any stitches, the top thread has broke or the bottom thread is in a tied up knot ball in the bottom. Make sure you have everything threaded right.

I would not pay someone to fix it, unless it is a pricey model. If it is a cheap model, just buy a new one or get one cheap from a thrift store or yard sale.  

Answer 4

I think the needle needs to be lowered.Unscrew the thing that holds the needle and lower it just a little, then try the wheel with your hand to see that the needle is not too low.then re tighten.

Answer 5

Do what RiRi said and check your needle, if it's bent slightly it won't catch your bobbin thread and can't sew.