Help with my Kenmore Sewing Machine Mdl 158-12310?

Question

Okay, so I was gifted this monster some years back and never really started sewing my own stuff until recently. My troubleshooting mom is 3 hours away and I can't get it to work. It worked fine last time we used it, a few months ago. Now, although it's threaded properly, the thread isn't catching the bobbin thread and it's not sewing, it's just bunching up thread behind the material as I try to make a seam. I've triple checked the bobbin and it's working, but the thread is seeming to catch on the internal parts where the bobbin snaps in at. Anybody know anything about this machine? Thanks!

Answer 1

Pull out the needleplate, bobbin case and bobbin, clean thoroughly, looking especially for thread bits and fluff that may be keeping the bobbin case from settling in properly.  Oil per the manual.  Make sure the bobbin is correctly inserted in the bobbin case, and the needle is turned correctly so the sewing hook can pick up the top thread.

Hang on to the thread ends when you start a seam... just for a couple of stitches.