Thread injecting trouble!

**nacra533** · 02-22-2010, 23:58

Originally Posted by Beast 71

Wooly Mammoths

? If by that you mean the bird's nest/knot thing that stops up the works that happens right under where the needle goes down into where the bobbin lives. It usually happens when I start and stop, or I go forward and then reverse.

Just re-read this and should have included in my post. I would try the following in this order. I think it's presser foot tension based on this.

1. Make sure you are holding the thread tails on start up.
2. Stitch some plain ole cotton, low/no stretch fabric like khaki pants or lighter the factory setup. If it's fancy, it probably has a default setting. Straight and zig zag. If this works, your timing is probably OK.
3. Move to your material and pay very close attention to how and if it is feeding. Slippery and very thin fabric like nylon probably needs more presser foot tension, many may disagree with me on this. Your owners manual will. If it is not feeding, you need more presser foot tension.

My typical setup for silnylon, 1.1, and 1.7 oz nylon is:
-small needle, #9 or #11 sometimes a 12 if that is what I have on hand.
-small thread, about 30 or 46 wt. regular Guntermanns and regular Mettlers are in the 42-46 range if memory serves.
-top and bottom tension are a little lighter than for normal cotton fabric
-presser foot tension is fairly heavy, especially for silnylon. I keep adding it on fabric feeds correctly AND does not cause puckering or other problems.
-I also stitch all of these fabrics in light tension, meaning I am pulling on the front and the back to "flatten" them out.

**warbonnetguy** · 02-23-2010, 01:09

good point rev,
1/4 bobbin turn should make a noticeable change, and might be too much depending. i said 1/4 because it's a good increment for remembering how far you've gone (1/4,1/2, 3/4, 1) seems like when i switch between lightweight and webbing it's more than a 1/4 turn, although i can't remember exactly how much. definately want to remember how to get back to where you started in case you need to.

when you put it in zig zag mode, does the needle move left and right, but only stitches on one side, or does the needle move straight up and down? an easy way to tell is to turn the wheel by hand, hold the tip of a straight pin where the needle lands, on the next stitch, the needle should land left or right of that. if it is moving side to side but is only stitching on one side, then it probably is the timing. if it just moves straight up and down then it may be something else.

**gargoyle** · 02-23-2010, 05:17

Did you put the needle in the RIGHT way.?
Have you cleaned the area under the stitch plate? under and around the dogs? Remove the stitch plate and thoroughly clean with a small brush and a puff or two of air.

By "holding the threads at start up", I mean physically grasping the TWO threads, one from the top spool, after it exits the needle and is under the foot. And the bobbin thread,place it under the presser foot also. Leave two or three inches of loose thread out. Always lay these to the rear of the machine.At this time I notice how much tension is on each piece of thread, they should feel the same. Set the fabric under the foot, close the foot, grasp the two threads and maintain a steady pressure.(your not pulling the thread here, just maintaining pressure, so the loose ends do not pull back under the fabric.) I do this with my left hand and guide the fabric with my right. Just for a few stitches (4-6).

When I switch from forward to reverse I slow down and come to a complete stop, then shift to reverse. Its the same with a car, driving 30 mph and slamming R is not advisable. Stop then shift the machine.

On start up and stopping, always, and I mean always...leave the moving thread tensioning arm in its highest position. There should be a hook like arm that the thread rides in above the needle. This maintains tension on the thread as the fabric moves etc.
By setting this arm at its highest point, it opens the bobbin and allows for the fabric, and thread to be removed easily. It also lifts the needle up and out of the way. You can do this by stopping wherever and then spin the machine by hand (forward from the top down, towards you, never turn the wheel backwards)

Now with this arm at its highest point, when you start up the next series of stitching, you'll notice the thread not being pulled backwards. It is starting on the first series of stitches without any tension.

Also, never yank or pull vigorously on a jam up/ birdsnest/ wooly mammoth. Simply cut away all the loose threads, remove fabric, and continue clipping and pulling out the threads. Check in the bobbin for any little pieces. Then rethread the machine and start over, arm up, etc. Soon you will learn the sounds of a jam up and stop BEFORE they become huge birdsnests.

There are some great how-to-sew videos on youtube. Do a search and watch them for lots of pointers or join in a class at your local sewing center.

**TinaLouise** · 02-23-2010, 08:51

one more point to consider.... have you tried sewing with normal thread instead of that heavy duty stuff you were talking about???

**Randy** · 02-25-2010, 14:43

Dangit man,,,, I hadn't used my SEWING machine in a few days, and lastnight, when I loaded up the bobbin,,, I kept getting them woolie boogers, er what ever they are called. the bottom thread was snotting up ... dang, I fiddled and fiddled,,,, then it hit me.

Typical case of HUA........I was loading the bobbin spool into the case ching a ling backwards.......Once I realized what I was doing,,, it started sewing great again,,,,,
I didn't tell Baby Momma, though, she still thinks she touched something when she moved it the other day......

**Village** · 02-26-2010, 09:52

Originally Posted by gargoyle

Did you put the needle in the RIGHT way.?
Have you cleaned the area under the stitch plate? under and around the dogs? Remove the stitch plate and thoroughly clean with a small brush and a puff or two of air.

By "holding the threads at start up", I mean physically grasping the TWO threads, one from the top spool, after it exits the needle and is under the foot. And the bobbin thread,place it under the presser foot also. Leave two or three inches of loose thread out. Always lay these to the rear of the machine.At this time I notice how much tension is on each piece of thread, they should feel the same. Set the fabric under the foot, close the foot, grasp the two threads and maintain a steady pressure.(your not pulling the thread here, just maintaining pressure, so the loose ends do not pull back under the fabric.) I do this with my left hand and guide the fabric with my right. Just for a few stitches (4-6).

When I switch from forward to reverse I slow down and come to a complete stop, then shift to reverse. Its the same with a car, driving 30 mph and slamming R is not advisable. Stop then shift the machine.

On start up and stopping, always, and I mean always...leave the moving thread tensioning arm in its highest position. There should be a hook like arm that the thread rides in above the needle. This maintains tension on the thread as the fabric moves etc.
By setting this arm at its highest point, it opens the bobbin and allows for the fabric, and thread to be removed easily. It also lifts the needle up and out of the way. You can do this by stopping wherever and then spin the machine by hand (forward from the top down, towards you, never turn the wheel backwards)

Now with this arm at its highest point, when you start up the next series of stitching, you'll notice the thread not being pulled backwards. It is starting on the first series of stitches without any tension.

Also, never yank or pull vigorously on a jam up/ birdsnest/ wooly mammoth. Simply cut away all the loose threads, remove fabric, and continue clipping and pulling out the threads. Check in the bobbin for any little pieces. Then rethread the machine and start over, arm up, etc. Soon you will learn the sounds of a jam up and stop BEFORE they become huge birdsnests.

There are some great how-to-sew videos on youtube. Do a search and watch them for lots of pointers or join in a class at your local sewing center.

These are all stellar points! Stuff I had to learn the hard way.. Just holding the two threads taut and to the back when you start a stitch can prevent so many birdnesting problems. Another cause of birdnesting is an excessive loop of top thread thrown under the floor plate. This loop is regulated by a spring wire loop next to the top tensioner on many older machines. I don't know if the newer Walmart specials have this feature.