Urgent sewing machine questions! Please help...

I'm having issues with my new sewing machine (a Brother 2160) and am going to attempt to get my money back from Spotlight tomorrow. My best friend and I got our machines together and both have the same problems.

Firstly, the top thread gets stuck (for want of a better word) sometimes and the thread doesn't spin on the little thread holder, which means when you look at the back of the material you are sewing, all the thread is gathered up and ugly. It looks normal on the top but wrong underneath. So you have to unpick. This doesn't happen every time, probably 1 in 8-10 times. But it's ugly and annoying. I've been told this wouldn't be due to tension, because if it was tension then it would happen every time. Does that seem logical?

The other problem is that if you stop sewing and the needle is in the material, and you wind the machine's knob (I don't know the right term!) towards you to raise the needle, it then somehow puts the top thread into the bobbin and it gets stuck and you have to carefully cut the top thread and pull it out, while not losing the bobbin thread. Does that make sense? I would have thought this is not something that would happen EVERY time you stop sewing with the needle in the material. I mean, it's very annoying. Can anyone tell me if this happens on other machines?

I've spoken to the dept of consumer protection, they say that I can ask for my money back because, from my description, the machine is not fit for purpose (considered a major fault). That is, it's a sewing machine and it doesn't sew properly.

Any comments???

Sounds to me like a bobbin problem. If the top stitching looks ok and underneath is messy the bobbin may not be wound on properly or sitting right in the holder. Also if you are lifting up the needle mid sewing, with it in the material and it is getting stuck it would be the bobbin that is making it do that. Have you made sure the bobbin holder is sitting correctly? Also if the thread is going the wrong way out of the bobbin it won't sew right either.

Good luck with it!

It sounds like a bobbin problem to me too. I would try rewinding the bobbin and ensuring it's in the case or plate correctly.

As for the dealing with the thread when you stop sewing, always wind the needle out until the hammer part is in the most upright position, this should then mean the thread can be cut without disturbing the bobbin...basically it means you have completed the stitch.

Good luck

Thanks girls - going to have another play with it tonight. I have checked the bobbin but will check it again to be sure. It's super frustrating! Because I'm a novice sewer I also don't know if the problems are me or the machine.

Well just triple checked the bobbin. According to the instructions it is definitely on the right way and the thread is coming out in the right direction. It worked once (after stopping the needle in the material and winding it up) but then stuffed up again.
Will let you know how I go at spotlight!!

sometimes the thread can get wound on too tightly or loosely or crosses over itself which will cause problems. do you have another bobbin you can try? or take the thread off and re-thread the bobbin.

are you using bobbins that came with the machine, or are specific for the model? different machines can have slightly different sized bobbins and if you get the wrong ones they might fit in but not twist smoothly leading to issues.

there are heaps of points on a machine that can be adjusted that can make big differences. getting the machine serviced might help get everything tightened properly.

hope you get answers soon

i read somewhere the other day to use plastic bobbins not metal ones as metal ones can cause issues. i would definately make sure you are using the correct bobbins for your machine and definately rewind them and see how you go!

good luck

To answer above questions, yep using plastic bobbins and they came with the machine. Thanks ladies :)

The good news is - they gave us our refund! And we didn't even have to make a fuss. Went to a different spotlight store and the salesgirl was sooooo helpful and nice. Interestingly she was in her 20s and the witch at the other store, who was very unhelpful, was in her 50s. Anyway refunds are done and she even took the time to talk to us about the other machines they sell, what the difference between models was, and what she recommended. Turns out she runs her own sewing classes on the side so we think she had a good idea about it.
So now we are on the hunt for a new machine, something for less than $250, hopefully we'll find a good sale in the next month or so. Salesgirl said the brother 2600 was very good (RRP $348) - we are a bit nervous about getting another brother machine but it wouldn't be the bottom model at least. Also the 2600 has a top loading bobbin so she said that eliminates any bobbin tension problems...
I'm just so happy to get the $ back :)