Sewing machine troubleshooting - bobbin thread bunching up

**Indadhanu** · August 26th, 2009, 03:56 PM

Got a new sewing machine today (Brother 3600, from Spotlight), and can't work out what to do about this problem. Is it a tension issue?

When I sew the top stitch is fine, nice and even, no skipping or looping, but the bottom stitch from the bobbin is terrible - bunched up, looped and and tangled

What the? I've played with the tension, and sometimes it works but then it just starts up again

Any ideas?

**~clover~** · August 26th, 2009, 04:06 PM

Try tightening the tension. Mine is a jenome, but the tension goes from 1 to 9, 1 being tightest.
Make sure you have no threads tangled underneath in the bobbin case. If I din't pull it all out & check it'll usually just tangle instead of just being loose.
Another thing to try is adjusting the foot. Mine will be loose if the foot isn't down far enough. (On mine the adjuster thing is a knob at the top of the machine.)

**HotI** · August 26th, 2009, 04:11 PM

does the bobbin go in a bobbin case? the case usually has a small screw that can be tightened to give it a bit more restriction.

does the machine come with an instruction book? they often have troubleshooting section

**squidipa** · August 26th, 2009, 04:13 PM

forstraight stitch i use 3 for tention on my machine i have 1-6 as a tension option. make sure you ahve wound the cotton onto the bobbin tightly. make sure you are putting the bobbin in corectly and its not bouncing around. Also check the bobbin is threaded correctly and stitch lenght is correct. Check you have the right settings and presser foot for the stitch u are doing. Also the bobin will normally go one way and the cotton will thread threw or catch on some thing check the manual or correct bobbin placement and threading.

**~Raven~** · August 26th, 2009, 04:47 PM

Make sure your bobbin is turning in the right direction. ie mine turns counter-clockwise and I had similar issues when I put it in the wrong way!
(I have a Janome so it might be different to yours in that respect

)