thread problem?

Good day to all. So today, I decided would be the first day on trying to figure out my spouses new sewing machine. A babylock dc. I purchased a spool of red thread from the local target(I know, I know) but just wanted to get a spool to learn with. I got a spool of thread marked from Singer, and it said was for hand or machine sewing. The first thing I do, is follow the instructions on putting the thread on the bobbin.(I guess you call this winding the bobbin) I have had such problems doing this. It seems the thread stops going from the cylinder and gets stuck. Isnt the thread suppossed to continually release easy from the spool? I manually took it in my hand, to unwind some thread, and every few turns, it seems to be sticking, and you need a good tug to get more thread out. I know this sounds crazy, but please tell me what I am doing wrong.

2) And if you dont mind one more question, What speed on the machine should I be using to thread the bobbin. The book doesnt state anything, but I seem to remember in the shop, she used high speed. I left it on the middle speed. So far rounds 1 and 2, machine is leading two rounds to none. Oh, Oh, also, one time when the bobbin started to wind, at first it was doing fine, then the thread went underneath the bobbin, and starting wrapping around underneath the bobbin in the machine. It took me half an hour, to unwind it off the underneath spindle by hand. I was lucky to get it all out. HELP ME < HELP ME

Much regards to all.

Reply to
J.Lef
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OK. Remain calm. Deep breath. Let it out slowly. Calm now? I'm putting my answers below.

J.Lef wrote:

Well, you know it's not the best thread out there. But you do want multi-purpose thread for most things. And you picked the best available choice. So you're fine there. Just don't waste more money buying any more of that brand. I like Mettler best. Gutterman second best. And Coats & Clark in a pinch. My fave online thread store:

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can find all those other places. The link is just so you know whatyou're looking for. :)

Correct term. Winding the bobbin. It can be tricky when you first learn. Don't feel bad, you're FAR from the first to do any of this stuff. I even have moments when I get in a hurry and still do some of these things. No biggie. We'll get you through. ;)

It doesn't sound crazy. (feeling better?) I want you to look at the thread spool carefully. You are looking at the edges of the top and bottom. One end or the other has a notch cut into it. Sometimes it's hard to see. Take your fingernail and run it around the edge. You will feel a teeny slit. That's there so you can slide the thread into it, when not in use, to keep the spool from unwinding when you don't want it to. The trick is to find that spot and position it properly. Looking at the pictures of your wife's machine, you want the slit to be on the right side when you put the spool on the machine. The thread will be pulling off to the left, correct? If you had a vertical thread spool, you would put the slit on the bottom. What is happening, is the thread is catching in that slit as the machine is pulling thread off the spool. Usually all you need to do is put the spool on the way I say. Sometimes you will get a deformed spool that has a notch or a lump on the other end too. If it's a lump, a coarse emery board will fill it down.

Generally speaking, if you wind the bobbin at a Moderate speed, the thread will be more evenly distributed on the bobbin. That's a good thing. You don't want it all on one side or the other.

Oh this one is one you won't forget again. You have to make sure the bobbin is securely snapped into place before you start winding. If it's not all the way on the spindle, as it spins, it will raise up a little. (It achieves lift, ala a helicopter's rotor.) Then suddenly, there's room for the thread to slip down under and whoo!!! What a mess. You want to hear/feel the click when you put the bobbin on the winder spindle. Give it just a little extra push to make sure it's on there securely.

Hang in there. You will get this. Just takes practice. Remember, you never did anything Perfect the first time. ;)

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

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> You can find all those other places. The link is just so you know what> you're looking for. :)>

What a superb reply, Sharon, I almost wish I had a problem to put to you!

Mary

Reply to
Mary Fisher

Thank you very much, Mary. I hope it helps J. I think it's wonderful that he wants to learn so he can help his wife learn the new machine. I'm also so glad to hear things are going so well in your sewing room! No problems is always a good thing. :)

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

Thank you Miss Sharon for such a detailed answer. I appreciate you taking the time to give such details. I am responding now, before I test the solution, but it seems reasonable. I wish they mentioned it, in the instruction booklet, about those notches. I guess they assume a person would know that de facto. I will be waiting for the wife to come home, and give it a whirl today or tomorrow(depending on her degree of tiredness). I am a little gun shy, of experimenting on my own, till I know at least how to get it going. Thank you once again Miss Sharon.

Much regards Jerry

"Sharon Hays" wrote in message news:rJ5Ij.7769$ snipped-for-privacy@newsfe12.phx...

Reply to
J.Lef

I am sewing............. Took a while, but with out two puny minds put together, we almost make a whole. LOL 1) We switched the spool of thread and put the notch on the right hand side. With great anticipation we waited, and the same darn thing happened again to the bobbin, witht he thread going underneath the bobbin into the cavity. 2) I had purchased two spools of that singer thread, and thought maybee the first one was defective. So we put in the second spool and it started to wind the bobbin and then got stuck. My wife then had the idea to put her finger on the thread and slightly raise the thread coming off the spool, but then it got tangled on the spool axle. So I figured it out then what the problem was. The round plastic piece that you put on the cap after putting on the spool was the wrong size. They gave us like three different sizes, and we followed the picture in the instructions, and used the one just slightly larger then the spool. But looking closely, it was letting the thread catch on the spool axle. I put the larger size on and whammo. Bobbin Winding Nirvana. Yee Haw. So we wound the bobbin and I installed bobbin according to instructions , No problem. Then we did the spool top threading, and had difficulty getting the needle threaded, but we were a bit timid on one of the steps and not putting the thread in far enough into one of the doo-dads. Finally did that, and the moment came. I put some old shirt material in under the foot. Lowered the foot, lowered the needle, set it on slow speed, pushed the button, and it started sewing(With both threads). I didnt believe it was actually doing it, so I had to sew 10 more seams. LOL Now that I got that under control, I am ready to start learning how to actually sew something that needs to be sewn. Much thanks for helping us get started.

Reply to
J.Lef

Congratulations! Persistence and a little guidance from the sewing mavens worked out for you. ;-)

Practice on that old shirt material until you're really comfortable, and *know* you are making perfect straight seams. Then practice making curved seams. THEN start on the stuff that needs to be sewn. ;-)

Have fun with it!

Beverly

Reply to
BEI Design

Ain't it grand when you see those perfect little stitches marching across the fabric and know that you put them there? Giver yerself a pat on the back -- you earned it!

Reply to
Pogonip

Happiness is your first sewn row of stitches!! Juno

Reply to
Juno

You have mail!

Reply to
The Wanderer

Always glad to help. Between knowing about the notches and figuring out all on your own (Very good job to you two!!!) about a larger cap, there's nothing that can stop you guys now!! Keep us posted about what you move on to next.

Sharon

Reply to
Sharon Hays

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