bobbin wont turn in sewing machine, so the needle never picks up bobbin thread.?

Question

It is a singer fashion mate model 247 it was working fine, my wife was sewing and the thing jammed some how. After cleaning it out the needle was bent. Replaced needle, but now its not spinning the bobbin in the machine (not to put thread on the bobbin) so the new needle cant pick up the thread from the bobbin. i've watched the meachanism and it turns with the machine but the bobbin just sits there as the the mecahnism moves under it... any ideas?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

EDITED TO ADD: Did you thread the bobbin case tension? Are you leaving the end of the bobbin thread hanging out in the right position?  Are you turning the handwheel in the direction that causes the feed dogs to move fabric from the front to the back of the machine-- you should be rotating the handwheel counterclockwise.  The thread has to be positioned properly to be caught by the hook.

(That page from Singer has to be one of the worst excuses I've seen for a sewing machine manual!)
http://www.singerco.com/uploads/download/c1f09c61830bdb51261968e6d3fec4782039ece3.pdf

Here's raising the bobbin thread on my Viking 350, a similar bobbin case: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/22801244

(And another group of photos you'll want later, most likely: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/22521551)
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The bobbin moves passively, as the thread is pulled off when stitches are formed.  This is diagrammed sideways to your machine, but I think you're seeing the sewing hook, which is the red thing in this gif: http://materialmama.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/ani_lockstitch2.gif?w=371&h=387

The usual causes of a machine that won't pick up the bobbin thread:
1) Needle in backwards (flat side of the needle to the back of the machine)
2) Machine misthreaded slightly (particularly threading the needle backwards, easy to do on old straight stitch machines)
3) Needle not completely up in the needle clamp.
4) Needle damaged somehow (I once ruined a whole packet of needles by stepping on them on a carpet... just enough bend they'd no longer work)
5) Wrong needle for the machine -- make sure you don't have serger needles.
6) Thread too thick or thin for needle.
7) Fabric too thick for needle size -- try a size larger
8) Dirty machine
9) Machine out of time -- rather rarer condition than most people think.  Usually preceded by bad words, broken needles, bad thread jams and loud noises.

? · Answer

Kay always gives good advice. :)  However, it may be as simple as the bobbin not seated properly in it's space.  Try taking it out, turning it 1/2 turn and try again.

Jose Hernandez · Answer

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bobbin wont turn in sewing machine, so the needle never picks up bobbin thread.?

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