Replies

1. 
   ElonaM | Oct 20, 2002 01:06am | #1

   Often, using a "stretch" needle will cure this like magic. It has a differently-shaped "scarf," which is better for stitch formation on very stretchy fabrics. Sometimes, I even have to switch to it on certain cotton knits.

   
   

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   Edited 10/19/2002 6:08:01 PM ET by Elona

2. 
   dancenyshopp | Oct 20, 2002 05:42pm | #2

   i just called my fixit man about this problem, lots of loops on the bottom. he said they call it "shag" and it means you're tension is messed up. on his recommendation, whenever i am threading the machine i make sure the presser foot is down as i draw the thread through the tension piece. this has helped alot. however, the other day my machine would not sew on this one specific knit fabric. its getting very fussy in its old age! im thinking i need a different needle. i always sew with the multi-fabric ball point needles.  sometimes, if i have wound my bobbin too fast it will give me problems on the underneath and i have to switch the bobbin. i think the thread gets wound too tight on the bobbin when i am in a hurry and push the pedal to the floor.

1. 
   carolfresia | Oct 22, 2002 04:51pm | #3

   I think Elona has hit the solution--sometimes a stretch needle is really called for. I've found that many cotton/lycra knits, for example, can be sewn with a basic, universal needle, but I just encountered one that was a real problem--skipped stitches, which eventually led to all that balled-up thread on the bottom, and... you get the picture! Something about the stretchiness and, in the case of my problem fabric, tightness of the knit (I suspect) made it hard for the needle and bobbin threads to interlock the way they should. Also, in the places where the machine was not skipping stitches, the tension was correct, so I doubt that the tension is the main culprit in these situations. 

   The same fabric went through the serger just fine, using regular universal needles. Because the serger doesn't link the threads using a bobbin, the exact needle type was not such a big issue.

   For an interesting animation of how a sewing machine works, go to http://www.howstuffworks.com and look for sewing machines. This shows how the bobbin and thread interact in a typical sewing machine.

   Carol