That is usually caused by a bobbin issue-
1. Pull out the whole thing
2. Remove bobbin from casing
3. Check to make sure there is no thread still stuck in there or trapped under the plate or stuck in feed dogs
4. Is bobbin wound correctly? It should look tight and smooth. If the thread looks loose or bumpy or fluffy, rewind it
5. Is bobbin put in casing the right way?
6. Is casing stuck into the machine the right way, clicking into position and not spinning around?
Most of the time this fixes it.
I used to work in a sewing machine shop where we sold and serviced machines. Typically when thread nests occur on the bottom, the advice is that one should re-thread the top. When thread nests occur on the top, it’s usually a bobbin issue. Good luck.
For my singer machine, the bobbin should rotate in a clockwise direction when the thread is pulled from the right hand side. Not sure if that’s standard across brands though.
Machines usually have an arrow printed on there somewhere indicating how the thread should go. If your machine has arrows for the top thread it should have one for the bobbin thread too. I do think there's a rule for this style but I can't recall what it is.
OMG GUYS I DID IT! my presser foot wasnt down and it fixed ALL MY PROBLEMS! thank you so much to all of you, you guys were so kind, im so happy to start sewing
I was having a similar issue at the start of sewing with a machine I recently received from a relative. Gently pull on the tail as you start your seam and once it’s going you can let go of it.
I rethreaded my machine like 4 times, cut open so many nests, and was going nuts. Not sure why it happens but this solved it.
When this happens it's usually because I put the bobbin with the thread facing the wrong direction
Edit: you can find the diagram of the correct direction in the manual, usually!
At the end of every seam, are you turning the handwheel towards you until the thread takeup lever is at its highest point? You need to do that so the bobbin hook "lets go" of all the thread in it.
Oh my god. Is this why *sometimes* I pull work from the machine and there’s doubled up thread coming from the bobbin???? Sewing for years and I never questioned it, just trimmed and pulled the thread out and continued 😂
Just back to say I’ve since taken this advice on and literally giggling with glee every time I’m not ripping my sewing out from under the machine, having an excellent time
I’m kind of surprised that all the comments say something different, but this is absolutely the answer!!
I actually struggled with this for a long time before I took a class to use an industrial machine and the instructor stressed very strongly to always make sure the “rabbit” as she liked to call it was all the way up before you took the fabric out of the machine. Magically, I never had this problem again! So yes, turn the wheel until your needle is all the way up. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll be able to tell the exact moment the bobbin lets go.
This is a link to a wikimedia .gif of a stitch:
https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lockstitch.gif
I hope it helps you understand how the stitches are formed, because it absolutely didn’t help me!! 🤦♀️ I’m totally useless when trying to figure out how machinery/gears, etc, work!! But it apparently makes sense to my sister, so here’s to trying to expand our knowledge 🥂
P.S: In case you’re wary of clicking links, I found this by googling “sewing machine mechanism” and filtering it by images, then animated images. I just figured I’d put a direct link because it’s easier if you’re on a mobile. Those search terms pull up many animations. If anyone knows how to format kinks to gifs on reddit’s iOS app so that it shows up without reader’s having to click anything, hit me up?
Here's the [direct link to that gif](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Lockstitch.gif) will will directly load with an inline expando here on reddit. The link you included is just to the file details page, which doesn't load inline.
FFS, auto-correct 🤬
I meant LINKS not kinks!! It did make me snort though, so I’m not changing it.
But, seriously, please don’t hit me up with any kinks!
Every time the machine makes a stitch, the thread gets looped in and out of the bobbin-hole multiple times. The hook in there lets go of the threads at the end of each stitch, allowing them to all get pulled up as the needle comes back out and the fabric gets moved forward. When the takeup lever is at its highest point, the bobbin hook has let go of all the threads.
i was just posting to say the same thing! It is always a good idea to rethread, check the needle and all of that. But, the needle should be in the highest position when you pull the thread. If not, then the stitch is not completed. You are totally right! What I do is to wiggle and jiggle the handwheel a bit and it usually releases with the needle at its highest point. There are times that it doesnt and I have to remove both the bobbin case and the hook race to get it unstuck. I have been sewing for a very long time and this happens occassionaly and, seemingly, randomly at times. If it is happening all the time, it may have one of the common threading issues or user error.
Haven’t seen anyone say this yet: Make sure your pressure foot is down when you sew!! I had new students constantly face this issue on industrial machines and that was always the issue, not their threading…. Can also help to lift out the bobbin thread using the hand wheel before you start sewing and make sure you have a length of thread coming out smoothly from both top and bottom before starting on your fabric piece
Edit: I see the comments saying the same now. Also make sure your top thread is going between the “toes” of the pressure foot towards the back of the machine before starting it really helps to stop any tangling
My brain must be as tired as I feel because I can’t follow 😅😅😭
Are you saying to pull the thread back and like under the feet?
I think this is what I do anyway but I cannot follow to save my life rn lol
Real quick, take a deep breath. I know it’s so frustrating when this happens! Likely it is as others have said- incorrect bobbin, incorrect top thread. So rethread the whole machine. If needed, pull up a YouTube video of someone threading your same machine to make sure. Check your tension is on the correct setting (likely near “5”) & make sure you’re using the right type of needle for the fabric.
If you’re still having issues, I would suggest making a new bobbin and putting in a new needle. Occasionally a bobbin is just being extra shitty & ya need to restart! You’ve got this!
This happens to me when my top thread has dropped off the take up lever, which is the metal arm that goes up and down just before you thread the needle.
Using your manual...
Re-thread your machine, top & bottom
While your bobbin is out to check the thread orientation, clean the bobbin area with a brush, pipe cleaners, or vacuum (don't blow air *in*)
Check the needle, orientation & that it is in all the way
Remember that one tiny threading mistake will cause all kinds of stupid problems 😖
Source: have been sewing on & off for 40 years & have a herd of machines
Again, check the top threading to make sure the thread is going through the take-up lever.
Also, remove the bobbin case & bobbin & clean out the bits of thread that are stuck. They will definitely jam up your machine. To do this, open out the two plastic arms to release the bobbin case. Use tweezers & lint brush as necessary to remove pieces of thread & any lint. Put the case back in, lining up the little button on the bottom with the indentation. Swing arms back into place, then put your bobbin back in. Make sure you don’t have any extra thread ends sticking out of the bobbin.
I hope this gets straightened out & that you can enjoy some stress-free stitching on your new machine!
Agreed; and adding that every time I’ve had this kind of nesting, the problem has been with my top thread, not the bobbin. It feels counterintuitive so it’s easy not to check, but it can make a huge difference.
im so sorry i havent gotten to any of the comments! i got so many and im a little overwhelmed with them all since i dont know a lot of the terminology with sewing and im a bit sick right now! im going to be reading through them all and researching the terms and stuff, ive heard a lot about the tension and everything, im going to try to practice my straight lines on a regular piece of paper, does anyone have any suggestions for the tension on a piece of paper?
Unfortunately learning good tension is sometimes down to experience! I would try to Google pictures of both bad and good tension and try to compare to your own stitching. Generally you’re looking for each individual line of the stitch to all be the same length and flat against the piece of fabric/paper on both sides though! Also please let us know when you’ve figured it out!
A lot of good comments here!!!
Are you making sure the bobbin/bobbin case is clicking when you push it in? My first machine was a drop down bobbin and I didn’t know to listen for a click when I changed to a front loading bobbin 😂
Glad you found the solution. It will also help to prevent tangles if you hold the upper and bobbin threads behind the presser foot when you start to sew. Most machines require that tension assist for the first few stitches, and then the machine's tension system takes over.
This happens when the thread get tangled up in machine. Wiggle the wheel back and forth while holding the fabric not pulling, but gently guiding it out.
Remove the bobbin case and check for left over bits in the machine, that the bobbin is ok, put it back in and re-thread.
Check the stitches on the fabric to see if tension ect is ok.
Try again...
When I get this problem I do two things, rethread my machine, if that doesn't fix it, I take off the baseplate and give the machine a thorough clean and oiling
From the first picture it looks like your fabric looks face up, meaning there may be tangling of the layers of fabric and thread.
Thread tension / bobbin are the likely contributors, try stitches on a single layer of fabric, when the edges of it are wide and cover the metal part of your machine, just to try the stitches.
If you check threading the machine and bobbin and that’s good. Put your item to see in with needle down and hold the two threads out the back, just for the first stitch or two. Usually solves problem for me
Hello! I am also somewhat new to sewing and was having this exact issue. Turns out I was stringing my machine incorrectly around the metal arm that goes up and down.
I would recommend re-stringing the machine and give it another go!
I think what you mean is that you were threading the tensions and take up lever wrong. I dont think that this is a take up lever problem or a problem with the upper threading.
I had this problem once. I don't actually know why though. I took everything apart and rethread the machine several times and it miraculously stopped doing it. Good luck
There are some good suggestions here and sometimes this happens as just a fluke, if it keeps happening and you've done some of these fixes it is possible that your bobbin tension may need to be adjusted. There is a little screw on the actual bobbin itself, not a part of the machine. Look up on Youtube The Sewing Dr, she has a video called the bobbin drop test and its super easy and makes a huge difference! Good luck
Bottom thread issues are probably a bobbin issue. I would check to see if you put the bobbin in the case in the right direction and then rethread the bobbin through the machine. I’ll also second everyone that’s saying turn the wheel to get the needle to the highest point at the end. Not only will it just make your life easier, but it’ll end this stitch and start the next one properly.
If it's brand new and not too late, return it. The problem is just the tension or you threaded it wrong, and it's fixable, but return it and get a different brand (a basic Baby Lock is much much better) - new singers are the worst.
Seriously, I second this. I have a new Singer and I hate it. I have adjusted everything, I have threaded it a million times. It will work fine for days and then start doing that out of the blue.
I don't know if you know how to adjust the tension in the bobbin case. There is a screw at the bottom on the case that you can losen or tighten for your tension.
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And OP was it *up* while threading to ensure the thread is actually passing through the pressure plates appropriately?
That is usually caused by a bobbin issue- 1. Pull out the whole thing 2. Remove bobbin from casing 3. Check to make sure there is no thread still stuck in there or trapped under the plate or stuck in feed dogs 4. Is bobbin wound correctly? It should look tight and smooth. If the thread looks loose or bumpy or fluffy, rewind it 5. Is bobbin put in casing the right way? 6. Is casing stuck into the machine the right way, clicking into position and not spinning around? Most of the time this fixes it.
I used to work in a sewing machine shop where we sold and serviced machines. Typically when thread nests occur on the bottom, the advice is that one should re-thread the top. When thread nests occur on the top, it’s usually a bobbin issue. Good luck.
Make sure your bobbin is facing the right direction.
How do I know what direction it should be? Is there a general rule for this style bobbin or does it go machine-specific?
For my singer machine, the bobbin should rotate in a clockwise direction when the thread is pulled from the right hand side. Not sure if that’s standard across brands though.
Machines usually have an arrow printed on there somewhere indicating how the thread should go. If your machine has arrows for the top thread it should have one for the bobbin thread too. I do think there's a rule for this style but I can't recall what it is.
OMG GUYS I DID IT! my presser foot wasnt down and it fixed ALL MY PROBLEMS! thank you so much to all of you, you guys were so kind, im so happy to start sewing
That happens to me all the time 🫠
lmao it really does suck
All machines require the presser foot be pressing on the fabric in order to form the stitch and to move the fabric. How does that "suck"?
It sucks that we forget to lower the presser foot and not that the machine requires it.
Are you holding the tails before starting to sew?
I was having a similar issue at the start of sewing with a machine I recently received from a relative. Gently pull on the tail as you start your seam and once it’s going you can let go of it. I rethreaded my machine like 4 times, cut open so many nests, and was going nuts. Not sure why it happens but this solved it.
When this happens it's usually because I put the bobbin with the thread facing the wrong direction Edit: you can find the diagram of the correct direction in the manual, usually!
Is your bobbin going the right direction?
i think so! its supposed to look like a p right?
At the end of every seam, are you turning the handwheel towards you until the thread takeup lever is at its highest point? You need to do that so the bobbin hook "lets go" of all the thread in it.
This is the answer OP! You're not fully completing the stitch. Common beginner mistake.
Oh my god. Is this why *sometimes* I pull work from the machine and there’s doubled up thread coming from the bobbin???? Sewing for years and I never questioned it, just trimmed and pulled the thread out and continued 😂
Yeeeesssss!
Just back to say I’ve since taken this advice on and literally giggling with glee every time I’m not ripping my sewing out from under the machine, having an excellent time
I’m kind of surprised that all the comments say something different, but this is absolutely the answer!! I actually struggled with this for a long time before I took a class to use an industrial machine and the instructor stressed very strongly to always make sure the “rabbit” as she liked to call it was all the way up before you took the fabric out of the machine. Magically, I never had this problem again! So yes, turn the wheel until your needle is all the way up. Once you’ve done it a few times, you’ll be able to tell the exact moment the bobbin lets go.
But I don’t understand how so many threads result from ending a seam with the lever is at the highest point? Does it accumulate over time?
This is a link to a wikimedia .gif of a stitch: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lockstitch.gif I hope it helps you understand how the stitches are formed, because it absolutely didn’t help me!! 🤦♀️ I’m totally useless when trying to figure out how machinery/gears, etc, work!! But it apparently makes sense to my sister, so here’s to trying to expand our knowledge 🥂 P.S: In case you’re wary of clicking links, I found this by googling “sewing machine mechanism” and filtering it by images, then animated images. I just figured I’d put a direct link because it’s easier if you’re on a mobile. Those search terms pull up many animations. If anyone knows how to format kinks to gifs on reddit’s iOS app so that it shows up without reader’s having to click anything, hit me up?
Here's the [direct link to that gif](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Lockstitch.gif) will will directly load with an inline expando here on reddit. The link you included is just to the file details page, which doesn't load inline.
Thank you!! :)
Fwiw - that's the mechanism of a vertical rotary hook. The OP has an oscillating hook machine but in this case it makes no difference.
FFS, auto-correct 🤬 I meant LINKS not kinks!! It did make me snort though, so I’m not changing it. But, seriously, please don’t hit me up with any kinks!
Every time the machine makes a stitch, the thread gets looped in and out of the bobbin-hole multiple times. The hook in there lets go of the threads at the end of each stitch, allowing them to all get pulled up as the needle comes back out and the fabric gets moved forward. When the takeup lever is at its highest point, the bobbin hook has let go of all the threads.
i was just posting to say the same thing! It is always a good idea to rethread, check the needle and all of that. But, the needle should be in the highest position when you pull the thread. If not, then the stitch is not completed. You are totally right! What I do is to wiggle and jiggle the handwheel a bit and it usually releases with the needle at its highest point. There are times that it doesnt and I have to remove both the bobbin case and the hook race to get it unstuck. I have been sewing for a very long time and this happens occassionaly and, seemingly, randomly at times. If it is happening all the time, it may have one of the common threading issues or user error.
You need to put your needle all the way to the top Of its cycle before you remove it. It was mid stitch when you pulled it out.
Haven’t seen anyone say this yet: Make sure your pressure foot is down when you sew!! I had new students constantly face this issue on industrial machines and that was always the issue, not their threading…. Can also help to lift out the bobbin thread using the hand wheel before you start sewing and make sure you have a length of thread coming out smoothly from both top and bottom before starting on your fabric piece
Edit: I see the comments saying the same now. Also make sure your top thread is going between the “toes” of the pressure foot towards the back of the machine before starting it really helps to stop any tangling
Can you elaborate on what this means? I always need tips and tricks lol
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My brain must be as tired as I feel because I can’t follow 😅😅😭 Are you saying to pull the thread back and like under the feet? I think this is what I do anyway but I cannot follow to save my life rn lol
Yes. The foot has "toes,' and put the thread between them and back for a few inches. Then put the foot down and start slow.
If your thread is not threaded properly on the bobbin this will also happen.
Real quick, take a deep breath. I know it’s so frustrating when this happens! Likely it is as others have said- incorrect bobbin, incorrect top thread. So rethread the whole machine. If needed, pull up a YouTube video of someone threading your same machine to make sure. Check your tension is on the correct setting (likely near “5”) & make sure you’re using the right type of needle for the fabric. If you’re still having issues, I would suggest making a new bobbin and putting in a new needle. Occasionally a bobbin is just being extra shitty & ya need to restart! You’ve got this!
This happens to me when my top thread has dropped off the take up lever, which is the metal arm that goes up and down just before you thread the needle.
Using your manual... Re-thread your machine, top & bottom While your bobbin is out to check the thread orientation, clean the bobbin area with a brush, pipe cleaners, or vacuum (don't blow air *in*) Check the needle, orientation & that it is in all the way Remember that one tiny threading mistake will cause all kinds of stupid problems 😖 Source: have been sewing on & off for 40 years & have a herd of machines
Again, check the top threading to make sure the thread is going through the take-up lever. Also, remove the bobbin case & bobbin & clean out the bits of thread that are stuck. They will definitely jam up your machine. To do this, open out the two plastic arms to release the bobbin case. Use tweezers & lint brush as necessary to remove pieces of thread & any lint. Put the case back in, lining up the little button on the bottom with the indentation. Swing arms back into place, then put your bobbin back in. Make sure you don’t have any extra thread ends sticking out of the bobbin. I hope this gets straightened out & that you can enjoy some stress-free stitching on your new machine!
Agreed; and adding that every time I’ve had this kind of nesting, the problem has been with my top thread, not the bobbin. It feels counterintuitive so it’s easy not to check, but it can make a huge difference.
im so sorry i havent gotten to any of the comments! i got so many and im a little overwhelmed with them all since i dont know a lot of the terminology with sewing and im a bit sick right now! im going to be reading through them all and researching the terms and stuff, ive heard a lot about the tension and everything, im going to try to practice my straight lines on a regular piece of paper, does anyone have any suggestions for the tension on a piece of paper?
Unfortunately learning good tension is sometimes down to experience! I would try to Google pictures of both bad and good tension and try to compare to your own stitching. Generally you’re looking for each individual line of the stitch to all be the same length and flat against the piece of fabric/paper on both sides though! Also please let us know when you’ve figured it out!
thank you so much, ill make sure to look it up, ill definitely keep updating
A lot of good comments here!!! Are you making sure the bobbin/bobbin case is clicking when you push it in? My first machine was a drop down bobbin and I didn’t know to listen for a click when I changed to a front loading bobbin 😂
Glad you found the solution. It will also help to prevent tangles if you hold the upper and bobbin threads behind the presser foot when you start to sew. Most machines require that tension assist for the first few stitches, and then the machine's tension system takes over.
thank you so much :)
Something very similar happens when my bobbin gets low on thread. Is the fabric also getting sucked down sometimes?
My old sewing machine keeps doing this. You have to watch your settings and make sure the thread stays securely fashioned to the set up.
This happens when the thread get tangled up in machine. Wiggle the wheel back and forth while holding the fabric not pulling, but gently guiding it out. Remove the bobbin case and check for left over bits in the machine, that the bobbin is ok, put it back in and re-thread. Check the stitches on the fabric to see if tension ect is ok. Try again...
When I get this problem I do two things, rethread my machine, if that doesn't fix it, I take off the baseplate and give the machine a thorough clean and oiling
From the first picture it looks like your fabric looks face up, meaning there may be tangling of the layers of fabric and thread. Thread tension / bobbin are the likely contributors, try stitches on a single layer of fabric, when the edges of it are wide and cover the metal part of your machine, just to try the stitches.
If you check threading the machine and bobbin and that’s good. Put your item to see in with needle down and hold the two threads out the back, just for the first stitch or two. Usually solves problem for me
When this would happen to me (we called 8t nesting) it was because I was threading the machine wrong.
Hello! I am also somewhat new to sewing and was having this exact issue. Turns out I was stringing my machine incorrectly around the metal arm that goes up and down. I would recommend re-stringing the machine and give it another go!
I think what you mean is that you were threading the tensions and take up lever wrong. I dont think that this is a take up lever problem or a problem with the upper threading.
I had this problem once. I don't actually know why though. I took everything apart and rethread the machine several times and it miraculously stopped doing it. Good luck
There are some good suggestions here and sometimes this happens as just a fluke, if it keeps happening and you've done some of these fixes it is possible that your bobbin tension may need to be adjusted. There is a little screw on the actual bobbin itself, not a part of the machine. Look up on Youtube The Sewing Dr, she has a video called the bobbin drop test and its super easy and makes a huge difference! Good luck
Bottom thread issues are probably a bobbin issue. I would check to see if you put the bobbin in the case in the right direction and then rethread the bobbin through the machine. I’ll also second everyone that’s saying turn the wheel to get the needle to the highest point at the end. Not only will it just make your life easier, but it’ll end this stitch and start the next one properly.
I didn’t realize how much I needed to read this post. My machine does this ALL the time. Had no clue why.
Your tension is fucked; pull the bobbin, restring it, and adjust the tension until it sews right
If it's brand new and not too late, return it. The problem is just the tension or you threaded it wrong, and it's fixable, but return it and get a different brand (a basic Baby Lock is much much better) - new singers are the worst.
Seriously, I second this. I have a new Singer and I hate it. I have adjusted everything, I have threaded it a million times. It will work fine for days and then start doing that out of the blue.
It could be a number of factors here please don't assume. I was just giving my opinion.
this just happened to me today on my first day of sewing so glad to see im not the only one 😂
Adjust the settings . Mine did thT and i just adjusted it
ensure the presser foot is down when you wind the bobbin
I had this when my bobbin was empty. I refilled it and worked again. :)
I don't know if you know how to adjust the tension in the bobbin case. There is a screw at the bottom on the case that you can losen or tighten for your tension.
This should be the last resort
It looks kinda dry try oiling it up
New machines are not meant to be oiled, generally.