Why is my lower sewing thread so loose?
I have recently acquired my grandmothers first electric sewing machine, a Singer 301a, which had been in storage for almost 20 years. After spending several hours cleaning it and making sure everything was back in place correctly, thanks to the original manual, I tried to use it. While trying to sewing a simple seam I noticed the bottom thread (of the seam) is not always pulled taunt. I’ve tried adjusting the bobbin tension and stitch tensions but neither seem to help. I’m using cotton fabric and poly thread. The loops appear randomly in the middle of the seams, coming and going as they wish, while the speed of the machine is going stead. Does anyone know why this is happening and how I can fix it?
New needle, right way around, (try a size 80/12 universal point for now), and make sure you thread the top with the presser foot up. Presser foot down when threading means the upper thread doesn’t get into the tension, which lets it make loops on the underside of the fabric.
The flat of the needle shank goes toward the back of the machine.
We get this question so often that I made a series of photos of what happens with a mildly misthreaded machine. The photos are in pairs, upper surface of the fabric as we’re sewing first, then the undersurface. Blue thread in the top, red thread in the bobbin, so you can see what’s going on.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/22521551
Do you have the manual? If not, you should get a copy (the free W301 on the Singer site is NOT the manual for this machine, but the payforit $15 manual at the top is: http://www.singerco.com/accessories/manuals.html ) Threading here: http://www.sewusa.com/Threading_Diagrams/Threading_Pages/Singer_Sewing_Machine_Threading/singer_301_threading.htm
This is a machine that must be kept clean and properly oiled. Use only sewing machine oil, not 3 in 1 oil (it gums up and freezes the machine) nor WD-40 type stuff (it’s a solvent, not a lubricant, and evaporates and freezes up the machine.) I make it a habit to spend a couple of minutes cleaning the lint out (brush and vacuum only, not canned air!) and oiling machines that need it before I sit down to sew each day. Saves a ruddy fortune in repairs.
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