Sewing Machine Help!

MrsB

Pursuit Driver
I can not tell y’all how much I am enjoying myself sewing. I am so happy this is something I have picked up, and I hope to just get better at it.

However, I wish I had of gotten the machine that Mei Lan suggested and not the Singer 3116. I thought they were the same, but the 3116 had more stitches. Wellllll…. I have just issues with it. I thought it was me, but a google search Saturday turned up a boat load of bad reviews on Amazon regarding the bobbin. That is where the issue is. Ugh. I am so frustrated with it. It pulls up a whole bunch of threads, makes a huge knot, and then the machine stalls. It was like that in the beginning, then stopped, now it is just terrible.

So, without going totally into detail, here’s what I have done so far: changed the needle (twice), checked and rechecked the bobbin to make sure it was wound and installed correctly, re-wound the bobbin just in case, brushed the lint out of the bobbin holder, and brushed the feed dogs. Still no fix.

My friend in Chatt said it might be bobbin tension. I am going to look into how to fix this myself but I am wondering – just a basic service at Ashby is $70. The machine was only $100.

What do you suggest? Does this problem sound familiar? Can I fix this myself? Should I take it to Ashby? Or just get a new machine since the repair is almost the same price as a new one? Or do what I do when totally angry and just toss the whole thing over the fence, down the bank and into the woods and pray it breaks into a million pieces next time it jams on me and I am in a furious rage?

I am so mad!

And sorry for yet another super long post. Please help. LOL
 
I would google again and see how others fixed it. And I would try bobbin tension. If you don't find a solution with either of those, I'd vote for over the fence. :D
 
I'm kinda with Madea...it was only $100, so I can't think I'd spend a fortune getting someone else to fix it. BUT the bobbin tension thingy might work...that can be a booger if it's set wrong. See what you can do yourself afore you go castin' it over the fence and tellin' husband the dog ate it and you have to buy another. :D
 
Y'all are so funny! LOL That is my thought too - over the fence then get a new, good one. LOL Of course MrB will not know until after the fact. I will have to ask for forgiveness. LOL

I tried to fix the tension myself but it didn’t work. It just made it worse. I tried to adjust the top tension, too. No go.

I am not kidding. This whole ordeal is going to make me cry before it is over with, lol.

I have one more option. I am taking it to Chattanooga with me to my shower where I have two aunts and a good friend that are avid sewers and I m going to beg them to look at it. If that doesn’t work, then over the fence I throw and off to Jo Ann I go. LOL
 
Sorry, I'm no help. I don't use my machine much, as I prefer sewing by hand. (Yeah, I know, I'm sick...but there's something therapuetic about doing it by hand. :)

All I know to do with my machine is sit down, load the thread, press down the foot thing and sew. I never even learned how to use the other stitches on my machine, or change the foot on it. I do know how to change the needle though! :))
 
deewee said:
Sorry, I'm no help. I don't use my machine much, as I prefer sewing by hand. (Yeah, I know, I'm sick...but there's something therapuetic about doing it by hand. :)

All I know to do with my machine is sit down, load the thread, press down the foot thing and sew. I never even learned how to use the other stitches on my machine, or change the foot on it. I do know how to change the needle though! :))
:))

Yeah, I bet I could get stuff done faster by hand rather than stopping to rip stiches and knots every few minutes.

It's so sad - I was working on a blanket grey dot minky on one side and my awesome "Bonehead" cotton fabric on the other. - it's the skull fabric. I wanted to have it done to take to the shower and show everyone how handy and awesome I am now :laugh
 
deewee said:
Sorry, I'm no help. I don't use my machine much, as I prefer sewing by hand. (Yeah, I know, I'm sick...but there's something therapuetic about doing it by hand. :)

All I know to do with my machine is sit down, load the thread, press down the foot thing and sew. I never even learned how to use the other stitches on my machine, or change the foot on it. I do know how to change the needle though! :))

You have my admiration deewee, I detest sewing by hand. I should do it more to get better at it. Won't happen tho. lol
 
MrsB said:
Y'all are so funny! LOL That is my thought too - over the fence then get a new, good one. LOL Of course MrB will not know until after the fact. I will have to ask for forgiveness. LOL

Do it, baby! 'Tis better to ask forgiveness than permission. :Ninja
 
deewee said:
Sorry, I'm no help. I don't use my machine much, as I prefer sewing by hand. (Yeah, I know, I'm sick...but there's something therapuetic about doing it by hand. :)

Sewing by hand is one of my all-time favorite activities. I learned to embroider by hand whilst in college, and I'm planning on taking it back up soon. There really IS something about sewing by hand.
 
Kattie E said:
deewee said:
Sorry, I'm no help. I don't use my machine much, as I prefer sewing by hand. (Yeah, I know, I'm sick...but there's something therapuetic about doing it by hand. :)

All I know to do with my machine is sit down, load the thread, press down the foot thing and sew. I never even learned how to use the other stitches on my machine, or change the foot on it. I do know how to change the needle though! :))

You have my admiration deewee, I detest sewing by hand. I should do it more to get better at it. Won't happen tho. lol

Sewing by hand is why when I make something, it's usually a small project...lol. It does take a lot longer, but it's so incredibly relaxing to me. :)
 
mei lan said:
deewee said:
Sorry, I'm no help. I don't use my machine much, as I prefer sewing by hand. (Yeah, I know, I'm sick...but there's something therapuetic about doing it by hand. :)

Sewing by hand is one of my all-time favorite activities. I learned to embroider by hand whilst in college, and I'm planning on taking it back up soon. There really IS something about sewing by hand.

I've never embroidered but have been thinking about starting a some kind of project using embroidery lately. :)
 
Soooo…. I had my aunts and friend look at my machine. They were baffled. First off, bobbins (the ones it came with and ones I bought) do not fit in the casing – they will fall out when turned over or I try to do the “drop test”. They even tried correcting the tension and rethreading, etc. To make a long story short, they thought it was a crappy machine, like the Amazon reviews said. So, I have been searching and searching and it was down to two, and I chose this one:

http://www.amazon.com/SINGER-7258-Stylist-Sewing-Machine/dp/B003KK807M

The other one is the Brother CS6000i. If this is a crappy machine, too, then I will know it is Singer and will return it in exchange for the Brother. Amazon is great about returns. Oh, and so is JoAnne, since they took the old machine back with no hassle without the box. I did have the receipt, though.

So, what do you think of this one??? I can’t wait to get it! It has automatic tension, so that is why I finally went with this one over the Brother.
 
I don't sew, but my mom is an avid sewer and she said that she would buy a Brother over a Singer because they are made better.
 
MamaHog said:
I don't sew, but my mom is an avid sewer and she said that she would buy a Brother over a Singer because they are made better.
this is what I am afraid of. I really liked the options the Singer offered, but since Ashby Sewing & Cornerstone don't deal in Singer, I had that feeling in the back of my mind.
 
Never used a Brother, but I have had excellent results with a number of Singers. Let us know!!! And good for you for returning it. Oh, goodie!

Hey, when is kidlet supposed to get here, anyway? Aren't you at like 47 weeks already or something? :D :D :D
 
mei lan said:
Never used a Brother, but I have had excellent results with a number of Singers. Let us know!!! And good for you for returning it. Oh, goodie!

Hey, when is kidlet supposed to get here, anyway? Aren't you at like 47 weeks already or something? :D :D :D
Yes, I am at week 47 and he weighs 50lbs. LOL That is what it feels like anyway! A lady asked me at Publix yesterday when my twins were due. I was so shocked I didn't know what do. Other than slap her, but I had enough wherewithal to stop myself. LOL

I will be 33 weeks Sunday!! Woohoo! And my machine should get here sometime from the 13th thru the 18th.
 
Congrats on the new machine! I'm glad they took the crappy one back. Happy sewing!
 
Madea said:
Congrats on the new machine! I'm glad they took the crappy one back. Happy sewing!
Thanks! And me, too. I didn't think they would, or at least I didn't think they'd give me a refund. I can't wait to get the new machine in!! This just makes me love JoAnn even more.
 
Woohoo! My Singer Stylist came in Friday (I couldn't believe how fast!) and I finally got to use it on Sunday and Monday. I did some simple burp cloths at first to try it out. I LOVE IT! I can't believe the difference in the two machines. I am so happy.

I also signed up for a basic sewing class at Ashby to learn basic stitches, pinning, etc. I hope they teach me what all these different feet are used for, too. LOL I can't wait to take that class, either.

This is all Madeas fault, y'all know. She keeps posting these links to these great sites and I see stuff I must learn to make. Especially Prudent Baby. Oh my word.
 
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