Sewing Machine / Serger Q&A

[SpottedFrog]

In general Juki is a good brand, they are not marketed as much in the US so a good chunk of us have little to no experience with them :/

[Hellga]

okay, i just got my "new" sewing machine...it sewed just fine for a while, till i broke the needle. i replaced it with a brand new needle, and since then it has been skipping stitches like crazy. i tried two other needles, of different sizes and brands, and also tried different thread and rethreading the machine, and switching back to the original bobbin that came with the machine. i'm going crazy!

oh, i also tried different fabrics and fabric thicknesses and changing the tension.

any ideas?

[pibbgirl]

okay, i just got my "new" sewing machine...it sewed just fine for a while, till i broke the needle. i replaced it with a brand new needle, and since then it has been skipping stitches like crazy. i tried two other needles, of different sizes and brands, and also tried different thread and rethreading the machine, and switching back to the original bobbin that came with the machine. i'm going crazy!

oh, i also tried different fabrics and fabric thicknesses and changing the tension.

any ideas?

needle in backwards?  I've had that problem before with machines that let you put the needle in any way you want and it causes it to skip stitches

[rottenlittleboys]

And I do mean each time I either replace a bobbin or begin working on a new piece. Either my tension is too little or too much.

Is this normal? I have a Brother C-80, a decent if not incredible machine.

[Muria]

And I do mean each time I either replace a bobbin or begin working on a new piece. Either my tension is too little or too much.

Is this normal? I have a Brother C-80, a decent if not incredible machine.

Unless you're incredibly picky about your thread tension,  I wouldn't think you'd need to readjust the top tension when you refill the bobbin.  If you're changing projects, and there's a significant difference in the type of fabric, tension should be checked.  I admit, I'm not as picky as I should be about accurate thread tension.

[rottenlittleboys]

[quote author=Muria link=topic=37401.msg2626490#msg2626490 date=1207707511
Unless you're incredibly picky about your thread tension,  I wouldn't think you'd need to readjust the top tension when you refill the bobbin. [/quote]

Nah, I am not that picky. The difference is generally pretty great. It is almost like my machine is having a melt down at having the change things around. 

 

[SpottedFrog]

Something is definately out of kilter but the limited information makes it very hard to diagnose :/

Maybe some demo pictures? I don't know what else would help us help you...

[rottenlittleboys]

No, please no. If it happens again, I will take pictures. But I hope it will stop misbehaving. 

Thanks. 

[missnihkii]

sooo. i just signed up for a debit card, which gives you like 10 bucks off of a purchase 100+.. so im thinking of getting this machine.. i guess 10 bucks isnt really that much but hey whatever right? tell me your suggestions?

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Brother-BC1000-Computerized-Sewing-Machine/2658696/product.html
or maybe this?

this one would be like 50 dollars for me, and its basic, but im not sure.. id liek to go cheap

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Brother-LS-30-Sewing-Machine/3019427/product.html

[Muria]

In my opinion, you'll have a lot more flexibility with the first machine. Of course, if you're not sure if you'll use it, the second one requires less of a commitment.

Also, since the second one's not $100+, would you still get $10 off?

Regarding one of your other posts on the subject, I haven't been especially impressed with Singers (my local shop didn't seem especially friendly, implying that I bought a cheap Singer, and that if I wanted help with it, I would have to buy a better Singer from them. Of course, YMMV). For reviews of specific machines, you can try www.patternreview.com.  They're reviews done by consumers who actually own the machines, but I've found it's a bit daunting to wade through all the machine reviews to find the best one for you. However, if you're looking for a review of a specific machine, it's a great resource.