All tangled up

The needle never moves forward/back on its own for most sewing machines. The needle bar goes up and down. The fabric moves due to the action of the feed dogs. First remove the fabric from under the presser foot. Check for tangled thread wrapped around the feed dogs or fabric/thread going down into the bobbin area in a tangle. Next check if the feed dogs are up. (When the feed dogs are down or covered (on some machines), the machine is in darning mode. The fabric will only move if you move it yourself.) With the fabric out of the way, rotate the hand wheel and check if the feed dogs are moving. Open up the bobbin compartment and clean out any lint, thread or other debris that may be tangling the mechanism. Take off the throat plate and check the feed dogs. A damaged throat plate can stop the feed dogs from moving properly. You may need to replace the throat plate.

For some machines, you may need to make sure that the unit is not in bobbin wind mode. This is usually obvious since the needle bar won't move either.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

try another needle-- one for the fabric being sewed

make sure the top thread has not come off the thread take up lever

clean under the needle plate and in the bobbin area for lint


make sure the bobbin is inserted into the bobbin case correctly

make sure the bobbin is turned the correct way in the bobbin case

Try these suggestions

1. Change the needle--use a needle that's for the fabric being sewed

2. Rethread the machine--top --make sure to use every thread guide

3. try a different bobbin--make sure bobbin is inserted correctly into the bobbin case, & make sure the bobbin is turned the correct way in the bobbin case

4. make sure the thread has not come off the thread take up lever

5. Clean under the needle plate & in the bobbin area for lint or threads

try changing the needle--make sure it's the correct one for the fabric
being sewed
rethread the machine ---using every thread guide
try using a different bobbin
try turning the bobbin over the other direction
clean under the needle plate and in the bobbin area for lint
also could be a timing problem and the machine would need to be
checked at a sewing machine repair shop

try these suggestions
change the needle
rethread the machine top 7 bobbin ---make sure the presser foot is in the up position before rethreading--use every thread guide
clean under the needle plate & in the bobbin area for lint
make sure the thread has not come off the thread take up lever
make sure the bobbin is turned the right way in the bobbin case & that
the bobbin is not over full

try changing the needle
try tightening the top tension one number or letter at a time till the stitch look better
take the bobbin out & reinsert the bobbin into the bobbin case, also make sure the bobbin is not damaged
clean under the needle plate & in the bobbin area for loose threads or lint

Refer to the maintenance section of the manual for the machine and clean as instructed to make sure the bobbin area and shuttle are free of lint and thread tangles.

Re-thread the machine with the presser foot up and see if this doesn't stop the problem.

Open the bobbin area and make sure it is clean.

Change to a new needle.

Thread the machine with the presser foot up.

Make sure the bobbin thread is feeding in the correct direction from the bobbin spool and through the guide on the bobbin case.

Take hold of the end of the top thread and lower, then raise the needle to pull the bobbin thread up.

Take hold of both thead ends and pull them under the presser foot and to the back of the machine.

Place fabric under the presser foot. Lower and hand walk the first couple of stitches.

When sewing, and you need to stop to adjust the fabric, make sure the needle is down into the fabric. This will keep the stitch from malformation and causing a possible tangle.

If you need a manual, you can download one free at the Brother website.

First, open the needle plate and make sure the bobbin area is clean and free of lint and thread.

Check the needle to make sure it is not bent and is properly inserted into the holder - usually with the flat side facing to the back of the machine.

Refer to your manual for bobbin insertion to be sure the thread is feeding from the bobbin in the correct direction and through the proper guides.

Always thread a sewing machine with the presser foot up. This opens the tension control and allows the thread to properly enter.

When the foot is down, the tension control closes to the sewing setting and if the thread is not in place, there is no tension on the thread and it gets loopy.

After threading, lower and raise the needle while holding onto the thread tail. This will pull the bobbin thread up through the needle plate. Take hold of both threads and take them under the presser foot and to the back of the machine.

Hand walk the first stitch when sewing and this should keep the top and bottom thread from tangling.

When stopping to change the position of the fabric (turning a corner, sewing a curved seam for example), do so with the needle down into the fabric. This not only anchors the fabric so it does not slip, but prevents mis-stitching.

If you are doing everything according to the manual and are still having a problem, the machine may need to be professionally serviced.

At first, my machine was getting all tangled under the fabric and then would stop working because it was tangled in the bobbin area. Now the bobbin area is staying clear but there are no stiches being made. I have no idea what to do. [email protected]