How to Fix a Brother Sewing Machine Bobbin

Threaded sewing machine bobbins may vary in size.

The purpose of the Brother sewing machine bobbin is to lock the stitches in place. The thread winds around the outside of the bobbin case and is drawn up to the needle to form the stitch. Problems with the bobbin do occur and cause the machine to sew stitches incorrectly, break needles or cause the sewing machine to not sew at all. Fixing the bobbin problem takes some detective work.

Things You'll Need

• Brother bobbins
• Quality sewing machine thread
• Brother manual

Instructions

1. Use only the Brother bobbins. Generic bobbins may look similar but are slightly different and will not sew correctly.

2. 

   Winding the bobbin.

   Rewind a new bobbin with the thread from the problem bobbin. Wind the thread by hand around the bobbin shank, six to seven times, then let the sewing machine wind the rest using the highest speed. Never put the thread through the small holes in the bobbin.

3. Wind bobbins on the highest speed on the sewing machine. This keeps the tension constant and winds a more even bobbin.

4. 

   Case to hold the bobbin.

   Look to see whether the bobbin is in the bobbin case correctly. The Brother sewing machine bobbin case has a small white arrow pointing to the correct alignment position. If the bobbin is not aligned properly, the needle can bend or break.

5. 

   Use tweezers to remove threads caught in the bobbin case.

   Check the bobbin casing for any loose threads that may have gotten tangled in the bobbin case, and remove those threads. Use tweezers to remove threads that cannot be pulled out by hand. Also remove fabric lint with a small paint brush.

6. 

   Use quality thread for the sewing machine.

   Use only quality sewing machine thread. There are different types of threads used for machine sewing, hand sewing, quilting and embroidery.

7. 

   Sew on scrap fabric to check the stitching.

   Sew on a sample cloth to check the stitches. The upper tension may need adjusting according to the thickness and type of fabric. Incorrect upper tension could give the impression the bobbin thread needs adjusting.

8. Turn the bobbin screw to the right one-quarter turn (note the original position before changing.) Adjusting the bobbin screw is not recommended when using regular sewing thread.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase another bobbin case to use with thicker thread when sewing special projects. Loosen the bobbin screw to allow more space for the thicker thread.

• Look at how the bobbin case is positioned before removing it the first time. Draw a simple picture to help remember the settings.

• Never oil the bobbin casing-the oil will get onto the thread.

References

• Brother: Download Manuals and Product Documentation

Resources

• Craftstylish: Tame your bobbin tails