Help I think Ive broke my sewing machine...

[Romans8v30]

As the title says, I have a Janome 7021 machine, and all of a sudden it started to catch all the thread, where the bobben is.

Ever time it happens I take off the metal plate and clean out all the caught thread. But I just dont know what to do, Ive lost my manual and cant find one online. I just dont know how to fix it.

Its only two years old, and Ive never had a problem with it until now...Im at a total loss. I got it from john lewis, do they do services?

[Huggle]

Is it correctly threaded?

Have you tried a different needle for the job?

HTH

[avenanap]

You need to adjust the tension on the bobbin, it's too tight. I would also give it a clean because bits of dust/fabroc can also do this.

[Romans8v30]

Yeah its treaded ok, I was just running up some scrap pieces, it was working fine one minute and not the next. I never changed a setting. Ive just tried it with a different tension(dont know if it was the right one), and its still doing the same thing.

[avenanap]

Mine keeps gathering the thread up underneith. Have you tried a different cloth?

[Romans8v30]

Yip, Ive tried almost everything, it appears to have something to do with the top thread getting caught underneath...Oh well looks like I may have to pay to get it serviced.

[lucykate]

thread gathering is usually quite simple to troubleshoot and mend, try this -

get a torch and shine it into where the bobbin goes to double check that all loose bits of thread have gone, no snagged bits still trapped.

check bobbin thread is wound on evenly, if it has snagged, it can pull the thread and make it all uneven, maybe try it with a newly wound bobbin.

check the bobbin is in the correct way round

check top thread is threaded correctly

check top thread tension, tension being too tight or too loose can cause a whole heap of problems (my dc's were little devils for fiddling with the tension dial on my old machine!, they can't find it on the new machine!!)

try a new needle too in case the needle is bent

[avenanap]

Lucykate is a star! I shall try the needle tomorrow because I've tried all the rest. Thanks.

[Romans8v30]

LucyKate- The new bobbin seems to have sorted it. And played with the tension slightly, so Im all happy now. Thanks ladies. Just another quick question but how often should I change my needles?

[lucykate]

romans, changing a needle really depends on how much sewing you do, and what kind of fabric it is, heavy weights, like denim, will blunt a needle quite quickly. i usually change mine about once a month but then i use my machine every day.

glad to have helped, no need to pay for a service if you can sort these things yourself. my old machine was 18 years old and has never once been serviced, it has however, now gone into retirement and been replaced with a rather plush bernina!

[Romans8v30]

I just use fairly light weight cottons, although I did make a pair of curtains not so long ago(they where quilte heavy cotton) I think I'll try a new needle as well. I would love to use my machine everyday, Ive lots of things I would love to try, Ive just finished my first quilt(not great but its just for my dd to sit on, instead of our wooden floors)

[moocowme]

i have a janome 9000 so not quite the same model but one thing the repair man told me when i took it in for a swervice was that the only part on the janome that can wear out fast is the bobbin casing as it has some plastic parts. i felt not quite so stressed after that as it was not to expensive to repair. Although I did have to go a week without my machine!!!