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Original poster

Bastard recalcitrant overlocker

54 replies

cottagegardenflower · 17/07/2022 12:46

I have a love/hate relationship with my toyota overlocker. I broke a needle and managed to get another one in but since then it only sews with 3 not 4 threads. I've checked threading on a you tube video (book is inconprehensible and the diagram on the machine is only for Borrowers).

any hints to resolve this.
posting for traffic and can't find a sewing section.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
LargeBadSwanCollider · 17/07/2022 12:48

Love this thread title despite having no idea what the content of the thread was going to be about. Enjoyable click bait.

Decidualcast · 17/07/2022 12:50

Wonderful title. I thought it was referring to a man.

Original poster
cottagegardenflower · 17/07/2022 13:05

Haha... it was invented by a man I'm sure! Sewing Bee fans will know what it is. I may have to pay £50 to have a....man look at it. Bastard thing, its the devil's own work.

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Art & design
ReluctantCourier · 17/07/2022 13:07

Hi I’ve got an overlocker and I love it for the 20% of the time I am using it to overlock and not rethreading it/looking at the manual… so no real tips but solidarity?!

WhichBitchIsWhich · 17/07/2022 13:09

What's it doing wrong?

Standard advice is unthread it, replace the needles (with the correct type
for the fabric you want to sew), change the blades if they could be blunted, and then rethread in the right order (usually right to left but mine is a funny fucker and goes from the middle out). Then try again.

WhichBitchIsWhich · 17/07/2022 13:10

Oh and find the broken bit of needle. It could well be inside there making it fuck up.

pastabest · 17/07/2022 13:10

I don't have a Toyota but in mine there's like, a pin/lever that you move to either make it a three thread overlock or a 4 thread overlock. Have you checked your manual about switching between 3 or 4 thread overlooking as the answer my lie there.

CeratopsofthePharoahs · 17/07/2022 13:13

All overlockers are bastards. I had a Singer branded one that was supposed to be able to do rolled hems. It would roll the hem about half way round and then make a massive CLANK noise and then go back to it's normal overlocker stitch. Bastard.

I currently have a Silver brand one. It has generally behaved itself as long as you don't want it to actually do anything.

Did you find all the bits of the needle? My experience is that it doesn't take much to gum up the works of them. I occasionally blast mine with a can of compressed air that you normally use to clean a computer. Mine also had some random settings on it that you had to change if you were using 3 or 4 threads. Damn thing is almost as temperamental as a printer.

BobMortimersPocketMeat · 17/07/2022 13:15

Bastard Recalcitrant Overlocker would be a fab band name.

OP, I don’t have a Toyota, but mine is very fond of holding on to bits it shouldn’t, so I’d recommend making sure you’ve found the broken bit of needle, and that it hasn’t lodged itself somewhere.

Mine also is temperamental about getting the needle for the lower looper back into position after rethreading, and messing up because of that. Worth checking that everything has actually sprung back into place exactly.

dubyalass · 17/07/2022 13:19

I attempted a 'lettuce hem' on mine last week. Nope. Just looked like a slightly stretched out normal hem.

Anyway, echo the suggestion to check knobs and dials etc. And thanks to whoever mentioned compressed air, I've been meaning to buy some for ages but nowhere stocks it near me so online it is.

WhichBitchIsWhich · 17/07/2022 13:23

CeratopsofthePharoahs · 17/07/2022 13:13

All overlockers are bastards. I had a Singer branded one that was supposed to be able to do rolled hems. It would roll the hem about half way round and then make a massive CLANK noise and then go back to it's normal overlocker stitch. Bastard.

I currently have a Silver brand one. It has generally behaved itself as long as you don't want it to actually do anything.

Did you find all the bits of the needle? My experience is that it doesn't take much to gum up the works of them. I occasionally blast mine with a can of compressed air that you normally use to clean a computer. Mine also had some random settings on it that you had to change if you were using 3 or 4 threads. Damn thing is almost as temperamental as a printer.

Don't use compressed air! You can blow bits further in. Get a set of mini hoover attachments from eBay/Amazon instead.

pastabest · 17/07/2022 13:25

I occasionally blast mine with a can of compressed air that you normally use to clean a computer

I thought that was a huge no no for sewing machines and overlockers?

Original poster
cottagegardenflower · 17/07/2022 13:40

WhichBitchIsWhich · 17/07/2022 13:09

What's it doing wrong?

Standard advice is unthread it, replace the needles (with the correct type
for the fabric you want to sew), change the blades if they could be blunted, and then rethread in the right order (usually right to left but mine is a funny fucker and goes from the middle out). Then try again.

I thread it up correctly according to you tube then sew and it cuts fine, but one needle doesn't join in the fun and I get a 3 thread overlock instead of 4. Going to use that for now, but I would rather stick needles (broken or otherwise) in my eyes that put another needle in. It's designed for pixies with tiny hands and tinier screwdrivers.

OP posts:
WhichBitchIsWhich · 17/07/2022 13:43

Ok so you may have knocked your timing out of whack when the needle broke.

Have you tried turning it sloooowwwly by hand and seeing if the looper thread is catching both needles?

Original poster
cottagegardenflower · 17/07/2022 13:44

I will check for the needle bit as I didn't find the broken bit, which you normally find with a normal sewing machine. I'm going to use 3 threads, as that seems to work (no idea why). The instruction book is in English but confusing as buggery.

I'm so glad others find them little shits too!

OP posts:
Original poster
cottagegardenflower · 17/07/2022 13:45

I've got loads of sewing machine needles and ones which I think, came with the overlocker, but maybe best bet is to order new.

I bet Stephen king named the Overlock Hotel after one of these machines 😂

OP posts:
DoubleGauze · 17/07/2022 13:50

I have no words of advice , but you have my sympathy op. I hope you get it sorted soon.

I've just bought one and regret it already. I've spent over an hour threading , re threading and adjusting. It still doesn't do what it's supposed to. The stretch stitches on my sewing machine finally have the appreciation they deserve.

pastabest · 17/07/2022 13:51

cottagegardenflower · 17/07/2022 13:44

I will check for the needle bit as I didn't find the broken bit, which you normally find with a normal sewing machine. I'm going to use 3 threads, as that seems to work (no idea why). The instruction book is in English but confusing as buggery.

I'm so glad others find them little shits too!

It works because most overlockers offer you the option of a three or a four thread overlock.

it sounds like it's currently doing a three thread overlock, it might well not be broken you might just have to work out how to switch it back to 4 thread overlock mode.

Wheresmysewjo · 17/07/2022 13:55

Mine played up when a small finger bit had come off the needle plate. I dont know the technical terms but the two parallel prongs in the picture, one had snapped off.

Mine is a brother and incredibly temperamental.

Bastard recalcitrant overlocker
ChicCroissant · 17/07/2022 13:57

I clicked on this hoping it wasn't about threading one up, I refuse to have one after seeing a far more experienced sewer than me have issues with one!

Hope you sort it out OP, at least it's working even if it's not quite how you intended. Perhaps the missing broken bit of needle is forcing the machine into 3 thread mode <long shot>

Original poster
cottagegardenflower · 17/07/2022 14:14

I bet I've put the needle in the wrong way, but now not sure what is the right way or even which one I changed. Giving up, will just use the zig zag on my equally temperamental Toyota sewing machine.

OP posts:
pastabest · 17/07/2022 14:23

It's unlikely you have put the needle in the wrong way.

can you compare the picture posted by wheresmysewjo to the plate on your overlocker? Are both the pins/fingers still present on yours?

WhichBitchIsWhich · 17/07/2022 15:05

Post a close up of how it's threaded and the needles!

3luckystars · 17/07/2022 15:07

I have spent hours threading mine. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s a mystery to me.

LeroyJenkinssss · 17/07/2022 15:17

I have a singer one and when it works it’s beautiful and lovely… but it just decides whether to work properly or not. I don’t think I influence it either way with the knob twiddling, it either decides to give me beautifully tensioned overlocking or not.

now my mom has a baby lock air over locker which works every. single. time. Honestly it’s a massive reason why I was happy for them to move in with us. Ridiculously expensive but genuinely perfect.