Why is my sewing machine doing this?

[Bobbiepin]

I have a hobbycraft 19s sewing machine and its somehow pulling multiple threads up through the bottom plate - I have no idea where these are coming from.

I've taken the bottom apart, cleaned and oiled it and getting exactly the same.

Any ideas?!

Somebody will explain this better, but I think it’s a tension problem between the needle and the bobbin. Have you got the manual to explain how to adjust the tension?

Wrong needle, wrong thread, wrong tension? Change all of these one by one.

Is the bobbin in the right way round?

Thread problems underneath are usually a top thread problem. Try adjusting tension, stitch length, stitch type, also look at speed. Also consider a new needle, needle type for fabric.
I'd then look at if the bobbin is threaded correctly. Potentially re winding it.

Mi efif this when I used cheep thread x

I think it's tension, too - the sewing machine has thread from the bobbin underneath and thread from the reel on top, and it loops them together as it passes thought the material for each stitch. Ideally, the crossover point is in between the two layers, but if the tension is wrong you get big loops, and these will get tangled in the main thread and it all jams up and there is swearing...

It's not a clear photo on my phone, but it looks like you're sewing something quite thick, possibly with padding? So it needs adjusting from a usual tension used on just two thinner layers.

I can never remember which way to tighten or loosen the tension, but these days, we have the Internet, and I bet Google will know if you search for "adjusting sewing machine tension" or similar.

I agree with @Portakalkedi . I would check the needle first. Is it correct for the fabric. Then look at tension.

I agree that the wrong thread might be an issue. I was at a sewing class and the woman next to me was having huge problems with tangles under her material. Her thread was from Lidl. I had spare thread with me, I only use Aurifil or Mettler. I gave her one of my spools and she wound a new bobbin and she was fine with good thread top and bottom.

It might also help to hold both threads when starting the seam so that the ends don't get pulled down into the mechanism. I almost never cut my thread when I'm sewing, I use leaders and enders instead. There are loads of YouTube videos about it, like this

Check it's threaded properly too, this has happened to me before and I've realised the very last guard loop above the needle wasn't holding the thread and it had messed the tension up.

I had this the other day and it resolved when I reloaded the bobbin, which was down to about 1/3 and didn’t look at all evenly wound.

That's so useful thank you.

I'm using gutterman thread that I dont usually have a problem with. I'm sewing a memory bear so its just one layer of school uniform (jumper, school dress etc) with some interfacing. Its not particularly thick. I think the needle can cope with it.

I tried rethreading the top and that seemed to help but if I did need to adjust the tension, would it be up or down?

Also check inside the bobbin to make sure the thread is unfurling in the right direction. Sometimes it messes up if it wasn't wound on smoothly in the first place. I would pull the excess out of the bobbin so it was running smoothly again and then install.

That’s a bobbin threading issue - usually. Even if I’ve missed a tiny incremental step in threading my bobbin, this happens to me. However, it can also happen if you are using the incorrect weight thread for your fabric and/or your tension settings aren’t right.

Id get a better sewing machine, I suspect a plastic one from Hobbycraft isn’t going to perform very well in the long run.

I had exactly this issues and this was the problem.

I took both the bobbin and the top thread off entirely and rethreaded the machine and it fixed the issue.

Kind of a 'turn it off and on again' solution but it worked.

It seems to be working fine for now, thanks everyone.

@gerispringer I have no need or the finances to spend hundreds on a fancier machine. This usually suits me fine, for the little sewing jobs I do.