Vintage Singer issues!

[mumofone234]

Bit of a long shot but I’m hoping someone can help. I’ve got a Victorian Singer sewing machine that I’ve used lightly for about four years. But all of a sudden the thread is unthreading from the needle. I do one or two stitches and the bobbin thread gets all tangled up and the top thread comes out of the needle. I’ve tried adjusting the tension but it doesn’t help - any ideas anyone?

Are you definitely threading the needle the right way round? Have you got a copy of the right user manual? You can go onto the isaacs site, put in the serial number and find your model, PDFs of the manuals are available free if you Google. Otherwise, there might be fluff in the thread path - you can literally floss it with unwaxed dental floss - or fluff and gunk under the bobbin case? Good luck :-)

Are you using a metal bobbin? The new plastic ones don't seem to work with old machines.

Yes, it’s a metal bobbin and I’m 99% sure I’m threading it up correctly as I’ve done it from scratch a few times (just incase I’d had a lapse of concentration) and have threaded it up lots before this with no issues. Flossing the thread path is a good tip though - thanks! I’ll give that a try and see. I’ll also look into downloading a manual - the machine is really old but there might be one out there.

Op keep bumping this thread because when I bought a treadle Singer, an 1812, I got loads of help here.

Good to know, thanks!

It was fluff! Thanks so much for that thought DameFanny! I’d never have considered that.

Hooray! Yes, fluff is the root of most evil

When cleaning out the fluff, do not blow as it leaves moisture behind. Use either a clean makeup brush or a hairdryer.

Could you have the bobbin in the wrong way round? That could snap the top thread.

I didn’t see you’d solved it already

Good thought though, thanks. Oops, I did blow the fluff! But I’ll remember that for next time.