sewing machine gone mad - need urgent help

[busybusychristmashatter]

I know this sounds bizarre - dh thinks it's probably impossible - but it's sewing upside down. ie the good side of the stitching is coming up on the reverse side of the fabric. Please help. what have I done? I've changed the tension - but it's not that. Please tell me there's an upside down switch that I've moved by accident - really don't want it diagnosed with mystery illness two weeks before Christmas. Just in case it means anything to anyone its a Star 240 E and it didn't come cheap. aaaaargghh

It is the tension- look in the book and see how to remedy it- can't remember if what you're describing is too loose or too tight.

Hi Pixiefish - I've played around with the tension though and it's doing it whether I set it realy high or really low, will keep trying, as the book does seem to describe my problem - but the proposed solution doesn't work. Out of interest are you an old hand - are there any books or magazines for idiot beginners like me you'd recommend?

I do think it's the tension busybusy- just keep fiddling with it- also tension depends on the fabric and the cotton used- thin silk requires different tension to heavy denim- also the size of needle- temperamental things sewing machines.
Mum used to do an awful lot of sewing, she taught me and bought me a machine one christmas. that died a death a few years ago and dh bought me a sewing machine last xmas- that hasn't seen the light of day since dd was born. i tend to stick to fairly simple things but i did make a cot tidy for dd out of the same humphrey's corner fabric as the curtains- plus cushions.
mum moved on to patchwork and then designing and now she's into metalwork in a big way- can't really think of any magazines- depends what area of sewing you're interested in really- have a look in wsmiths

Hi again,

just been to have another play and I'm flummoxed. The Brother website says to set tension to 5, done that, still upside down. I think you're probably right, but I have a feeling that maybe something's wrong with the dial. Shouldn't be - I brought it brand new about 6 months ago. So not very happy! Like I've got a spare hour (alone) to lug it to the sewing machine shop...

has it been hit or anything- they're very sensitive- have you tried to sew really thick material or anything- ?

haven't tried to sew anything thick, but it could have been hit I suppose (by a child, when I wasn't there) but it's always in its box, though does tend to live in a corner of the sitting room - although it's a corner that's fairly innaccesible - I didn't realise they were sensitive. Maybe I need to talk to it nicely instead of swearing at it

and stop thumping it . get some ordinary cotton and some ordinary fabric and just try fiddling- micromillimeters can make all the difference- what a pain though

I'll keep trying - I've got the day off work on Monday (with normal childcare still in place...wey-hey) so I can call in at the shop where I bought it and ask them. That's assuming I get ALL my Christmas shopping finished. Thanks the tips

busybusy
Are you absolutely sure you've threaded it correctly? I have my Grandmothers machine (probably around 80 years old and may have almost nothing in common with yours, but...) and often make a tiny error when threading that is a disaster for the stitch.
Good luck

Got to be tension, one is pulling the other,ie one is too tight the other too loose, you'll have to fiddle, had a similar problem and it was bobbin tension, don't usually have to do much to that one eh!

could be the bobbin- make sure the cotton is running freely

Got to be tension or not properly threaded. Start from scratch!!

thanks, will start again. Already re-did the lwer threading and checked the uppoer threading but will try again - I am a novice so could easily have done something stupid (last thing I want is to take it back to teh shop and the women to look at me and say "you've forgotten to press teh jobby-thing" which is entirely possible!

When my machine is being temperamental like this it's never really the tension unless I did something silly like fiddle with the tension because it was being fidgety. What works for me is:
Take a deep, soothing breath. Unthread the whole machine -- top and bottom. Poke around by where the bobbin goes and remove any fluff, thread bits, and whatnot. Very carefully thread the whole machine again and sew a bit on a piece of scrap fabric.

Usually either the top thread is slightly wrong, or there's fluff somewhere important around the bobbin.