I have just purchased a second hand Brother embroidery machine, it's a Disney one and it didn't come with thread, but my sister gave me a few spools that are for machine embroidery, but the machine doesn't seem to be doing any stitches, it's like it isn't picking up the bottom thread. Do you have to use certain threads and am I doing something wrong? I have checked about three times that I have it threaded correctly and don't see anything wrong. Help please.
By Clove
The machine bobbin gear is worn out - might be why it was for sale or give-away.
However, a worn bobbin gear isn't terribly expensive. You need to have a qualified repair tech replace the worn part, and for a small sum more, he/she will go over the machine to clean, oil, and check for anything else needing attention. Worth the less than $100 USD it should cost for a Brother machine.
Now, if this is a computerised model, it's still probably the bobbin gear but may cost you a whopping lot more to have restored to working condition.
It's worth a visit to the repair tech to find out for sure - be sure to tell the tech you want an estimate of costs before making any repairs. The check may cost you, be sure to ask how much to find out what's wrong so you don't have a surprise.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I just got a new to me/used Brother embroidery machine. When I took it out it was just fine, but after a few tines of embroidering with it, now I can't get it to pick up the bottom thread. Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?
By joann from Pawpaw, WV
There may just be a bit of thread-fuzz down in the bobbin area. Something simple like that often throws things off with any kind of sewing of embroidery machine. I've lost hours of work trying to figure out what was wrong and found that the top thread had come out of just one area that didn't show up.
Sometimes you can fix a problem like this just by removing your thread spool and the bobbin completely, clean all areas around both bobbin and upper thread paths with a small sewing machine brush or paintbrush, and re-thread it all again with thread you know to be good. Hope you find what's the matter, it's so disheartening, I know.
I changed the needle, rethreaded top and bottom, and used the proper thread. For some reason the bobbin case does not move enough for the needle to catch the thread. It stopped picking up the thread in the middle of an embroidery job and has not worked since. Any ideas? It is a White 3300 embroidery machine.
By gretta from Wayne, OK
Sounds like you broke a thread and a piece is stuck somewhere (or did it break a needle). Also it will do that if when you rethreaded it you missed or put one in the wrong hole. I have had mine l6 years and still get the threading program wrong at times. And I have had to do others who have done the same thing.
