Last Updated on 6 months by Susan Mayrich
Do you want to know about Singer sewing machine bobbin winding problems and amp solutions? It can be frustrating and time-consuming for any sewer to encounter problems with their bobbin. Therefore, it is essential to know how to identify the problem and what steps you should take next.
The bobbin winding process is not always easy. Sometimes it can be challenging to wind your bobbin and get it started correctly. This can cause problems with tension, threading issues, and even broken needles.
This article will help you understand your singer sewing machine’s bobbin winding system, troubleshoot common issues, and offer some quick fixes so that you can get back to sewing in no time.
What Is A Bobbin Winder?
A bobbin winder is a sewing machine device that helps wind the thread around the bobbin. It is used to create the tension needed for the stitches to be consistent. Without a bobbin winder, it would be tough to evenly wind thread around the bobbin. This would lead to problems with tension and stitches.
Where Is The Bobbin Winder On A Sewing Machine?
The bobbin winder (or needle threader for older machines) is usually located on the left side of almost every sewing machine. It may be in a winding box or a compartment with a flap that opens to reveal a small wire spool.
The bobbin is attached to the spool and held in place with a cap that screws on or closes with a snap. The spool fits into the winder mechanism and rotates when you sew, winding thread onto the bobbin.
Parts Of A Bobbin Winding System
The Singer bobbin winding system consists of several parts. The main components are the spool cap, the bobbin winder arm with tension spring, and the bobbin itself.
#1. The spool
This secures the spool of thread to the spindle and has a small hole in the center that the thread must pass through to be wound onto the bobbin.
#2. The bobbin winder arm
This is attached to the machine body and has a tension spring that tightens around the bobbin winder shaft as you turn it. This tension spring helps keep the thread taut as it winds onto the bobbin.
#3. The bobbin winder shaft
This is attached to the bobbin winder arm and turns as you rotate the arm.
#4. The bobbin itself
The bobbin sits on the bobbin winder shaft and has a small hole in the center that the thread passes through to reach the bobbin winder shaft.
Sewing Machine Bobbin Winding Issues
Many reasons, such as the following, can cause the bobbin winding problems:
#1. The spool cap is not adequately secured to the spindle, and the thread is slipping off the spool.
#2. The bobbin winder arm is not in the correct position or is not tightened securely against the spindle.
#3. The bobbin winder shaft is not attached securely to the bobbin winder arm.
#4. The thread is trapped under the tension spring of the bobbin winder arm.
#5. There is no thread on the spool of thread or in the machine’s needle, causing it to stop abruptly.
Ways To Avoid Sewing Machine Bobbin Winding Problems
Here are the ways how to avoid or at least, get rid of singer sewing machine bobbin winding problems:
#1. Troubleshooting the machine
To troubleshoot this problem, start by checking the following:
#1. First, ensure the spool cap is adequately secured to the spindle and that the thread passes through the hole in the center.
#2. Ensure the bobbin winder arm is in the correct position and is tightened securely.
#3. Make sure the bobbin winder shaft is correctly connected to the bobbin winder arm and that it turns freely.
#4. Un-thread any stuck thread under the tension spring of the bobbin winder arm.
#5. Is there a thread in both spools of thread and the machine’s needle? If not, re-thread the machine and try again.
#2. Double-checking the parts of the machine
There could be many reasons why this happens, but it’s worth checking one before doing anything else, try double-check these parts:
#1. The bobbin is not inserted correctly on the bobbin winder shaft.
#2. The bobbin winder also might not be fully engaged.
#3. The tension disks do not match each other (they can be slightly out of alignment).
#4. The bobbin is not seated correctly in the housing (it should be slightly recessed in its seat).
#5. You are using the wrong type of bobbin for your machine.
#6. The thread was not correctly inserted into the bobbin.
#7. Excess thread wrapped around the thread post inside the sewing machine.
#8. Bobbin case missing from the machine or installed incorrectly.
#9. Damaged bobbin winder on the machine.
Solutions when sewing machine not winding the bobbin
If you are experiencing any of these problems, please follow the steps below to troubleshoot and hopefully fix the issue:
#1. Check to make sure the bobbin is installed correctly in the machine.
You should install the bobbin even with the notch in the needle plate. The bobbin thread should look like the letter “j” when pulled gently from underneath on the underside of the sewing machine.
If the bobbin case is missing from the machine or installed incorrectly, this may cause problems with stitch quality.
#2. Check that the bobbin winder shaft is secure. You might not wind the thread tight enough on the bobbin.
#3. Try loosening one side and then tightening the other.
#4. Try inserting yours correctly and ensuring it’s appropriately seated in the housing. If this doesn’t solve the problem, try loosening and tightening everything for a snug fit and making sure all screws are tight.
#5. Use only bobbins explicitly designed for your model sewing machine. If this all seems fine, you may need to take it to a repair center and get an experienced technician to check it out further.
#6. Make sure the thread is correctly inserted into the bobbin. The thread should be coming out of the slot in the top of the bobbin and going into the hole in the side of the bobbin. If there is excess thread wrapped around the thread post inside the sewing machine, it will prevent the bobbin from spinning correctly and cause problems with the stitch quality.
#7. For thread wrapped around the thread post inside the sewing machine.
Two things need to be done in this case.
- Thread clog. If there is a knot of thread wrapped around the bobbin post, use tweezers or needle-nose pliers to remove it.
- Unwound thread
#8. Install a bobbin case on the machine to be seated properly.
#9. Damaged bobbin winder on machine. If the bobbin winder is damaged, it will not be able to wind the bobbin properly, and this will cause problems with the stitch quality. Replace the bobbin winder if it is damaged.
Also, check to ensure there are no obstructions in the singer bobbin winder. Any lint, thread, or other debris caught in the singer bobbin winder may prevent the bobbin from spinning correctly.
The spool of thread may not be on top of the spindle. Try moving it up to see if that helps. If this doesn’t solve your problem, try tightening and loosening everything for a snug fit and making sure all screws are tight.
#3. Bobbin not turning
There are a few possible reasons why your bobbin might not be turning.
#1. Something caught in the bobbin case, such as thread, lint, or dust.
#2. The spindle on the sewing machine is not lined up properly with the bobbin.
#3. The needle is hitting the bobbin as it goes up and down, it can cause the bobbin to stop turning.
What to do when bobbin not turning
To troubleshoot the problem, you will need to open up your bobbin case and check it. If there is thread or lint stuck there, get a pair of needle-nose pliers and remove them.
If the problem is that the spindle is not lined up properly with the bobbin, you need to fix this to get your machine working again. Follow the simple steps below:
#1. To do this, remove the bobbin case from the sewing machine and then carefully take off the metal cover.
#2. You will see a white plastic piece inside the bobbin case about halfway down. This is the spindle, and it needs to be in the correct position.
#3. The notch on the spindle should line up with the small raised dot on the bobbin case.
#4. If it does not, you will need to adjust it.
#5. You may also need to tighten the tension on your machine. The tension will help move your bobbin thread, which will help wind up the bobbins.
#4. Looping underneath
Several reasons why your Singer sewing machine might be looping underneath the fabric. One of the most common reasons is that the upper thread is not correctly threaded through the tension mechanism and has not been threaded through the take-up lever.
This problem can be caused by several factors, such as the thread being too thick or too thin for the machine or the thread not being seated correctly in the tension discs.
If the thread is not placed correctly in the tension discs, it will not be able to provide the correct amount of tension, which will cause the upper thread to form loops.
As long as the upper thread is threaded correctly, it should not loop. Problems with the tension discs are often caused by the thread that is too thick or has been incorrectly placed on the tension discs.
A simple solution to this problem is to replace the thread with a thinner one or adequately place it on the tension discs.
Another common cause for this type of thread looping is that the upper needle is not in good condition and needs to be replaced. It is essential to use the correct needle for your type of thread.
#5. Bobbin winder not spinning
There can be several reasons why your bobbin winder isn’t spinning. The first thing you should do is check to ensure that the bobbin winder is correctly attached to your machine. If it is, then there are a few other things you can check:
#1. The bobbin winder may be dirty or clogged. Clean it with a brush or compressed air.
#2. The spindle may be bent or damaged. You can try straightening it out or replacing it.
#3. The belt may be loose or broken. Tighten the belt or replace it if necessary.
#4. The motor may be malfunctioning. Try replacing the motor if none of the other solutions work.
#5. One possibility is that the thread is too tight.
#6. Another possibility is that the spindle on the bobbin winder is blocked. If you have a seam ripper, try unblocking the spindle using the pointy end to clear any debris.
#7. If that doesn’t work, you might need to remove the bobbin winder and clean it out. The final possibility is that the bobbin winder gear is stripped.
#6. Bobbin thread is all loopy
There can be several reasons why your bobbin thread is loopy. The first thing you should do is check to ensure that the thread is going into the bobbin case correctly.
If it’s not, your machine may not be able to wind the thread correctly. You should also make sure that the spool is placed on the machine correctly and that the thread is coming out of the hole in the middle of the spool.
If everything looks correct, your machine may be experiencing tension problems. You can try adjusting the tension knob on your machine to see if that fixes the problem.
Once you’ve done that, you should check your bobbin to ensure it’s not incorrectly wound.
Another possibility is the tension on the bobbin spool may be too tight. Rewind the bobbin with your machine set to “light” tension and see if that fixes it.
If not, try loosening the tension (make it heavier) by turning the dial on your machine towards “h” (or looser).
This will make the wound thread tighter and less likely to loop around onto itself when winding onto the spool.
#7. Bobbin winding loosely
The most likely cause of your bobbin winding loosely is that the tension on the sewing machine is set too high. If you need to, you can adjust it, so it’s looser.
But if it’s wound too loose, you probably won’t be able to bottom-bobbin wind. Instead, the thread will come off the spool and wind onto your bobbin.
Then when you start sewing, it’ll unwind back on your machine. Even though the tension is set too high, the thread will break every time.
The best way to adjust it is, while you’ve got your bobbin winding poorly, mark precisely how much thread should stick out of the top of the bobbin when it’s complete.
Then look at your manual and see what tension control on your machine adjusts that amount of thread sticking out of the top of the bobbin.
Then turn the tension dial a couple of clicks towards loose, and try rewinding your bobbin.
If the thread is still winding on loosely, you’ll need to go back and loosen the tension even more.
#8. Bobbin winder not working
There could be a few reasons why your Singer bobbin winder isn’t working. One reason might be that the thread is not threaded correctly.
Another reason might be that there is something caught in the gears of the bobbin winder.
Typically, a bobbin winder will not work if the tension is too tight, if the bobbin is missing, or if there is a problem with the machine’s internal mechanics.
The first thing to try is to loosen the tension on the Singer bobbin winder, which can be done by turning a screw or adjusting a dial.
If this does not fix the problem, see if there’s anything stuck in your machine that might be interfering with the winding process.
For example, sometimes bobbins may become loose during winding and need to be secured at both ends with knots.
#9. Fixing bobbin winder on the singer sewing machine
To fix a singer sewing machine bobbin winder, you need to follow the following steps:
#1. Remove the thread from the needle and lower the arm that holds the arm that holds the needle in place.
#2. Attach one of two included attachments to the end of the machine’s arm (depending on which model you have) and turn it until it locks into place.
#3. Insert bobbins of thread through one of three slots on top of the attachment near where it meets your sewing machine’s arm, then lower your arm back onto them, secured by their prongs.
#4. Turn bobbin winder key disc until latches on either side lock, keeping threads steady while the wind.
#5. When the essential disc reaches the top, release it and remove your hand from the machine so the essential disc can return to its starting position on its own.
#6. If you’re having trouble getting the critical disc back to its starting position, gently hold onto it and give it a little push until it snaps into place.
#7. To finish, reattach the thread to the needle and sew a few stitches.
#10. Fixing loose bobbin tension
Loose bobbin tension is a common problem that you can fix by removing the bobbin and rewinding it more tightly or replacing the old bobbin with a new one.
Wrapping the thread around the spool shaft too often may cause loose tension, as can using an old, worn-out bobbin.
Some machines also need to have their needle plate replaced periodically.
#1. Locate and identify the winding bobbin assembly.
On the left-hand side of your machine, under a metal cover, or in a channel between the upper and lower parts of the machine.
#2. Remove the bobbin winder from the bobbin assembly.
Next, loosen and remove any screws, bolts, or other fasteners to free up the u-shaped bobbin winder.
#3. Remove the old bobbin.
The metal bobbin holder is attached to an arm on a pivot, so it can swing out of the way for easier access to the bobbin, being careful not to stretch or kink your thread.
#4. Replace with a new bobbin.
Wind the thread around the spool shaft a few times, then hold the end of the thread tightly as you reattach and tighten the bobbin winder.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are the answers to your questions:
How do you manually wind a bobbin?
How do you wind the bobbin on an old singer sewing machine?
How do you fix a singer’s bobbin case?
How do I get my sewing machine to pick up the bobbin thread?
Related Articles
30+ Most Common Sewing Machine Problems And Remedies
A Complete Guide To Singer Sewing Machine Bobbin Case Problems & Solutions
How To Fix Bobbin Case In Singer Sewing Machine
How To Maintain A Sewing Machine – Maintenance Checklist
How To Set Up A Singer Sewing Machine – 10 Simple Steps
It’s A Wrap!
Now, you’ve known singer sewing machine bobbin winding problems and amp solutions. Thank you friends for reading until the end of this article!
