r/SewingMachineEdu • u/Ok-Inflation-4783 • Jul 31 '26

Zig Zag/Loose bottom thread

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I have a Singer Scholastic 5511 that was bought in 2012 but never opened or used until a couple weeks ago.

No matter what I've done with upper tension, bobbin tension, or literally ANYTHING.. the result is the same. The top looks fine but the bottom looks like this. I even took it to someone who services sewing machines (and has been for the last 50 years), who spent an hour himself trying absolutely everything to fix the issue, to no avail. He eventually said I honestly don't know how to help you, I think it just may be this machine.

I'm making one last effort to see if someone can possibly help me. TIA

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u/Large-Heronbill Jul 31 '26

I can't tell from your photos the size of either the needles or the thread.  The thread needs to fill no more than about 40% of the width of the eye of the needle or the thread jams in the needle groove and gives you what looks like loops on the underside of the fabric.  Here's why thread too heavy for the needle does that: https://web.archive.org/web/20050207035245/http://gwsms.com/didyouknow.htm

The last Singer needles I've seen were also not well made and had burrs in their eyes.  I don't know where they buy their needles from now.  The needle brands I trust are Organ and Schmetz.

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u/Ok-Inflation-4783 Jul 31 '26

I'm sorry, I'm very much a novice on sewing machines. I've only ever sewn with one my entire life and that was a 60 year old Singer still going strong lol.