I haven't been sewing much lately, because I've been having issues with my machine. It was loud (and getting louder), and recently I've been having tension issues, skipped stitches, and strange looping on the underside of my stitches. I did everything I could think of: new needles, new thread, new bobbin, took it apart and cleaned and oiled what I could. But when I saw this on the underside of a quick quilt I was making, it was the last straw. I balled the quilt up and bunged it in a box, and I put the machine away to think about what it had done. (Not surprisingly, that didn't really help matters. Sewing machines aren't really into that whole reflection-remorse-renewal thing.) So when I heard that Karyn at the workroom had a sewing machine technician coming in, I didn't think twice. I carted my machine out to the shop and left if with her. Turns out it was a simple problem. That's right: the bobbin. Check it out: The one I was using is on the right. The one I should have been using is on the left. Can you see the difference? What about now: The ones I should be using are a little bit wider and flat sided. The ones I was using are narrower, with rounded sides. Turns out those "all-purpose" bobbins I was picking up at the fabric store...weren't. Harrumph! I must admit, I felt a bit like I'd taken my car to the garage and complained "It won't go!" only to be told that I needed to put some gas in the gas tank. Whoops! But then I actually fired up the machine, and wow, what a difference: See that? Smooth, even stitches, no tension issues, and QUIET! Wow. Now I'll be able to sew until midnight without worrying the neighbours are going to call the landlord on me for noise violations. Moral of the story? The bobbin matters. And hey, if it's been a while since you had your machine serviced, maybe it's time. I'm certainly glad I took mine in!