I don't know, you tell me!

Since the inn is experiencing its 'fall' slowdown, I wasn't on the schedule last night and this is what took up too much of my time. I decided to get some sewing done so I dug out my Burda 06-2008-124 that I traced off back in June.

This fabric is a slippery jersey that I purchased in Paris this spring, and since I didn't want to ruin it, I did my homework.

I didn't have a stretch needle so I used a brand new ballpoint. I placed stabilizing paper under the fabric so that the feed dogs wouldn't greedily suck everything into the bowels of my machine, and then I set my stitch to zig-zag.

I was pretty proud of myself when the first couple of seams screamed along slicker than snot.

And then....

... things went straight to hell.

My upper thread kept breaking.

And breaking.

And breaking.

C'mon!! One of the sleeves took about a half an hour to set in place and it should have taken about a minute.

I grabbed some scraps and tested them with both straight and zig-zag stitches and it appears that the zig zag is the problem.

But why?

I've googled until I'm cross-eyed and I still can't find the answer.

Actually, I think I recall having this problem with my machine a long time ago in my first life. I have a Janome New Home 2000 that I bought about 15 years ago when my kids were little. All of a sudden it seemed like every time I did any embroidery with it, the upper thread would shred and the machine would stop. I took it to my dealer and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. (I get the same reaction from my doctor when I tell him about my PMS!).

Now, years later, it appears that I'm having the same issues.

I want to be able to zip a shirt together in an evening and not go through this agony.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Am I supposed to be changing the upper tension?

What happens is my upper thread 'shreds' and then breaks. I've changed needles and the problem continues so I know that's not it. Perhaps something with the back and forth motion of the needle is causing it?

I guess I'll have to take it in to be looked at, but I hate to have to do that, if it's just a matter of my being stupid!

Any help would be greatly appreciated as Sally Stitch cannot stand modeling inferior products!