Spend your money wisely, and get a good used one from a sewing machine repair shop.

The other thing that really helps is stabilizing the seamline before sewing it. Stick some water soluble embroidery stabilizer or paper above and/or below the seam before you sew. Or starch the heck out of the fabric. Wash or tear off the stabilizer when you’re done sewing the seam. You’ll need some sort of a ballpoint needle when sewing knits, but it just seems to be trial and error as to whether a Universal, Stretch or Jersey point will work best with each fabric.
At a guess, Jersey or Universal seems to work well for most jersey knits; with increasing amounts of lycra, the Stretch points tend to be better choices.

If you haven’t looked at different needles up close and personal: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17206792 — there really are a lot of differences between needle styles.

On fabric flagging — http://sewusa.com/Sewing_Machine_Repair/Sewing%20Machine%20Stitch%20formation.htm
Best book I know on sewing knits: http://www.worldcat.org/title/sewing-with-knits-classic-stylish-garments-from-swimsuits-to-eveningwear/oclc/42397098/editions?editionsView=true&referer=br

If it really is “Modern Home”, you might try asking if anyone on the group “wefixit” recognizes pictures you will put up on a website like picturetrail.com — many machines were “badged” — made by a manufacturer and decals slapped on them with various names. The Singer 15 is one that was often copied, for instance.

This is the best site I have found for beginners and those who already have a few years experience – http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm
Sign up – it’s free. Fill out My account and then sewing 101.
Free patterns, free instructions, free projects.

Pattern envelopes will give information as to what type of fabric you should use, how much to buy and what notions (thread, buttons, elastic, zippers) that will be needed. The website goes over this also.

In addition – If you have a Walmart that sells fabric and notions you can get brand name notions for a good price. JoAnn Fabric is having a New Year’s sale (Dec 31 – Jan 4) – thread will be 50% off; cutting tools – 40% off; quilting notions – 50% (straight pins, marking pencils for fabric).

Go with the basic color of thread for now – grey, black, white, navy, brown, red & cream. They will blend with almost anything you make. Buy for machine sewing and not quilting.

Good scissors (I like the titanium coated shears).
Thread nippers or small scissors for small places.
Extra sewing machine needles (Schmetz brand – they have a pack with assorted sizes).
Sharp straight pins.
Pin cushion (or magnetic pin dish).
Seam ripper (we all use those, no matter how long we have been sewing). I like the Dritz brand with the bright blue handle.
Tape Measure – some come in a retractable case.
Seam gauge.
Blue Painter’s Tape (makes a good seam guide when placed on the sewing machine. Fabric shop won’t have this, but Walmart will in the paint department.
A copy of Simplicity’s Simply The Best Sewing Book.

Happy sewing – it will serve you well and forever.

1 – rethread the machine from scratch and see if that helps – (do EVERYTHING, including the bobbin)

2 – change needles (if the needle is even SLIGHTLY bent or nicked, the tension will be screwed up) and entirely rethread the machine

3 – try a different bobbin and different thread (higher quality thread like gutterman thread, not the coats stuff that you can pick up anywhere)

4 – get some scrap fabric and attempt to adjust the tension as you go along, (1st mark the spot where the tension is at NOW) sew a strip, try moving the tension a little in one direction and see if it gets better – if it starts to look better, keep going until you get it to look correct, if it looks worse, go the other way..) often using 2 colors of thread – 1 in the bobbin, 1 on top makes making the tension adjustments easier..

good luck

check the bobbin as well

Home machines just aren’t built to handle multiple heavy fabrics like tapestry all the time. If you’re going to use a home machine, look for one with servo or stepper motors rather than the conventional wound motor — you’ll get the full needle punching force at slow sewing speeds with the servo or stepper, but the conventional motor will tend to stall.

More: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100516223306AAHNY2H

There are also a few lesser known, harder to find, expensive premium brands worth seeking out: Bernina, Pfaff, and Husqvarna (yes, the same husqvarna that makes chain saws, snow blowers, lawn mowers and tractors) Berninas tend to be breathtakingly expensive and I’m really not sure you are getting value for the exorbitant price, not when another brand does so much the same for far less money. If you are looking for a top of the line machine, then Pfaff is worth the money, no question. Husqvarna makes some solid, hard working machines that many people love. Husqs are often used by pro tailors and dressmakers. Many with Husqvarnas wouldn’t trade them for anything. I -on the other hand -have never ever had any luck with a husqvarna and I have no idea why. It’s probably me. My mom loves her machine, she calls it “husky” These brands all have features that experienced sewers love and need. Some have extraordinary embroidery capabilities. Some allow you to design, combine and manipulate stitch patterns for expanded creativity. If you are an advanced beginner, intermediate or higher level skilled sewer then these brands are well worth checking out. They will expand your creative horizons in ways you never dreamed.

Try before you buy. You need to feel comfortable with any machine. Thread it a few times, test the machine on several scraps of fabric. Take what you sew the most, whether its denim, fleece, or quilting cotton. Don’t base a decision on the fabric samples shown on the sales floor. They use heavily starched cotton and felt, that makes every machine look good. Try to buy from a sewing machine dealer. Dealers will allow you to try before you buy, offer operation lessons, accessories for your machine and they will help if you have any problems. All dealers have a trained sewing machine technician on staff. A technician can repair your machine if you have problems and once a year give your machine a tune-up so it will stay in tip-top running order. I have a whole bunch of machines and I’m on a fist name basis with the local sewing machine technician. It may cost a few dollars more at a sewing machine shop than at walmart, but walmart doesn’t offer after sale support.

Also, if you buy both a serger and a lock stitcher, a dealer might give you a package deal, something walmart won’t do.

It is always best to visit sewing machine dealers to see what will work best for you.

Sewing machines and sergers are two different products. A sewing machine can simulate what a basic serger can do, but a serger cannot be used exclusively for garment sewing.

Make a wish list of what you want to sew and take the list (include your budget) and start visiting the various dealers.

I prefer Babylock for user friendliness, performance and warranty.

For sergers, I prefer Juki; for sewing machines I prefer Viking. YMMV.

See Kate Dicey’s essay on choosing sewing machines at http://www.katedicey.co.uk The FAQ she refers to is at: tinyurl.com/l5rzu6

Instructional manual here: http://www.brother-usa.com/ModelDocuments/Consumer/Users Manual/UM_LS_2125_EN_272.PDF

You hold the outer wheel with your left hand and turn the inner knob/wheel toward you to loosen it (disengage so needle doesn’t move) and away from you to tighten it (engaged so needle moves).

Disengaging the wheel prevents the needle and feed dogs from thrashing around needlessly, but makes the bobbin winder spin.

Engaging the wheel lets you sew, but does not spin the bobbin winder and avoid getting your hair or other things wound up in it by accident.

But that probably doesn’t explain why the bobbin isn’t winding.

The winder likely runs off a little rubber belt; maybe that has slipped off or broken. You’d have to take off the top to look inside.

If it’s brand new, take the machine back to the store for a replacement of the entire machine or at least a free repair.

Even if you bought it used, I hope the shop would fix it for you free.

I think I know what you are doing wrong but its so basic that if you dont know then you should have lessons before you do something like sewing your finger.

and http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Av6zVNOwlLFE_zqn5Az0IMbsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20110123184559AA5HyDV

Make sure you are following the instructions for threading – always with the presser foot up.

Check the bobbin to be sure the thread is feeding in the correct direction and through the tension gauge on the side of the bobbin case.