How to Fix Bobbin in Brother Sewing Machine: 6 Causes

Quick answer: How to fix bobbin in Brother sewing machine trouble usually starts at the top, not the bottom. Brother says a tangle under the fabric is most often caused by incorrect upper threading. Turn the machine off, clear the tangle, rethread the top with the presser foot raised, then reseat the bobbin so the thread unwinds to the left and cut it in the slit.

That surprises people. You see a bird’s nest of thread under the fabric, so you blame the bobbin. But Brother’s own troubleshooting points upward: when the upper thread misses the take-up lever, it can’t be pulled up tight, and the slack piles up in the bobbin case.

So I’d always rethread the top before touching anything in the bobbin area. It takes two minutes, it costs nothing, and when you get it right the nest usually never comes back.

Why Brother Bobbin Problems Happen

These are the causes Brother’s support pages describe, most likely first.

1. Upper thread threaded incorrectly. Brother says the thread then tangles in the bobbin case, often with a rattling noise, and sewing can’t continue.
2. Threading with the presser foot down. Brother puts it bluntly: if the presser foot isn’t raised, the machine can’t be threaded properly.
3. Bobbin set the wrong way round. On drop-in models, the thread should unwind to the left.
4. Thread not cut in the quick-set slit. Brother warns an uncut tail can tangle around the bobbin and break the needle.
5. Wrong bobbin type. Many Brother home machines use the SA156 bobbin, which Brother identifies as a Class 15 type.
6. Lint in the race, or a scratched bobbin case.

How to Fix Bobbin in Brother Sewing Machine Tangles

Here’s the order I’d follow, based on Brother’s FAQ for thread tangled on the wrong side of the fabric.

Step 1: Clear the Tangle Safely

1. Turn the machine off.
2. Pull out the tangled thread from the bobbin area. If it won’t come free, cut it with scissors.
3. Take the upper thread out of the machine completely.
4. If you removed the bobbin, reinstall it (Step 3 below).

Don’t yank fabric that’s caught. Brother’s guidance for a really stuck piece goes further: remove the needle, the presser foot and its holder, cut the threads under the fabric, then take off the needle plate cover and lift out the bobbin case to clear the race.

If the fabric still won’t budge after that, Brother says to stop and contact an authorized service center instead of forcing it. One more detail I like from that page: fit a brand-new needle afterward, because the old one may have been damaged in the jam, and clean lint with a brush or small vacuum rather than compressed air.

Step 2: Rethread the Top Correctly

This is the step that fixes most nests. On computerized models like the SE600, Brother’s sequence is:

1. Turn the machine on and raise the presser foot.
2. Raise the needle with the needle position button. It’s at the top when the mark on the handwheel points up.
3. Follow the numbered thread path printed on the machine.
4. Make sure the thread passes through the take-up lever. Don’t skip this. It’s the step most people miss.
5. Slide the thread behind the needle bar thread guide.
6. Thread the needle, using the built-in threader if your model has one.
7. Raise the presser foot, pass the thread under it, and pull about 5 cm (2 inches) toward the back.

Brother’s SE600 steps also say to press the lock key before threading the needle, so a bumped Start button can’t start the machine. Check your model’s manual for its exact path, since thread guides differ.

The trick is the presser foot. Brother says the machine can’t be threaded with it down, and a top thread that only looks threaded is exactly the kind Brother describes as unable to pull up firmly, so the slack loops end up piled underneath the fabric within a few stitches.

Step 3: Reseat a Drop-In (Quick-Set) Bobbin

From Brother’s instructions for quick-set bobbins:

1. Turn the machine off. Brother says this matters because a bumped foot controller could start the needle.
2. Raise the needle by turning the handwheel toward you (counterclockwise), and raise the presser foot.
3. Open the bobbin cover.
4. Drop the bobbin in so the thread unwinds to the left. Keep it in the same orientation it had on the bobbin winder shaft.
5. Hold the bobbin down lightly with one finger and guide the thread through the slit.
6. Cut the thread with the cutter at the slit.
7. Replace the bobbin cover.

Brother says you can start sewing straight away on these models, with no need to draw up the bobbin thread first. Nice shortcut. I’d still check the tail is properly cut, though.

Step 4: Reseat a Front-Loading Bobbin Case

Some Brother models use a removable bobbin case behind a shuttle cover instead. Brother’s steps for that style:

1. Power off, raise the needle by turning the balance wheel toward you, and raise the presser foot lever.
2. Open the shuttle cover and pull the bobbin case out by its latch.
3. Unwind about 4 inches of thread and set the bobbin in the case so it turns clockwise when you pull the thread.
4. Guide the thread into the slot, then down and left until it sits under the tension spring.
5. Push the case fully into the shuttle race by its latch, release, and check the case finger sits in the notch at the top.

If that case isn’t seated properly, Brother says it will fall out as soon as you start sewing.

Notice the direction difference between the two styles. Left-unwinding for drop-in, clockwise turning for the front-loading case on that model.

Honestly, this is why I’d never copy bobbin directions from a video made for another machine. The diagram printed on or near your bobbin cover beats any tutorial, every single time.

Check the Bobbin Itself

Two quick checks on the bobbin can save an hour of fiddling.

• Type. Brother’s drop-in and front-loading pages specify SA156 bobbins, which Brother describes as Class 15. One front-loading model’s page warns that bobbins from older models will stop the machine operating correctly. Check the bobbin part number in your manual.
• Winding. Brother says incorrect winding can loosen thread tension and break the needle. If the bobbin feels soft or the thread is piled unevenly, rewind it.

Clean the Race and Bobbin Case

Lint is the slow, quiet cause. Brother says dust and bits of dirt in the race or bobbin case stop the machine running well, and can stop the bobbin thread sensor working on models that have one.

1. Raise the needle, then turn off the main power.
2. Remove the needle and presser foot holder, plus the flat bed attachment or embroidery unit if fitted.
3. Slide off the needle plate cover.
4. Lift out the bobbin case.
5. Brush or vacuum lint from the race and the area around it.
6. Put the bobbin case back with its projection lined up with the spring.
7. Refit the needle plate cover.

Two warnings from Brother here. Don’t put oil on the bobbin case.

And never use a scratched bobbin case, because Brother says it can tangle the upper thread, break the needle or spoil stitch quality. Run a fingernail gently around the rim. If it catches on a burr, get a replacement case from an authorized service center.

A Five-Minute Sewing Machine Fix Checklist

If you landed here asking how to fix sewing machine trouble in general, this short routine pulls the Brother steps above into one pass. It suits most home machines with a drop-in bobbin, though the details vary by brand.

1. Power off and clear any tangled thread.
2. Swap in a fresh needle and check it isn’t bent.
3. Rethread the top with the presser foot up, through the take-up lever.
4. Reseat the bobbin in the direction your manual shows.
5. Brush lint out of the race.
6. Test on a scrap of plain cotton before going back to your project.

Brother ends its own jam recovery with a cotton test seam, and I’d copy that habit. A scrap tells you the truth without risking good fabric.

When to Call a Brother Service Center

I’d stop and get help when:

• Fabric is jammed and won’t come free after removing the needle plate.
• The bobbin case is scratched, cracked or won’t seat.
• The needle keeps breaking even with correct threading and the right bobbin.
• You hear grinding or knocking after clearing every tangle.

My take: sewing machine timing and hook repairs aren’t beginner jobs. Leave them to a technician. In practice, though, rethreading, reseating, rewinding and cleaning cover every bobbin cause in Brother’s own FAQs, so it’s worth finishing that list before booking a repair.

For a different kind of machine question, see our guide to embroidery machine vs sewing machine, or browse more guides in Sewing & Embroidery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is My Brother Sewing Machine Bunching Thread Underneath?

Brother says the usual cause is incorrect upper threading, often with the thread missing the take-up lever. Turn the machine off, clear the tangle, raise the presser foot and rethread the top.

Which Way Does the Bobbin Go in a Brother Sewing Machine?

On Brother drop-in quick-set models, place it so the thread unwinds to the left. On one front-loading model, Brother says the bobbin should turn clockwise in its case when you pull the thread. Always check your manual.

What Bobbin Does a Brother Sewing Machine Use?

Many Brother home machines use SA156 bobbins, which Brother calls a Class 15 type. Check your model’s manual or support page for the exact part.

Should I Oil the Bobbin Case on a Brother Machine?

No. Brother says not to apply oil to the bobbin case. Clean lint from the race with a brush or vacuum instead.

How Do I Fix a Sewing Machine That Keeps Jamming?

Start with the upper threading, then the bobbin direction, then lint in the race. Those three cover most jams on home machines.

Last updated: November 10, 2026. Sources: Brother: tangled thread on wrong side of fabric (SE600), Brother: installing a quick-set bobbin, Brother: how to clean the race and Brother USA: installing the bobbin into the machine.