I borrowed the machine and I simply don't know how

First... make sure you are threading it correctly. It MUST be threaded with the foot up.

Do a test seam. Make sure you put the presser foot DOWN when you sew.

Make sure you grasp and hold the bobbin and top threads as you begin the seam. (this is good practice for any seamstress on any machine.

If you still get loops, tighten top tension.

Also check the bobbin case for burrs. drag a finger nail along edges to feel for it catching. If you find one take a small bit of extra fine sand paper and file it off.

Good luck

try changing the needle
rethread the machine top & bobbin
make sure to use every thread guide
make sure the bobbin is not over wound
make sure the bobbin is turned the right way in the bobbin case
make sure the bobbin is not warped or damaged
if you've done all these things then it's also possible that the machine
is out of time & needs to be checked at a repair shop

change the needle
make sure the thread has not come off of the thread take up lever
rethread the machine top & bobbin,, make sure to use every
thread guide
make sure to not over fill the bobbin,, make sure the bobbin is not
warped or damaged

To get that same thread onto the bobbin, you'll need to windit. Here are the steps:1. Removethebobbin from the sewing machine. If your machine has a free arm, you'llhave to remove this first. Open the bobbin door to reveal the bobbin case, forvertical loading models. If your machine has a drop-in bobbin (horizontalloading) you may have to simply slide the metal plate open, which sitsunderneath the presser foot.2. Lift the latchand pull the bobbin case out of the machine (for vertical loaders). Butfor drop-in bobbins, simply lift the bobbin out of the housing.3. Tip the bobbincase over and let the bobbin fall into your hand. (Some bobbin caseshave a latch on the side, that when lifted releases the bobbin). If the bobbinhas another color thread on it, use a new bobbin. Or, if it's not too muchthread, roll it all off and reuse the bobbin. Just make sure the bobbin youwind begins empty. (But in a pinch, you can wind a new color thread over theold color. Just know that you may have to rewind the bobbin fairly soon, as thedesired color thread finishes faster.4. Place yourselected thread onto the spindle and insert a holder over it, if there is one(usually on horizontal spindles only). Many machines just use gravity toretain the thread, so if your spindle is vertical and you have no such part,don't worry about it. If thisis a brand new spool of thread, you may need to free the end. Look for a smallnotch on one end of the spool. You may have to peel back the label a bit to getat it. Then yank it free.5. Loop the free endof the thread over the bobbin tensioner and any hooks on it. Thelocation of this part varies, but it generally looks about like this. Thread the end of the thread through the pinhole in the top of the bobbin. 6. Press the bobbinall the way onto the bobbin winding spindle. Make sure any springs orclips engage. Put it on so that the end of the thread that you put through thepin hole sticks out towards you (or sticks up, depending on if your bobbinwinder is at the top of your machine). 7. Disengage theneedle mechanism. Many machines have this control in the handwheel. It may require a push, pull or twist of the middle of the hand wheel.Check your sewing machine manual to be sure. The sewing machine may run fasterwhen winding a bobbin than when sewing and you don't want the needle moving upand down wildly. Engage the bobbinwinding mechanism. On some machines, it's done by pushing the bobbinspindle over to one side. You may also need to move the stitch selector to abobbin winding position.8. Hold the free endof the thread and, keeping fingers clear of all moving parts, press the footpedal or knee lever. The bobbin spindle will turn. If you have thebobbin threaded correctly, the bobbin will wind smoothly, evenly, and snugly,with perhaps a slight bulge in the middle. You should cut off the end of thethread you were holding in your hand (very close to the bobbin) as soon asthere's enough thread on the bobbin to hold itself in place so it won't slipout. This will prevent this thread from tangling onto any moving parts.9. Fill the bobbincompletely. It may seem like a lot of thread, but you don't wantto run out too soon while you're sewing. Many machines have a built-in deviceto stop winding when the bobbin is full, often a small blade that automaticallycuts the thread when the wound bobbin is full. If your machine has such adevice, let it tell you how much to fill the bobbin. If not, fill the bobbin nofurther than its edges. Hold the bobbinand case so that they are oriented as shown. Check that thebobbin will unwind in the correct direction. If not, flip it.10. Insert thebobbin into the bobbin case. Pullthe thread under the bobbin tensioner (a thin metal latch). The threadshould advance with a little resistance when you pull at it. Allow this excessthread to just hang. Lift the latch onthe bobbin case and hold it as shown.11. Insert thebobbin case into its housing. Make sure it is all the way engaged (youshould hear it click into place) and that the direction is correct. The bobbincase shouldn't spin and shouldn't come loose when you release the tab. Itshould be locked in. And the loose end of the thread should hang free. Do notclose the bobbin door.12. Re-engage theneedle at the hand wheel, disengage the bobbin winder, and set the machine backtoa straight, forward stitch. Thread the machine with the top thread as usual. Once the threadis through the needle, you must raise the bobbin thread. Hold the end of thethread with your free hand. Turn thehand wheel towards yourself. The needle should go down and back up to itshighest position. One full rotation should do it. The top thread will passaround the bobbin.13. Watch as the topthread pulls the bobbin thread up through the hole in the plate under thepresser foot. Pull the looseends to extend them, and continue to hold them firmly so they don't get tangledas you begin to sew.Closethe bobbin door before sewing.Hope this will help you. Good Luck.

Sounds like the bobbin may not be the right one for your machine. YOu haven't said what make and model this is but you should check your manual or online to ensure you have the correct bobbin for it. I've seen Elna's with Singer bobbins in, they'll stitch okay but then tension problems occur, you need to have the right one for your machine. (if you aren't sure, try looking at www.sewusa.com or www.sewingpartsonline.com to find the bobbin described for your machine.)

Also metal bobbins can get squished if they've been stood on, so have a good look at it and make sure the bobbin is in good shape and looks okay.

Now take the thread off it and rewind a fresh bobbin making sure you've got tension on the thread the whole time and that the thread winds onto the bobbin very smoothly and evenly. This is something that is not emphasied in sewing machine manuals but makes a HUGE difference. Think of your garden hose coiled onto the hose reel. If you wind as the hose wants to go, it goes onto the reel all over the place, then jams up and you can't get it all on there. Look at how a thread spool is wound, the factories wind the thread in a very neat sequence and you want your bobbin to look the same. So always use the tensioner on top of the machine to take the thead around when winding the bobbin. If you don't have one, then put tension onto the thread spool the thread is coming off to ensure the thread runs off at a constant tension and speed.

Carefully watch the thread as it goes onto the bobbin and nudge it with your fingertip to get it to fill evenly top, bottom and middle of the bobbin. Stop when 3/4 full.

Now put bobbin to bobbin holder ensuring that it goes in the right way, always the thread should come off the bobbin and reverse direction in a V shape. Click the thread into the tension spring. Double check it is in there and then thread up the rest of the machine and test sew.

THere is some good trouble shooting tips at www.sewusa.com so this might help you also.

Make sure the presser foot lever is in the "up" position when you thread your machine. Only lower the presser lever when you are ready to thread the eye of the needle. Also put the tension dial on the top of the machine on "auto".

If the fly wheel is going around then the clutch isn't disengaged to wind the bobbin, you need to pull out the flywheel on your model to disengage the clutch for bobbin winding.


Take thread from thread spool across to bobbin winder thread guide, then back to bobbin and thread the tail through the hole on top of the bobbin. Place bobbin onto spindle on top of machine and then push it against the stop to engage the bobbin winding motor. HOld the thread tail up and start winding slowly until the bobbin core has been covered including the starting point. Stop and trim off the thread tail with scissors. COntinue winding bobbin and give the thread a nudge if needed to wind evening top middle and bottom of the bobbin. A good smooth wind is important. Also don't wind at full speed and keep an eye on the thread reel that the thread is coming off, you don't want it bouncing around as this will **** the thread and stretch then relax it affecting your bobbin wind.

Obviously if you know this and the bobbin winding mechanisim is just not working, then it will need a service/replacement by an Elna repair person.

Put the tension back up to about 5. Rethread the machine entirely, and make sure you have the pressure foot in the up position when you rethread. If your getting bunching on the bottom, it's probably your top thread that's bunching up. After you rethread, put a small piece of fabric under the pressure foot, lower the pressure foot, and turn the handwheel in the forward direction and watch the thread as it comes around the bobbin case. If it goes around smoothly, try it with the foot control. If it hangs up as it goes around the bobbin case, you might have a burr on the black plastic bobbin case. Take it out, check for any burrs, sand them down, and try again.

I don't have a solution, but I wanted to thank GUEST for the drop of oil solution - I was about to buy a new machine and throw out the one I have ( 3 years old!) because it wouldn't wind up thread on the bobbin. You've saved me money and futher frustration :-)

Amy,
did you solve the problem with your Jubilee?
I would suggest that the problem may be not holding the two threads at the back of the needle plate with starting each new seam. Elnas really need you to hold the threads, don't let the tail get caught and pulled back into the bobbin holder area. Once you have one jam, you'll have minute threads you maybe can't see caught under the ring guard (black bit) and the jamming will keep happening. Also, make sure you only use Elna bobbins always with holes on the top.

If you've still got the Jubilee and are having issues with it, feel free to add more info, the other contributors comments about the bobbin being faulty are valid but I dont think your machine is worn out, just jamming. You can remove the bobbin holder yourself and clean underneath it and once you've done it once, and know how to line it and the ring guard back up, its pretty easy and will ensure that the bobbin area stays clean.