Read your manual to make sure you have it threaded correctly,and also check and make sure you have the needle in correctly.The flat part of the needle goes towards the back.(away from you).Also double check that the bobbin is in the proper way and is going thru the tensions it needs to go thru.

What kind of machine did you get,maybe someone here has the same one and can help you along.Don't give up!! Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
Kathi

Like Kathi, I say read the manual closely, then look at the illustrations as you do each step of threading.

My older White machine must have the flat side of the needle facing the right side of the bar. And unlike some others I've owned, the bobbin must rotate counter-clockwise.

Suzi

Thanks for the reply-I have a Kenmore 15408-I've noticed the needle does pick up the bobbin thread, but it stays down in the shutter. I pulled it out, had the needle thread thru the loop (just like the instructions). I start to sew and the needle thread is everywhere on the back of the fabric with the bobbin thread(more needle thread than bobbin thread) I have tried everything-cleaning,tighting(i have the needle thread tightend as far as it will go) loosening,replaced needle,cleaning shutter, everything. Its a brand new machine, I dont understand, maybe I should take it back to sears. I dont know. Anybody have a kenmore??? Any hints?? Thanks!!

Have you made sure the thread is feeding through the tensionor correctly? I had a machine that I had to pull the thread back and forth to get it to settle in the tensionor. Sorry to say that this piece on your machine could be bad. I would take it back to Sears and get another one if I continued to have problems.

Are you pulling both threads back about 6" before you start to sew? I know that if the bobbin thread is too short it will sometimes mess up. It's really important to follow the instructions in the manual. Is the bobbin thread pulling out freely?

The instructions are usually pretty brief, and if you haven't used a machine before, they often leave a lot of information out. At least that's the conclusion I came to reading through the manual for my new machine. I haven't used a machine in 15 years, and I know if I had never used one before, I would be lost.

Pull your threads to the back of fabric, hold together & hold until you've stictched an inch or so.

This is absolutely necessary on my machine or I get a thread wad underneath & shortly after, a the thread breaks.

Suzi