Hello Lorraine,
Providing you have a good needle in the machine and the correct way round, if it is not picking up the thread you may need to retime it, I can attach timing instructions if you type my email address as you say it not as you see it but I need to know whether the bobbin case drops flat on the top or if it goes into a separate bobbin case.
Ken
drivewithken at blueyonder dot co dot uk, March 2010