I was mending with my machine and all of a sudden it stopped picking up the bottom thread. I wonder whether the timing is somehow off but I can't see why it suddenly started happening or what to do about it. Can you give any idea as to what is going on?

J Butler, February 2020

You can check if the timing is right by watching the movement of the needle and hook while you operate the hand wheel. Have a needle in and threaded. Open the bobbin cover and remove the bobbin. Wind the hand wheel. The hook on the bobbin case should pass by the scarf of the needle (the indent above the eye) and catch the needle thread, then it loops the thread around the bobbin case. Check it still does this at either side of a maximum width zig zag stitch.

T-J, November 2020

Check every way to Christmas that the thing is threaded up properly and that the presser foot is properly deployed

Sjjwojg, February 2020