New to sewing and *SO* frustrated!

[AfricanQueen99]

Of course I waited until the eleventh hour, but I'm trying to make Christmas Eve PJs for my kids.  I did just fine with my son's (all but the elastic) and then started on my daughter's.  I'm trying to do the hem on the second leg - just a reference that I've gotten fairly far without any other massive issues - and every single time I try the whole thread jams up and it's a nightmare.  So I cut it out, remove it from the pants, rethread the bobbin and then BAM...it happens again.

I ended up bending and replacing the needle, but I think it was on my son's pair so it worked after I did it, but maybe it was my daughter's set that it happened.  Either way, something is wrong and I know it's user error, but I don't know how to fix it!!

What am I doing wrong?  I'm way too pregnant and tired to deal with this and practically burst into tears tonight.

[4midablemama]

I've always been told that the rule of thumb is a new needle every time you start on a new project, so maybe replacing your needle again would help. 

[AfricanQueen99]

I'm going to try replacing it and seeing if that helps.  Thanks for the suggestion.

[34me]

It sounds like it may be a tension issue.  I'm terrible at that.  If taking off the spool of thread and putting it on again doesn't resolve it, I usually cry in frustration and then play around with my knob and a scrap piece of fabric until it works right

[AfricanQueen99]

Thank you for helping me see the forest through the trees!  I rethreaded the whole thing and reduced the tension...and it worked!

Now I need to try my hand at elastic and be done with them.

[AfricanQueen99]

I'm done!  Thank you both so much. :)