u/Denim_Ninja

Like several others posting today, I'm going to the live show in Berlin tonight. The thing is, normally when I'm watching episodes from the comfort of my own home, I'm able to be doing something else while also watching. I have a hard time just focusing on the show for 3+ hours. I can really only lock in like that for particularly intense moments.

So I'm wondering how dark is it for the audience during the show? I kinda want to be able to bring something to do/fiddle while in attendance. I'm worried if I bring some kind of handwork project, there won't be enough light to see what I'm doing, and if I'm doing puzzle games on my phone, the bright screen will bother others.

On the other hand, maybe the energy of being at a live event will be different enough that I can fully lock in more easily than at home.

I know I can't be the only person like this. So what have others' experiences been like for live CR shows?

To be more specific, I'm looking for somewhere I can bring my machine to figure out what's causing an issue with the tension. Preferably in the general Eastern half of the city.

I've tried troubleshooting it myself and asking on r/sewinghelp, but nothing has worked. I'm not yet convinced it's actually a mechanical error in need of repair so I'm hoping to find someone who can help fix it and explain to me what to watch out for to avoid it happening again. I do speak B1 level German, but I lack the sewing-related vocabulary to explain what the problem is and what I've already tried. Which is why I want to find somewhere/someone that can speak English.

Rated myself as intermediate, but in reality I'm probably somewhere between a more experienced beginner and intermediate.

Ok, so I have a Brother Innov-is A16 sewing machine, and I was sewing for awhile the other day, when at some point after changing the needle, I realized the bobbin thread was visible on the top, and sometimes the top thread was basically just a straight line with loops on it. This was particularly frustrating because I wanted to use it to sew a buttonhole, as I only just earlier used the button setting/foot for the first time and created a beautiful, perfect test one. But when I tried another test buttonhole, hoping the tension problem wouldn't affect it too much, it just made one with lots of tall, standing loops on top and messy threads on the underside.

Of course, I tried re-threading both the top thread and the bobbin. I tried adjusting the tension knob, both tighter and looser, but it either made no difference, or the loops would be taller. I tried switching to a different top thread. No difference. I changed to a different (already wound up) bobbin thread. Still no change.

I removed the bobbin case thing and tried to wipe out any debris or lint or loose threads. (I'd already had to deal with fabric getting snagged underneath not long before this) I unscrewed the thread plate and cleared out all remaining/new lint underneath. The problem persists.

I looked at the trouble-shooting section of the machine's manual, and it seems like it likely *is* a problem with the bobbin thread. So I tried winding up a new bobbin of thread. Then I tried re-winding the last bobbin I'd used onto a new bobbin. Still hasn't fixed the problem. Just to be sure, I even went back to the first bobbin, which I had also been using before the problem started.

I spent a whole afternoon trying to fix this before getting sick of it and finishing the project I was on by hand. But I still haven't gone back to the machine because I don't know what else to try.

Anyone here have any suggestions before I just look up somewhere to take it in?