From your description it sounds as if both threads are roughly (yet not perfectly) balanced, but both are too loose, and your bobbin thread is a bit tighter than your needle thread. But yeah, manuals usually come with pictures and that's the most helpful for figuring out your particular problem.

Sometimes however tension issues don't even arise from tension itself, so if absolutely nothing helps, you might want to check if your machine is threaded correctly, switch to a different needle, or - if you have one - a different bobbin case.

And yes of course handsewing is also always an option.

I'll have to re-check the way my machine is threaded. I may have screwed that up. The instructions for it weren't super clear and I may have missed a step in it.
Sewing intimidates me, but I want to be able to make cool things. Like a long faux-leather coat that actually fits properly (because I have broad shoulders so my options are to either get one super baggy so my arms fit properly, or...nope that's it) and animal bags and cute insulated lunch totes and dresses and costumes and stuff!

I have to pretty much custom-make coats or steal my dad's unworn one, because my torso is short, but my hips are wide.

I had to buy a men's coat just to get a peacoat that fit my shoulders and the rest of me drowns in it. Even the xxl ones in women's had too narrow shoulders and too short arms.

I have that sort of problem, too. But also with pants, because my torso is short, but wide hips... I also have really long legs, so it's a challenge to find pants and skirts that look good on me.

So really, you have trouble with probably 90% of all clothes? XD

I don't have a big problem with skirts mainly because I go with long flowy maxi and midi skirts. And a-lines. Anything clingy like pencil skirts are problematic though. Pants can be tough though. Long legs are the worst. I completely understand the struggle. And also, I get the "no booty" struggle of ALWAYS having back-gap due to having a fat yet flat butt. Like, it's big side to side, but doesn't have any real lift. Even the best fitting pants aren't great.

Maxi skirts are about the only ones that look alright on me. supposedly "knee length" ones tend to be too short, so it's rare for me to find one that actually hits me at the knees.

I have a big chest, and big sized boobs, and kinda broad shoulders, so I usually just wear men's t-shirts, but finding nice blouses is tough.

I have the opposite boob issue. Mine are super small, so it's hard to find shirts that fit my shoulders without being too baggy in the chest (bending over without holding onto the shirt to prevent anyone being able to see all the way down to my stomach is dangerous) seriously, even just basic v-neck tees can be pretty revealing if I don't hold on when I bend/lean over, and pretty much any wrap style anything is a huge no. I've never tried formal dress shirts or blouses just because I haven't ever found any that I like yet. I mean, white is always super translucent, I hate flowery designs, and stripes and all that, and definitely no to pink anything, which pretty much leaves nothing.
I don't think I've ever had quite the issue you do with "knee length" skirts. At least based on your comment of "too short", which makes me think maybe like they hit mid-thigh instead?
Most anything is listed as knee-length for me generally comes close to the knees at least. Not usually quite long enougb, but not so short that they cause any real issues.

I dunno, maybe I'm just too picky or not adventurous enough; too boring with my clothes. I've tried some "body-con" style dresses and they weren't terrible, though I need to wear leggings or tights with them just to help control my butt, thighs, and stomach some. Most of the time I'm just boring t-shirts and maxi skirts jeans depending on what job(s) I have any given day.

Women shirts in general tend to show a lot of cleavage anyway, as opposed to men shirts. You might be able to alleviate that with a custom lacing, depending on your figure and clothing style. Or a dart in the back will also raise the neckline.

For skirts that are too short, try adding some similar fabric in a contrasting color.

No idea on the big boobs or wide hips however, aside from completely sewing your own wardrobe.

Lol....cleavage. Something my shirts will never show...
Custom lacing? Fetch me an explanation or details! Or just an image...

Here you go:

Laced up in the front (works best with t-shirts that have a slightly loose fit)
Elastic band added in the neckline (works best with non stretchy fabrics)
Top part cut off and replaced with grommets (works best with shirts that are a bit too long, but this is basically two rectangles of fabric sewn at the side with the grommet band on top, so it'd even be easy to make from scratch)

The first two are kind of meh. But that third one is super cute! Although I'd have a visible bra strap issue with it most likely. I have yet to find a strapless bra that is comfortable AND stays up. Also, not super work appropriate, which makes me sad.
I wonder if a corset-ish type lacing on the back would work also. Because that's more my style...
*adjusts shirt so it's baggy in front, pinches back of shirt* Nope. That wouldn't help.

Not with the neckline, but depending on the shirt it could still look awesome.

I saw some really cool sweater jackets on Etsy a few years back that someone made that had the corseted back lacing. I wanted one, but just couldn't afford one at the time.

One more reason to practice sewing :P

But I am teh lazy!

But you can be teh fashionable!

Jokes on you...I am never and will never be fashionable. I'll just have a day when one person says "cool (insert article of clothing)".

Bullshit. You just have your personal style instead of some brainwashed mainstream generic twenty-something wardrobe.

See, "fashinable" to me does mean basically following the mainstream trends. Being able to at least do basic makeup also generally falls under my definition of "fashionable". I won't deny that I habe my own style, but if you polled random people, my personal style would hardly be considered fashionable.

Okay, good point. I was thinking along the lines of "a general sense of what garments, colors and materials work with each other, along with the ability to create cool outfits". There's probably a better word to describe it. As for mainstream trends, I usually don't even notice them. Unless it's bear heads.

In those terms, I am more fashinable online than in irl, but technically could be considered fashionable.

Hehe, same here. In real life I just throw on whatever clean shirt and pants I can find and call it an outfit.

Mostly same but with skirts a lot.
XD

<- only ever wears skirts online ^^

I only OWN skirts online lol
My weight effing fluctuates too much to spend money on cute things

...which would be a great reason to pick up sewing and make your own cute things.
(Unless you already do so, of course)

Seriously though, a basic circle skirt in cute fabric with a rubber band instead of a zipper should easily accomodate several clothing sizes at once and still look nice. Or keep your wardrobe simple and splurge on accessories.

Most of my skirts are the "one size fits most" type. The kind with super stretchy elastic bands that fit for a lot of weights. Seriously, the skirt I'm wearing today was bought when I was probably a good 30 pounds heavier. Still fits. It's also a pretty, shimmery teal color.

I've been trying to learn for a while now tbh lol I've been sewing since I was young, so I've gotten pretty good at it, but with my achey body, I'd rather use a sewing machine. I even have several patterns, but sadly everything I know about sewing clothes, though, is conceptual lol
I am trying to modify a huge pair of pajama bottoms though. I might have before pics somehow, but they're seriously SUPER huge, even the elastic is too big for me lol I think what I'm making them into is referred to as "joggers"?? I've never really followed fashion (mostly coz I've never been able to afford non-resale clothing lol), so idk but I see a lot of people wearing em

I have a basic knowledge of how darts work, and I can make a circle skirt or a tiered skirt, or a dress, or pants. I just don't have the fabric to do any of those most of the time. Fabric is frickin' expensive.

Yeahhh, that's the biggest problem :/

I swear to gawd the weather gets slightly drizzly and I'm dead for a week. At least now I can kinda pinpoint why. Freaking fibromyalgia.

In other news I stapled carpet to a 4ft bit of wood so my friend can have a ramp for her kitten to get on her bed, which is kinda dumb, cats can jump and climb but whatever. Gave me something to do today.

-.- Jeans and tshirts = my whole wardrobe

saaaame
except I'm too broke to replace my too-small jeans, so I mostly wear leggings
and I do NOT have a lot of leggings
come to think of it I think I only have like 3 bottoms I can wear till it gets warm out

...and then she'll be angry at the kitten when it decides to claw up carpets and rugs and not know why it does that, but of course the culprit will be the perfect scratching ramp!
XD

Considering she rents a normally no-pet apartment yeaaah she'd be peeved. She was allowed to get the cat as a therapy animal, and honestly she does seem happier with the cat, but it's still the honeymoon phase.

I have leftover carpet and am considering re-carpeting our cat tree.

I'm almost done making monkey parts! Then just gotta sew up and stuff and sew together!

Yay! Congrats for almost being done!

...I still monkey around ^^;

Yeahhhh, I haven't made progress on mine in a while lol
I've got an eyeless monkey head sitting on my desk rn

Lol. Tbh, knowing me, I'll probably get the body done, then procrastinate on actually assembling it for weeks.