Hi guys! Today, a very popular and important topic: troubleshooting!
Whenever you are a newbie the sewing machine seems like a magical creature that makes sewing faster than hand sewing, but it often demands some offerings from blood and wrecked nerves. We all have been there! Hair puled out of the head, sleepless nights spend thinking what the heck is wrong with it, etc etc, add whatever you want !
This post is your Savior! At least I hope it will be!.... but for this to work, you must do one thing: please read it all!! so grab yourself a cuppa, sit on the front your sewing machine and enjoy!
Understanding how a sewing machine works is a key to a future communication between you and your sewing machine and to quick troubleshooting. Once you know how it works you will be able to play a detective and discover quickly what the problem is and fix it instantly!
So, let's dig in!
First !! Let's have a look at Sewing Machine Anatomy.
You don't need to go to all mechanical details (unless you want to), but please use your manual to find on your sewing machine following:
1. Spool holder with a disc or a holding cap.
2. Take-up lever.
3. Upper thread tension plates and tension control dial.
4. Needle.
5. Feed dogs and the needle plate.
6. Presser foot lifter and the presser foot.
7. Bobbin case with a bobbin and a shuttle hook.
8. Bobbin winder.
9. Stitch length dial.
10. Stitch width dial.
11. Reverse stitch button.
12. Stitch type dial.
13. Pedal.
14. On/off switch.
15. Hand wheel.
Now, please have a look at this simple gif
That's the way the magic happens!
Top thread is getting fed through the fabric by the needle and looped with the bobbin thread to form a stitch. Now, if not for upper take-up lever pull, they will both get stuck down there in the bobbin area, and it's end of story. But! Take-up lever is pulling threads up and locates the knot precisely between the layers of fabrics. Each stitch requires exactly the same cycle to form nice and equal stitch.
If any of the elements fail- game over, troubles on the block.
So! Your job as a sewing person is to make sure that your machine have all the parts working right and for them to work right you need to thread your machine correctly with an understanding. All sewing machines are slightly different, so please check your manual for guidance how to thread it.(for example Pfaff sewing machine threads little bit different than Singer).
Done? Great! Now we can do some sewing!
"But what if trouble comes?" - you say
No problem! Now you know how the machine works it will be easier to identify the troublemaker and solve the problem!
If the trouble comes we are going to play a detective each time. There is so many potential suspects we need to eliminate the obvious ones first.
Always:
1. Make sure that your machine is plugged correctly with pedal attached correctly and plug socket is on (daaah).
2. Make sure that your presser foot is placed down before starting to sew.
3. Make sure that your bobbin winder is in off position.
4. Make sure that your feed dogs are up and moving (quilting machines have feed dogs disengage button).
5. Make sure that you have thread your machine correctly.
6. Always move your hand wheel towards yourself!!!
7. Make sure that you have chosen required stitch length and width on the dials.
Ok, obvious done now let's have a look at the difficult ones.
Here is a list of very popular troubles and solutions for them, but !!!!
Thing that works 80% at the time is = RE-THREAD YOUR SEWING MACHINE! BOTH THREADS, TOP & BOBBIN.
"But I did!" -you'll say !
And I believe you! But machine it's just a machine and it won't tell you that thread has looped somewhere or there is a fluff in the bobbin causing a trouble. So, whatever you do, start with correct re-threading, it will save you an investigation time. If it still doesn't work check the following:
1. Stitch doesn't look good = Tension isn't right.
If the stitch is there- we are not too far from the victory. Thread tension is an adjustable thing and it can be done by the tension dial (top thread) and a bobbin's little screw (bottom thread) quite easily!
Make sure that your tension plates are clean and thread is put in correctly before adjusting.
Higher number means thread doesn't go so easily through, lower number - thread slips easier through the tension plates. Please adjust your tension bit by bit, do not jump from 2 to 8, as it won't work.
2. My top thread keeps snapping!
* the quality of the thread isn't good, if you can easily break the thread with your hands, forget about it. Use it for basting instead.
* knot in thread, even good thread might have an occasional knot, if so, just re-thread the sewing machine
* the quality of the needle isn't good. Don't save your money on the needles, otherwise you'll be stuck on the first seam forever. Use good quality needles appropriately to your fabrics.
(to see a post about sewing machine needles click here )
* needle might be back to front. Domestic machine's needle has a flat part that goes to the back, with the long groove facing you.
* top thread tension is too high, lower the tension
* top thread spool holding disc is too big and doesn't let the thread go smoothly. Change it to the small cap holder!
* the needle plate has rough edges and it breaks the thread. Remove the plate and smooth the edges with the filer.
* top thread is getting looped or is catching somewhere. Re-thread the machine.
3. Stitch is not getting formed.
* thread has slipped off the needle
* needle might have been put incorrectly, back to front or too shallow. Always put your needle as deep as it can go and long groove at the front = flat to the back.
* needle might be bend or blunt.
* no thread in the bobbin or it got snapped.
* there is something in the bobbin area, a thread or fluff and it's preventing from stitch being formed. Clean the bobbin area
*perhaps you are using a very slippery fabric , then changing to a Teflon presser foot will help (white plastic foot).
4. Threads are getting tangled or there is a big mess in the bobbin area.
* always make sure that you start sewing with the presser foot down and both threads placed under the foot to the back.
* hold those threads for couple of stitches when starting to sew, it will prevent from getting them tangled
*also make sure that you are staring to sew on the fabric, place fabric under the foot the the needle can catch it
* most cases: the top thread has slipped off a take up lever and you haven't notice.
* top thread tension is too low or top thread isn't placed between the tension plates correctly.
* bobbin hasn't been winded correctly or is over filled - re-wind it correctly
* bobbin's thread isn't sitting correctly in the bobbin case
5. My machine eats the fabrics.
Sewing machines tends to eat soft fabrics. Especially at the beginning and the end of the stitch. It's because the fabric is so flexible that is getting pushed down the plate's throat and it's getting stuck there. If that should happen you will have to remove the needle plate and force the fabric out by pulling, which usually leaves a hole in the fabric.
To prevent it from happening :
* first of all, change your needle to a very sharp one when stitching soft fabrics!
* forget about a revers stitch, change the stitch length to 1 mm for the beginning and end instead.
* hold the threads behind the presser foot when starting sewing and the fabric on the side when ending your stitch.
* if it happens during the long stitch, try to stretch the fabric with your hands (right hand on the front of you, left hand behind the foot) so the fabric will gain a bit of a tension, you'll make it a bit more stiff and push resistant.
6. My machine makes funny noises.
* check if there is perhaps some thread caught somewhere. It might be tangled for example around take-up lever, or your spool holder, and prevents it from moving, therefore machine makes noises. Remove both threads (top and bobbin), check and clean, then thread your machine again.
* your machine might need some oil (how to maintenance your machine post coming soon)
7. My bobbin falls out.
* you didn't put your bobbin correctly, please check you manual how to thread the machine correctly
8. Needle is damaging the fabric.
* check the size of your needle, it might be too thick for the fine fabric, if so, change for the finer needle. (to see a post about choosing a right needle click here ).
* your needle might be very blunt and it's breaking the fabric's threads instead of slipping through, if so, change to a very sharp needle like microtex.
9. My machine occasionally miss' stitches.
* your needle might be blunt or bend
* top thread tension might be too tight
* needle might be placed incorrectly
* perhaps you are using a very slippery fabric , then changing to a Teflon presser foot will help (white plastic foot).
10. My needle breaks all the time.
* needle might be bend or is too fine for the fabric (to see a post about choosing a right needle click here ). Change the needle.
* needle is too loosely fitted and it moves a bit. Make sure your needle is sitting in steady
* knots in the thread might be catching. Change to different thread and see if it's still breaking.
* presser foot might be attached wrongly and needle is catching on it.
* wrong presser foot for wrong stitch, for example using a zigzag stitch with the straight sewing foot won't work.
* if you pull out the fabric without raising the needle first, you might break the needle
* always place the threads under the foot when finished stitching and gently pull them. Pulling thread above the presser foot cause needle bend and break shortly after.
* approaching a thick area too fast. Please remember to always slow down before stitching the thick bits, for example overlapping seams on the rolled hem.
11. My machine jams after few stitches.
* the threads might be pulled in and get tangled under the plate. Remove it and remember to always hold the threads at the beginning of sewing.
* machine might be incorrectly threaded. Re-thread it.
* fabric is not placed correctly under a presser foot.
* thread might have got caught in the bobbin case or in bobbin case area. Remove the bobbin case, hook and and needle plate and clean it well. Re-thread machine.
Thanks for reading and hope this guidance will help you with your projects!
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