There's nothing worse than working with an uncooperative sewing machine.! Broken or tangled threads, skipped stitches, snapped needlee it can make for a very frustrating experience. But most of these issues can be resolved without taking your machine in for expensive repairs. We've assembled a list of some of the most common sewing machine problems, and their solutions, to help you troubleshoot even while mid project.
1. Thread bunching up under your fabric when sewing
If you're seeing knots of extra thread on the underside of your sewing, there are several likely culprits. First, remove your sewing from the machine. You may have to cut through all the extra thread to get it free. Don't simply pull it loose, or you risk damaging the mechanism of your machine, not to mention your fabric.! Once your project has been freed, carefully remove all the cut bits of thread as well. Now you're ready to identify the issue. Keep a scrap piece of your fabric on hand to test solutions as you try them.
- Remove your top thread and re-thread the machine, being careful to follow the threading schematic provided in your machine's manual. Make sure your presser foot is up while threading many machines lock the tension disks when the presser foot is down, making it impossible to thread the machine through the disks correctly.
- Remove and re-thread your bobbin. Some machines are particular about which way the bobbin unwinds. Consult your manual to be sure it's inserted correctly.
- Make sure you are using the same type of thread in both top thread and bobbin. A difference in thread weight commonly causes machines to draw threads at different rates, leading to tangles and knots.
- Adjust your tension settings. This is a common issue, especially if you go from working with a heavy fabric to a delicate one (or vice versa) without remembering to adjust your settings. Test your tension settings on a scrap of your project's fabric to make sure everything is correct.
