5 Common Sewing Machine Problems and How to Fix Them
An Expanded Version of My BERNINA WeAllSew Article
I originally wrote a version of this article several years ago for the BERNINA WeAllSew blog. Since then, I have lectured on this topic at a variety of shows, answered a lot more sewing machine questions, and helped plenty of frustrated sewists figure out why their machines were misbehaving. This expanded version includes additional explanations, troubleshooting tips, and information from my How to Work With Your Sewing Machine: Not Against It class.
The goal is not to make you a sewing machine technician. It is to help you understand your machine well enough to recognize common problems and fix the simple ones yourself. Because sewing is much more fun when you and your machine are friends.
Using a sewing machine sounds pretty simple. Place your fabric under the presser foot, lower the foot, push down on the pedal, and sew beautiful things. Easy, right? At least it is easy until something goes wrong. Suddenly, you have a bird’s nest of thread underneath your fabric, skipped stitches across the top, a needle that keeps breaking, or a seam with enough puckers to qualify as a design feature.
Whether you are new to sewing, or have been sewing for years, sewing machine problems can become frustrating fast. Before you start tearing your hair out, give up on the project, or consider throwing your machine out the nearest window, take a breath. Most sewing machine problems are not caused by a bad machine. Nine times out of ten, they happen because something is interfering with the way the machine is designed to work.
Although the basic concept of a sewing machine is simple, several actions must happen at exactly the right time to create a stitch. Once you understand what your machine is trying to do, troubleshooting becomes much easier. In this post, we will look at five common sewing machine problems, what causes them, and how to fix them.
1. Sewing Machine Tension Problems
I could probably write an entire book about sewing machine tension and still not cover every possible issue. Fortunately, most tension problems can be traced back to
Stitch Length
Yes, stitch length can affect sewing machine tension. Your stitch length should be appropriate for the type and thickness of the fabric you are sewing. Thick fabric usually needs a slightly longer stitch, while detailed work may require shorter stitches. Extremely short stitches on heavy fabric can create unnecessary tension and make it harder for the fabric to feed properly.
Before starting your project, make a test swatch using the same fabric, thread, needle, and number of layers. A test on one thin scrap will not tell you how the machine will behave when you reach six layers and a bulky seam.
Thread Path
When your stitches suddenly look wrong, completely unthread and rethread your sewing machine. Do not simply look at the thread and decide it appears to be correct. Remove it and start again, following the threading path in your machine manual. Note: Always pull the thread down through the guides following the thread path. Never pull it backwards! This will damage the tension discs inside your machine.
Raise the presser foot before threading. This opens the tension discs so the thread can settle between them correctly. Check that the thread is not wrapped around the spool pin, caught on a guide, trapped underneath the spool/cone, or binding anywhere along the thread path. Rethreading may feel too simple to be the answer, but it solves a surprising number of sewing machine tension problems.
Bobbin Area and Sewing Hook
A tiny piece of thread or a small amount of lint in the bobbin area can cause big problems. Remove the bobbin and bobbin case, if your machine has a removable case, and clean the area regularly. Follow your machine manufacturer’s directions for cleaning and oiling. Avoid blasting lint farther into the machine with canned air. Use the brush supplied with your machine or another soft cleaning brush.
While cleaning, check for damaged bobbins, burrs, or stray pieces of thread. A damaged sewing hook can catch the thread and cause poor tension, shredding, or breakage.
Your machine should also be professionally serviced regularly. How often depends on how much you sew, but once a year is a good general starting point for a frequently used machine.
Tension Settings
The correct top tension varies depending on your thread, needle, fabric, and stitch. Before adjusting the tension dial, check the threading, bobbin, needle, and bobbin area. Adjusting tension will not fix a machine that is threaded incorrectly.
Make small changes and test after each adjustment. If you change five settings at once, you will have no idea which change fixed the problem. Also check the tension discs, if you can access them, for stray thread or lint. Something caught between the discs can prevent them from functioning correctly.
Presser Foot Pressure
If your machine has adjustable presser foot pressure, make sure it is appropriate for your fabric. Too much pressure can make bulky or stretchy fabric difficult to feed. Too little pressure can prevent the feed dogs from controlling the fabric. Either problem may cause uneven stitching, poor feeding, or knots on the back.
Make sure you are also using the right presser foot for the job. Sewing machines come with all those different feet for a reason. There are feet for straight stitching, zippers, hems, decorative stitches, binding, free-motion quilting, ruler work, embroidery, and more. The wrong foot can make an easy technique much harder than it needs to be.
2. Sewing Machine Bird’s Nests
A bird’s nest is that annoying tangle of thread that develops on the back side of your fabric. It often appears when you begin sewing, but it can also show up in the middle of a seam. Here’s the easiest way to prevent them.
Hold Your Thread Tails
One of the most common causes of bird’s nests is failing to control the top and bobbin threads when beginning a seam. It is not enough to leave the loose thread tails behind the fabric. The threads need to be held under gentle tension.
Bring up the bobbin thread when needed, then hold both thread tails behind the presser foot while taking the first few stitches. Once the seam is established, release them. This small habit can prevent a lot of ugly tangles. Tip: Use a small scrap of fabric as a leader. When you stop and start sewing.
Make Sure the Presser Foot Is Down
This sounds obvious, but check that the presser foot is actually engaged. When you are starting on a thick seam, the fabric may make the foot look and feel as though it is down. However, if the presser foot lever is still raised, the machine’s tension system will not be engaged. Without proper tension, the upper thread gets pulled underneath the fabric and creates a nest.
You can also accidentally lift the presser foot and disengage the tension discs, if you use a knee lift, if you bump it while sewing. (Say for instance if you are boogeying to your tunes while sewing. Something I never do. LOL)
Keep the Presser Foot Level
A bird’s nest can also occur when the presser foot reaches a thick intersection or bulky hem. The front of the foot rises while the back stays down, leaving the foot high-centered. It can no longer apply even pressure or feed the fabric correctly, and if tipped enough, will disengage the tension discs.
Use a seam jumper or height compensation tool to keep the foot level. BERNINA makes a height compensation tool specifically for this purpose, but you can find replacements on Amazon and many machines come with their own variation.
Have you ever discovered that your presser foot was up after you had already created a giant thread nest? You are definitely not alone. Tell me about it in the comments.
3. Sewing Machine Skipping Stitches
Your sewing machine depends on the needle going straight up and down. Anything that bends the needle, front, back or to the side can cause skipped stitches. This is called needle deflection.
If the needle bends slightly forward or backward, it will not pass the sewing hook at the correct time. The hook cannot catch the upper thread and connect it with the bobbin thread, so no stitch is formed.
Use the Correct Needle
The best way to prevent needle deflection is to use the correct needle type and size for the thread and material you are using. Heavy fabrics need a stronger needle. Knits usually need a ballpoint, jersey, or stretch needle. Leather requires a leather needle. Thick or decorative threads may need a topstitch needle with a larger eye. The thread must pass through the eye without excessive rubbing. If the thread is too thick for the eye, it can catch, shred, and pull the needle backward.
Change Your Needle Regularly
A needle does not have to be visibly bent or broken to cause problems.
Needles become dull with use. As a general guideline, replace your needle after approximately six to ten hours of sewing. Change it sooner if you are working with dense fabric or adhesives or if you hit something. Always change the needle after hitting a pin, ruler, zipper etc.. Even when it does not break, the point may be damaged and the shaft may be slightly bent. A damaged needle can cause skipped stitches, fabric snags, or thread breakage.
Let the Feed Dogs Do Their Job
The feed dogs are the jagged metal pieces underneath the presser foot. Their job is to move the fabric through the machine at the correct speed. Do not pull the fabric from behind the machine to make it move faster. This can bend the needle backward. Do not hold the fabric back to slow it down or ease in fullness. This can bend the needle forward. Guide the fabric, but let the feed dogs move it.
4. Sewing Machine Thread or Needle Breaking
Thread is designed to unwind in a specific direction. Traditional sewing thread spools are generally designed to sit horizontally and rotate as the thread unwinds. Thread cones are designed to stand vertically while the thread unwinds from the top.
Trying to mount a cone like a spool, or a spool like a cone, can cause the thread to twist, catch, or snag. This may lead to shredded thread, broken thread, or even a broken needle. Follow the recommendations for your thread and machine. Use a separate thread stand when necessary.
The needle also needs to match both your fabric and thread. If the eye is too small, repeated friction can shred or break the thread. If your thread keeps breaking, ask yourself:
- Is the machine threaded correctly?
- Is the thread catching on the spool?
- Is the needle large enough? Or too large?
- Is the needle damaged?
- Is there a burr on the needle plate or hook?
- Am I using the correct needle type?
Work through the possibilities one at a time using a process of elimination. Then write down whatever worked. I keep a book by machine with tips for solving problems I have encountered over the years.
5. Unintended Tucks, Pleats, and Extra Fullness
The feed dogs move the bottom fabric while the presser foot applies pressure from above. This is why when a pattern says “ease in extra fullness”, for example when setting a sleeve. The fuller side should always be next to the feed dogs. If however, you have two pieces the same lenght, this can cause the bottom layer to advance slightly faster than the top. That can create unwanted tucks, pleats, puckers, or mismatched ends. The problem is especially common when attaching borders, binding, sewing bias edges, or joining quilt blocks that are not exactly the same size.
Put the Fuller Piece on the Bottom
When joining pieces that are slightly different lengths, place the longer or fuller piece next to the feed dogs. The feed dogs will help ease the extra fullness into the seam. This is much better than pulling or holding the fabric, which can cause needle deflection and skipped stitches.
Use a Walking Foot
A walking foot helps move the top and bottom fabric layers at a similar rate.
It is especially useful for:
- Quilted fabric
- Multiple layers
- Applying binding
Pin or Glue the Layers
Pinning the layers together can prevent shifting. Remove the pins before the needle reaches them rather than sewing over them. You can also glue the layers together. (Always my preferred method.) I use Elmer’s School Glue because it is water-soluble and non-toxic. Use a small amount and heat-set it with an iron before sewing. Heat-setting holds the fabric securely and prevents wet glue from transferring into your machine. Once the pieces are secured, they behave more like one piece of fabric and will feed through the machine more evenly.
Work With Your Sewing Machine, Not Against It
Understanding how your sewing machine works makes troubleshooting much less stressful. When something goes wrong, stop and check the basics:
- Thread path
- Bobbin and hook area
- Needle type and size
- Presser foot and presser foot pressure
- Thread position
- Stitch length
- Fabric placement and feeding
Most importantly, change only one thing at a time and test on a scrap of your project fabric. Your sewing machine is probably not plotting against you. It simply needs the correct combination of thread, needle, tension, pressure, and fabric handling.
Now I would love to hear from you. Which sewing machine problem causes you the most frustration? Do you have a favorite troubleshooting tip, sewing tool, or machine-saving trick that I missed?
Share it in the comments. Your tip may be exactly what another frustrated sewist needs to get back to sewing.
5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems 5 common sewing machine problems
4. Sewing Machine Thread or Needle Breaking
Thread is designed to unwind in a specific direction. Traditional sewing thread spools are generally designed to sit horizontally and rotate as the thread unwinds. Thread cones are designed to stand vertically while the thread unwinds from the top.
Trying to mount a cone like a spool, or a spool like a cone, can cause the thread to twist, catch, or snag. This may lead to shredded thread, broken thread, or even a broken needle. Follow the recommendations for your thread and machine. Use a separate thread stand when necessary.
The needle also needs to match both your fabric and thread. If the eye is too small, repeated friction can shred or break the thread. If your thread keeps breaking, ask yourself:
- Is the machine threaded correctly?
- Is the thread catching on the spool?
- Is the needle large enough? Or too large?
- Is the needle damaged?
- Is there a burr on the needle plate or hook?
- Am I using the correct needle type?
Work through the possibilities one at a time using a process of elimination. Then write down whatever worked. I keep a book by machine with tips for solving problems I have encountered over the years.
The tip about completely rethreading the machine before adjusting the tension is really useful. It’s such a simple step, but it makes sense that a small threading issue can cause much bigger problems with the stitches.
Thanks it’s often the simplest things that cause the biggest problems.