Those who start sewing with a machine usually always encounter the same types of problems due to a lack of knowledge of the machine.
Often, precisely for this reason, those who want to start sewing lose enthusiasm and begin to believe they are not capable. He convinces himself that sewing by machine is too complicated.
Nothing more wrong!
Here, then, is a rundown of the most common problems encountered by creative sewing beginners and the solutions to fix them!
1. The upper thread of the machine always breaks
If the upper thread breaks continuously while sewing, the most common reasons may be as follows:
A) Bad needle quality
If the needle is not a quality one, but a cheap sub-brand, the eye may be unfinished. This leads to wear and tear of the thread which breaks continuously.
SOLUTION: replace the needle with a quality one.
B) Bad thread quality
If the wire isn’t strong and isn’t made of quality material, it won’t withstand the stress it is subjected to during machining and will break continuously.
SOLUTION: replace the thread with a quality one.
C) The upper thread tension of the machine is too tight
On the machine, there is a wheel that allows you to adjust the thread tension. If it is not adjusted in the right position but is too high, the line works very tight and this leads to continuous breakage.
SOLUTION: adjust the tension according to the type of fabric being sewn (consult the instruction booklet to find the optimal tension position for your machine).
2. The needle always breaks
When you start to sew, the needle may break continuously, with serious risk for whoever is using the machine.
These may be the main reasons why this happens:
A) The needle is not the right size for the fabric you are sewing
Each fabric requires a needle of the right size. For heavy fabrics and with a compact structure, thick needles are needed, conversely, for light fabrics, thin needles are needed.
Here you can learn how to choose the right needle to start sewing and print out the attached chart.
SOLUTION: attach to the machine, each time, the needle suitable for the type of fabric being sewn at that moment.
B) The needle hits a metal part
If the needle is not inserted properly or if the presser foot is not securely attached to the machine, the needle could hit some metal part as it goes down.
SOLUTION: make sure you have correctly assembled the needle or presser foot you are using. Consult the booklet to verify that the needle is inserted correctly.
3. Stitching skipping
Stitches may skip when starting to sew. What can it depend on? Here are the most common causes:
A) The needle is not inserted correctly
If the needle is not inserted correctly, when it comes down, it fails to hook the lower thread.
SOLUTION: check the correct position of the needle.
B) The tip of the needle is deformed
For whatever reason, it is possible that the point of the needle is deformed and therefore cannot catch the thread correctly under the plate.
SOLUTION: replace the needle.
C) The needle used is not suitable for the fabric
If you are not using a needle designed for the fabric you are sewing, the seam may not come out perfectly.
SOLUTION: you need to fit a needle into the machine that is suitable for the type of fabric you are working on.
D) The thread gets caught in the looper
The machine can skip stitches when the thread catches on the hook.
SOLUTION: remove the upper thread and the bobbin, slowly turn the handwheel back and forth and remove the thread.
4. The seam puckering
If the stitching is rough but puckered when you start sewing, it may be as follows:
A) Machine voltage is high
It is possible that the tension knob is on a high number and then the thread works at maximum tension. This also risks breaking the thread.
SOLUTION: Adjust the machine voltage to the right value.
B) A stretch fabric is being sewn
Sewing a stretch fabric (jersey, knitwear, etc.) requires a specific needle and the use of stretch stitches already present on the machine. Therefore sewing this kind of fabric in the normal way produces the puckering effect.
SOLUTION: attach a stretch needle to the machine and select one of the elastic stitches on the machine.
5. The machine makes a strange noise
If while using the machine, it makes a strange noise, which is perceived as abnormal, the causes could be the following:
A) The capsule is not assembled properly
The metal capsule under the plate should snap into place. If this does not happen, it may happen that during sewing, it wobbles.
SOLUTION: make sure you have assembled the capsule correctly.
B) Wrong thread
It could happen that the machine, especially the electronic ones, works better with a thin polyester thread rather than a cotton one and this causes the machine to make a strange noise while it is working.
SOLUTION: change the type of thread used.
If the noise persists, contact assistance to have the machine overhauled.
C) Damaged needle
If the needle is not new and has chipped, even minimally, it can cause a strange noise, perhaps because it hits some part of the machine along the way.
SOLUTION: replace the needle.
D) Lint has accumulated
The cleanliness of the machine is always underestimated, but it is essential for its correct functioning.
Accumulation of dust or lint in the looper or needle bar can cause strange noises when using the machine.
SOLUTION: keep the machine clean and well-oiled. if you are worried about Clean you can read How to Clean a Sewing Machine Properly.
6. Slow-Running Sewing Machine
If while sewing, you notice that the stitches are loose on one part of the fabric, then it is most likely a tension problem:
A) Thread tension is low
If the tension dial is set to a low number, the upper thread is loose and not tight enough for optimal sewing.
SOLUTION: adjust the tension of the machine by increasing the number marked on the appropriate wheel.
B) Incorrect needle/thread combination
If you sew a lightweight fabric with a coarse needle at normal tension, you may get a loose seam.
SOLUTION: fit a fine needle and slightly increase the upper thread tension.
7. The needle not picking up the bottom thread
When you start to sew, you may not be able to get the thread up from the bobbin below. The reasons may be as follows:
A) The capsule is not inserted well
The bobbin case containing the bobbin thread must be securely hooked inside the hook holder. If it is not, the needle cannot catch the thread and bring it up.
SOLUTION: check that you have correctly inserted the capsule containing the bobbin.
B) The needle is not well-fixed
The needle must always be fitted correctly. When inserted it must be pushed all the way into its guide. If it stays lower, not only does it not catch the line, but it can hit the capsule and break.
SOLUTION: Check that you have pushed the needle all the way into its guide.
8. The bottom thread breaks
If the lower thread breaks frequently while sewing, then you could have one of these problems:
A) Lower thread tension too tight
The thread coming from the bobbin may break because the lower thread tension is too tight.
SOLUTION: tighten the screw on the capsule and pull the thread to check the tension level.
B) Blunt or crooked needle
If the needle is blunt or slightly bent, it can break the bobbin thread as it meets it to form the stitch.
SOLUTION: change the needle with a new one of good quality.
9. The stitching comes all crooked
When you start sewing, you may not get nice straight seams right away and this can usually be caused by various factors.
A) Little experience
The confidence in handling the fabric while sewing and the speed with the pedal only come with a lot of practice and therefore you shouldn’t get discouraged right away.
SOLUTION 1: Get plenty of exercise. Use the sewing machine often in order to get to know it and become familiar with all its parts.
SOLUTION 2: it can be very useful to use a magnet to position on the right of the foot so that the edge of the fabric, hitting against it, remains quite straight.
10. Thread gets tangled at the start of sewing
This type of inconvenience occurs, more often than not, in two cases:
A) The machine is not threaded correctly
If a guide or step was skipped when threading the upper thread of the machine, the threads may become tangled at the beginning or end of the seam.
SOLUTION: unthread the thread and, following the instructions given in the booklet, rethread the machine correctly.
B) The starting threads are short
When the threads are left too short, it may happen that some of the threads are pulled in under the feed dogs at the beginning of the seam. This can generate an unpleasant tangle of threads at the beginning of the seam.
SOLUTION: before starting a seam, keep the 2 threads taut behind the presser foot for at least ten centimeters, in this way even if they are partially brought back in the feed dogs, the seam will remain clean.
Related:
- The 17 Most Common Sewing Mistakes to Avoid When Using a Sewing Machine
- Why Is My Janome Sewing Machine Not Sewing?
Conclusions of the most common problems when sewing clothes and fixing this
From reading the most common problems encountered by the beginner who starts sewing from scratch, it is clear that knowledge of the parts of the machine is essential.
Once you get to know the machine, as regards its functions and characteristics, it will be easier and easier, over time, to solve by yourself or even prevent, any type of problem you may encounter while sewing.
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