One of the most common problems clients come to us with is skipped stitches. There are a number of reasons for a machine to skip stitches, most of which can be easily resolved without the need to schedule a service visit.

• Having the wrong needle for your project – This most often happen when working with stretchy fabrics. Make sure you are using a jersey, stretch, or ball point needle when you are working with knits or other stretchy fabrics. It’s a good idea to keep several kinds of stretch needles on hand if you work with these types of fabrics. Vinyl, leather, and denim also work best with a specialized needle. Keep in mind that needle size is usually determined by thread weight. Heavy threads should be used with larger needles.
• Incorrectly installed needle – This can be a particular problem with older machines where the needle loads sideways. Needles have a front and a back. For most domestic needles, the back side is flat. If you load the needle sideways or backwards, stitches will skip or may not form at all. This can also lead to broken needles.
• Incorrectly threading the machine – After checking your needle and fabric choices, make sure you have threaded the machine properly. Missing a guidepost or the tension unit can cause all kinds of problems with stitch formation. This is particularly important for sergers and cover stitch machines, as they must be threaded correctly and in the correct order.
• Incorrectly winding the bobbin – If you see loose threads or uneven lumps, the bobbin has not wound correctly. Also check for cracks in the bobbin and make sure you have the right type of bobbin in the machine. There are dozens of styles of bobbin and some of them look very similar to each other.
• Thread type and quality – Old thread can cause all kinds of stitch problems. Try a new spool of thread and see if that helps. Pay extra attention to older spools, these often have a small notch in the spool lip for securing the thread end when not in use. Thread often gets caught on this notch when sewing. If this is happening, just turn the spool over so the thread will not catch on the notch as it pulls off the spool.
• Worn or damaged needle – Needles wear out much faster than most people think. A good rule to follow is that every large project should get it’s own needle. For smaller projects and repairs, the needle should be replaced every 8 to 10 hours of sewing. Needles get dull, develop burs, and bend through normal use. All of these defects cause problems with stitch formation.
• Sewing very fast or pulling fabric while sewing- Sewing at top speed or pulling the fabric through the machine can prevent stitches from forming correctly. Slow down just a bit and be sure that you are not pulling your fabric out behind the presser foot. In general, your hands should always stay at the front of the machine while sewing. Their job is to steer and guide the fabric to the feed dogs. The feed dogs will take care of moving the fabric under the needle at the right time. If you doing free-motion work, you will be doing the job of those feed dogs yourself and it can take some practice to coordinate moving the fabric with the speed of the needle.
• Thread tension problems – If your tensions are not in balance, stitches will not form evenly. Your top tension should be between 5 and 3 for most machines.
• Dirt accumulation – Do you have a lot of lint or other debris in the bobbin area or under the needle plate? It is very easy to remove the bobbin covers and/or needle plates on most machines. If you see lint, use a brush to clear the area. If you can see lint or other debris inside the machine, it’s probably time for a good cleaning.
• Broken timing – This is the lest common cause for skipped stitches, but can sometimes be the culprit. If all else fails, it’s a good idea to schedule your machine for a thorough cleaning and timing check or adjustment.

One of the most often overlooked tasks when we are sewing is regular cleaning and maintenance of the machine itself. It’s easy enough to see when our cutting table needs to be dusted or the fabric stash organized, but your machine also needs a bit of attention now and then. Taking care to keep the machine clean and properly lubricated will ensure that it runs smoothly in between regular tune-ups and can prevent serious problems from developing.

The single most important thing you should do on a regular basis is dust out the machine. Lint-free cloths are great for dusting off the exterior surface of the machine. Use a brush to clean out the bobbin area. Remove the plate covering the feed dogs and brush this area out as well. Lint will often become compacted between the needle plate and feed dogs, preventing the machine from working properly. This type of lint build up can severely damage your machine and even cause gears to break. Stiff bristle paint brushes are great for this, as are pipe cleaners, if you don’t have a specialized lint brush.

You should also remove the face plate of the machine if you can and brush out the needle arm. Thread can sometimes get wound around the take up lever, and this should be removed gently.

Never blow lint or debris out of the inside of the machine! This can push the debris further into the machine and into the gears behind the bobbin assembly. Always use a brush or a small keyboard type vacuum.

Occasional oiling of the machine is also necessary to keep it running. Vintage machines should be oiled at the points indicated in your manual. For newer machines, check your user manual for lubrication instructions. Some of the new machines do not require lubrication in between cleanings. Always be sure to use sewing machine oil, and use it sparingly.

Appropriate lint brushes, cleaning cloths and sewing machine oil can be found at most fabric shops in the notions department. We also stock several types of cleaning brush and sewing machine oil in different applicators for your convenience. Lint-free dusting cloths can be found anywhere that sells household cleaning supplies.