There are few things more frustrating than being in the middle of a sewing project and having your sewing machine jamb up or just plain stop working.
Your first thought is you'll have to put your project away, haul the machine to the repair shop, wait weeks for it to be fixed and then have to shell out a small fortune for the repair.
In the meantime, the sewing project falls by the wayside.
Before you have a nervous breakdown over the state of your machine, try a few of these troubleshooting techniques to see if you can't get it up and running again.
Chances are it's a simple problem because truthfully, sewing machines, like lawn mowers, are not very complicated pieces of equipment.
There are only a few things that can go wrong.
The problem you are experiencing with your machine will give you a clue as to what is wrong with it.
If it is a stitching or thread problem such as skipping stitches or thread balled up under the fabric, try one of these fixes.
Check your needle: * Is it still threaded? Sometimes the thread accidentally pulls out of the needle and will cause an interruption of proper stitching.
* Is it bent? Perhaps you struck a pin as you were stitching or were working with thick fabric.
It is easy to bend a sewing needle and replacing it will fix your stitching problem.
* Could it be dull? A dull sewing needle may make sewing difficult as the needle no longer goes through the fabric smoothly and easily.
This causes the threads to tangle and can cause a stitching problem.
Tip: Avoid forcing the fabric through the foot as you are stitching.
Make sure you use a very sharp needle when you are working on thick or difficult to stitch fabric.
Remove pins right before they reach the needle to avoid striking one and bending the needle.
Check your bobbin: * If your thread is knotting up on the bottom of your fabric, chances are you are having a bobbin issue.
Remove the bobbin and make sure it is properly threaded.
Reinsert it and feed the thread through.
* Is the bobbin in the case correctly? It is easy to put it in incorrectly when you are working quickly.
Perhaps it was not completely locked in place.
* Is the bobbin case in good condition? Sometimes plastic bobbins become worn and this can cause a problem.
* Is there lint build up in the bobbin case? Use your sewing machine to brush the area and clean out any thread dust that may have accumulated.
Thread: * Are you using a good quality thread? Sometimes inexpensive thread can cause problems with the stitching of a sewing machine.
It can also cause thread and thread dust to accumulate in the bobbin area, which can cause a problem.
* Is the thread properly threaded through the machine? Double check that you did not miss a step when threading.
Machine adjustments: Double check all of your adjustments.
Did something get bumped accidentally out of place that has resulted in the problem you have encountered? If you have not found the source of your problem after troubleshooting, consult your manual and perform your normal maintenance steps.
Hopefully, by now, you will have your machine up and running without the dreaded trip to the repair shop.
Your first thought is you'll have to put your project away, haul the machine to the repair shop, wait weeks for it to be fixed and then have to shell out a small fortune for the repair.
In the meantime, the sewing project falls by the wayside.
Before you have a nervous breakdown over the state of your machine, try a few of these troubleshooting techniques to see if you can't get it up and running again.
Chances are it's a simple problem because truthfully, sewing machines, like lawn mowers, are not very complicated pieces of equipment.
There are only a few things that can go wrong.
The problem you are experiencing with your machine will give you a clue as to what is wrong with it.
If it is a stitching or thread problem such as skipping stitches or thread balled up under the fabric, try one of these fixes.
Check your needle: * Is it still threaded? Sometimes the thread accidentally pulls out of the needle and will cause an interruption of proper stitching.
* Is it bent? Perhaps you struck a pin as you were stitching or were working with thick fabric.
It is easy to bend a sewing needle and replacing it will fix your stitching problem.
* Could it be dull? A dull sewing needle may make sewing difficult as the needle no longer goes through the fabric smoothly and easily.
This causes the threads to tangle and can cause a stitching problem.
Tip: Avoid forcing the fabric through the foot as you are stitching.
Make sure you use a very sharp needle when you are working on thick or difficult to stitch fabric.
Remove pins right before they reach the needle to avoid striking one and bending the needle.
Check your bobbin: * If your thread is knotting up on the bottom of your fabric, chances are you are having a bobbin issue.
Remove the bobbin and make sure it is properly threaded.
Reinsert it and feed the thread through.
* Is the bobbin in the case correctly? It is easy to put it in incorrectly when you are working quickly.
Perhaps it was not completely locked in place.
* Is the bobbin case in good condition? Sometimes plastic bobbins become worn and this can cause a problem.
* Is there lint build up in the bobbin case? Use your sewing machine to brush the area and clean out any thread dust that may have accumulated.
Thread: * Are you using a good quality thread? Sometimes inexpensive thread can cause problems with the stitching of a sewing machine.
It can also cause thread and thread dust to accumulate in the bobbin area, which can cause a problem.
* Is the thread properly threaded through the machine? Double check that you did not miss a step when threading.
Machine adjustments: Double check all of your adjustments.
Did something get bumped accidentally out of place that has resulted in the problem you have encountered? If you have not found the source of your problem after troubleshooting, consult your manual and perform your normal maintenance steps.
Hopefully, by now, you will have your machine up and running without the dreaded trip to the repair shop.