Here's Why Your Sewing Machine Skips Stitches

Manufacturers design sewing machines to produce various stitches, including basting, rolled edge, straight, scallop, and satin. But, equipment is not purposefully tailored to provide skipped stitches. Therefore, any signs of that are subject to suspicion of a problem and enough cause for worry. Below are several reasons why sewing machines miss stitches and the best solution for this issue.

Why Sewing Machines Skip Stitches

Skipped stitches may arise from any of the following problems:

1.   Damaged bobbin or hook

Sewing machines have unique components known as bobbins. Simply put, you wind the lower thread on this part, and, when sewing, the device catches it with the one from the needle, which is how stitching happens. Unfortunately, the bobbin in your machine may suffer damage and fail to function smoothly. One common sign broken bobbins emit is grinding noises. A faulty component may also jam the thread frequently. Most importantly, if your machine relies on a bobbin in deplorable condition, incorrectly installed, or mangled, you will likely notice skipped or uneven stitches.

2.   Needle issues

An old or damaged needle may force your sewing machine to skip stitches. Defining an old sewing machine needle is challenging because this object can last a few minutes or months, depending on the operator and usage intensity. But, to be safer, replace every piece of equipment's needle after approximately eight working hours. Identifying a damaged needle is much easier because you can check for issues like burrs- irregular flaws on the needle point's surface. Burrs are a constant menace because they encourage threads to snag and break or, worse still, lead to skipped stitches. Dull or bent needles may also cause a similar issue. Dullness typically comes from the friction between these items and clothes, while the fabric's pull bends needles. To summarize, worn-out, dull, or broken sewing machine needles may be the reason for skipped stitches when you sew.  

3.   Wrong tension settings

Expert sewers know a lot about thread tension and everything involved. If you are a novice and new to this topic, consider thread tension as the thread amount allowed to pass through a machine during stitching. The higher this feature is, the tighter the thread, and vice versa. But, sometimes, sewing machines skip stitches when it is too high. If that is the case, the best solution is to adjust the tension settings until the top and bottom threads work harmoniously to create the correct stitch.

The Solution  

Several issues can cause skipped stitches during sewing, including low-quality thread, broken needles, and damaged bobbins. Unless you are a technician, troubleshooting and pinpointing this issue's actual source is challenging and subject to erroneous judgment. Therefore, if your equipment skips stitches, find a sewing machine repair professional and ask for help.