Sewing Machine Troubleshooting Guide
When you have a new machine, you will expect fewer troubles. However, mistakes are inevitable, especially for a beginner. Sometimes hiccups may happen with your machine as a result of the manufacturer’s fault. Depending on the model you have, you may get some help from the manufacturer. But it might turn out to be rewarding to learn sewing machine troubleshooting techniques.
Different sewing machine models may have varying details; however, the fundamentals are the same. Nevertheless, having knowledge of your machine’s mechanics is crucial in quickly troubleshooting any problem. It does not matter your prowess with the needles; these sewing machine troubleshooting techniques may be all you need every time your machine has issues.
Common Sewing Machine Problems And Solutions
These points will guide you on how to fix sewing machine issues in the shortest time possible. In some cases, it is good to know the cause of common issues to prevent them before they happen. Here are the common sewing machine problems, their causes and their remedies.
1. Tension On The Sewing
Sewing machine tension is one of the main problems sewists face in their everyday work. You get to your worktable, thread your machine, ensure the settings are okay, place your cloth in position, and lower your foot.
When you tap down on your machine’s pedal… bam! The machine tension has issues. Have no worry; here is how to fix tension on sewing machine in the shortest time possible.
Check On The Needles
A bent or blunt needle may result in tension on your sewing machine. Besides, the needle may be incorrectly inserted, which may also cause this problem. Therefore, ensure the needle’s flat part is at the back. You should also ensure your needle matches the fabric type and weight.
Remove Any Dirt In The Machine
Accumulation of dirt in various parts of the machine may also cause tension issues. Check your machine’s wheels, throat plate, and bobbin. If you notice even a little bit of dirt or fluff, use a paintbrush to wipe off the dirt.
Check Your Thread Quality
Sometimes, the thread might be the issue. Check on its quality. Poor quality brands will easily break and are uneven. If you are not sure about the quality of the thread brand, you can try the best-known brand in the market, such as Gutterman, Coates and Rasant.
Check The Threading
You might experience tension on the sewing as a result of wrong threading. You can opt to rethread to be sure. Ensure the thread goes through your machine’s tension disks correctly. Also, ensure the top thread and the bobbin is of the same brand and weight.
Check On The Dials
Ensure the dial settings are well configured. In some cases, children may have tampered with the settings. It is crucial to know the best settings for your machine to know when the settings are tampered with. You can refer to your manual for the correct setting for every type of fabric.
Ensure you see balanced threads on both the top and bottom sides of your fabric. You can also tell your machine’s tension is perfect when there are no loops on any of your fabric’s top or bottom sides.
2. Timing On The Sewing Machine
Wrong sewing machine timing may cause imperfect stitches, failure for your machine to pick up bobbin thread or even inability to sew. Check the sewing machine troubleshooting points below to fix your machine’s timing.
Check The Needle And The Thread
A bent or blur needle can affect your machine timing. First, check to see if the needle is straight and sharp. If it is blur or bent, you have to replace it. Second, if the needle is not bent or blur, check the locking position. Functional locking position should be screwed tightly on both sides.
Another problem that may affect the timing of your sewing machine is the position of the needle bar. Check on the manual for the recommended height of the needle bar by your machine’s manufacturer. Most manuals will offer instructions on how to loosen and tighten the needle bar.
Most machines contain a mark at a height where the needle bar should be fixed. If your machine lacks this mark, use a ruler and make your mark at 2.4 millimetres height. Then lock the bar at this position.
Needle and thread compatibility also poses one of the major problems in the timing of the sewing machine. The needle and the thread have to be compatible with the fabric you are working on. For instance, the strong and hard material will require a strong needle. Thin fabric will also need a thin needle.
Ensure The Internal Parts Of the Machine Are Well Synchronized
Sometimes the needle and the thread may not be the problem to your machine’s timing. The internal parts may also have issues that may interfere with your machine’s timing. If you experience uneven stitch, one of the problems you can suspect is the imperfect synchronization of the internal parts.
To ensure the internal parts are well configured, open the switch plate and advance the machine carefully using a handwheel. Next, test to see if the thread is hooking properly into your fabric. Any issue with smooth hooking should be an indication of the wrong synchronization of the internal parts.
During this test, you can also tell your machine has trouble with timing if the hook doesn’t pass through the needle’s eye. You can also check the rotation of the hook. If it rotates in a clockwise direction, adjust the needle’s position to the far right.
Alternatively, if the hook rotates in an anti-clockwise direction, adjust the needle’s position to the far left. If you are not sure of the adjustments to make in case of the wrong configuration of the internal parts, refer to your manual.
It should indicate every part’s position for smooth sewing. Nevertheless, the basic rule of adjusting the parts remains the same. The next time your sewing machine timing gives you trouble, check out the two remedies above.
Don’t stress yourself thinking about how to fix timing on sewing machine when you got an easy-to-follow manual here!
3. Sewing Machine Belt
Sewing machine troubleshooting seems to be easy when it concerns the belt. However, there are a few things to consider doing the job without causing more trouble with your machine. This is how to fix sewing machine belt properly without tampering with other parts.
Tighten The Belt If Too Loose
Most problems with the sewing machine belt come as a result of a loose belt. A loose belt can slip, stopping your task immaturely. If you notice slipping of the belt, make it slightly tighter. In some cases, some sewists make it tighter, causing other problems.
How do you tighten the belt? Right, it is simple. First, ensure you have unplugged the machine to avoid accidents. Next, unscrew the bolt covers and pull the belt off. Then position the belt below the motor pulley.
At this position, you can tighten the belt as you roll the handwheel to feel it. When you are done, mount the screws back. In some cases, the machine might have motor mounting screws. Loosen these screws and pivot the motor upwards to release the belt tension.
Then roll the handwheel as you tighten the belt appropriately. You will also need to shift the motor before tightening its screws back.
Loosen The Belt If It Is Too Tight
A too-tight belt, on the other hand, is not suitable for your machine. You can tell that the belt is too tight if your machine quickly gets too hot. Usually, the machine will heat up due to increased pressure. A too-tight belt may also burn out the bearings as a result of increased pressure. This may affect the motor.
Replace The Belt If Worn Out
A broken belt will stop the handwheel or the upper shaft from turning. Check with your manual for suggestions of the type of sewing machine belt to use. Replacing it should take you a few minutes. Just like you will do when tightening or loosening the machine, begin by unplugging the machine.
Use your screwdriver to unmount the cover screws. Covers can be on either side. Loosen the motor and shift screws to expose the belt gears. Then place the belt on the handwheel beginning from one end to easily slip it over in place to the other end on the gears.
Ensure it does not flex more than half an inch. After it is in place, put new outer covers in place and tighten them with the screws.
4. Sewing Machine Bobbin Winder
Are you looking for how to fix sewing machine bobbin winder? Bobbin not winding is one of the common sewing machine problems that usually affect computerized machines. If you have encountered this problem, check this sewing machine troubleshooting to get back to work instantly.
Check On The Bobbin Size
Why is my sewing machine not sewing? You may have encountered this issue due to a defective bobbin winder. In most cases, wrong bobbin sizes might cause your bobbin winder to stop working. This renders your machine functionless.
You can check on your manual to know the correct bobbin size for your machine. If the thread is not passed correctly through the bobbin winding guide, the bobbing winder might also stop working. Also, check if the groove and the spring in the bobbing winder shaft are snapped into place.
Finally, if all of the above aspects are okay, check for scratches or other defects on your bobbin. You can also replace the bobbin if you are still in doubt.
Ensure You Hold One End Of The Thread When Beginning To Wind
When you fail to hold the end of the thread when starting to wind, you will likely encounter uneven winding. Holding the tail of the thread will reduce the chances of the thread snagging in the bobbin case. This will also prevent confusion when threading the bobbin.
Check On The Bobbin Winding Pin
When the thread gets wrapped around the bobbin winding pin, you might experience uneven winding. You can use a flashlight to check whether you have the thread in the bobbin winding pin. If there is a thread in the pin, use sewing tweezers to remove it. Be careful not to cut the thread or let it fall inside the machine.
5. Sewing Machine Foot
Some common troubles with a sewing machine are the foot stopping to work, getting too hot, running too fast, or ticking and clicking. Check below a guide on how to fix sewing machine foot.
Check On The Rheostat
If the foot pedal stops responding or running too fast, you can expect it to have an electrical problem in the rheostat. In this case, the pedal usually fails to supply the required current to the motor. If you are not well acquainted with electric parts, get someone to help you here.
Get Your Feet Off The Pedal When Not Working
When you rest your feet on the pedal, you might turn it on. Also, sewing slowly may cause the foot to be too hot. To solve this problem, you will have to increase your speed and avoid resting your feet on the foot pedal when not using the machine.
6. Sewing Machine Needle Stuck
Needle getting stuck in the middle of your project might give you chills, especially if you are under pressure to finish the project. However, the needle being vulnerable, having problems with it is inevitable.
Check on the sewing machine troubleshooting measure below to learn how to fix sewing machine needle stuck issue.
Loosen The Screws Holding The Needle In Place
If your needle is stuck in the sewing machine, you will have to remove it to assess the problem. Then, get a screwdriver and loosen the screws letting the needle fall by itself.
Be careful that you don’t lose it. It might fall in the machine, or where you can’t locate that might cause accidents later.
Use Needle-Nose Pliers Or A Magnet
In some cases, the needle may still get stuck after loosening the screws holding it. In this case, you can use the needle-nose pliers to pull it out.
If you lack needle nose pliers, you can employ a magnet. A magnet also works best when you have a broken piece of the needle still caught up in the machine.
Final Verdict
A sewing machine requires regular maintenance practices like most crafting machines. However, the machine will not always run smoothly, even after observing these maintenance practices. That is why this article is focused on the common sewing machine problems and solutions to help you get back to your work as soon as any problem arises.
This sewing machine troubleshooting guide may not replace your manual. But it works best with your manual to tackle some of the most issues that affect sewists. So next time you have trouble with your machine, remember to come back here.
Read More:
Best Sewing Machine for Beginners – Our top 9 picks in 2022
How to use a Sewing Machine for Beginners with FAQs
