Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I earn a small commission when you click a link and make a purchase. Thanks for supporting SewingSociety.com!
Nothing is more frustrating than a sewing machine that won’t work. I’m sorry you’re having issues! Here are ten reasons why your sewing machine can have trouble sewing and feeding fabric, and what to do about each one.
Contents
Your Sewing Machine Is Not Threaded Correctly
Even people who have been sewing for years sometimes thread their sewing machines incorrectly. This is the first thing you should check if your sewing machine is not sewing or feeding fabric. Your thread might have gotten a knot when you were winding your bobbin or threading your sewing machine. If the knot gets caught in the eye of your needle or in your tension discs, your sewing machine might stop sewing.
Unthread your sewing machine and rethread it from the beginning. Ensure your thread take-up lever is in its highest position, attach your spool of thread, and then pull your thread through your tension discs and thread guides according to the instructions in your user manual. Then, pull your thread through the eye of your needle and leave a four-inch tail of thread.
Your Thread Tension Is Too Tight
Your thread tension should be adjusted for different weights of fabric and thread. Make sure that you are using the same weight thread in both your bobbin and upper thread. If you don’t, the tension can be uneven and cause your thread to snag and stop your machine.
Sewing machine manufacturers suggest that you don’t mess with your bobbin thread tension too much, but you should adjust your upper thread tension if your sewing machine has a hard time sewing. Turn your tension dial counterclockwise to loosen it. If you can’t seem to get your tension right, a sewing machine repair technician can reset your bobbin tension.
Your Stitch Length Is Set to Zero
If the stitch length on your sewing machine is set to zero, it won’t move your fabric forward or backward. This might be your problem if you recently created a buttonhole. Most sewing machines require you to set your stitch length to zero for the automatic buttonhole stitch. Simply make your stitch length longer to start sewing normally again.
Your Feed Dogs Are Down
The feed dogs are located directly below your needle and presser foot. They should stick up slightly above your throat plate. If you cannot feel the feed dogs with your finger, then you need to raise them so they can pull your fabric through your sewing machine. If you’ve done any freehand stitching on your sewing machine lately, you might have forgotten to raise your feed dogs when you finished.
Your Feed Dogs Are Worn
If you have an older sewing machine or you do a lot of sewing, your feed dogs might be worn. Run your finger over them to see if they are sharp. If your feed dogs are too smooth, they will not grab your fabric and feed it through your sewing machine properly. It’s easier to replace your feed dogs than to get them sharpened.
Your Feed Dogs Are Jammed
Thread, lint, and dust can get stuck in your feed dogs and cause them to get jammed. When this happens, sometimes your sewing machine will not sew or feed fabric. Clean your sewing machine, paying special attention to your feed dogs and bobbin case.
Your Presser Foot Is Not Down
A common sewing mistake is forgetting to lower your presser foot before you begin to sew. Computerized sewing machines usually give you a reminder, but older sewing machines do not. If your presser foot is not down, your feed dogs will not have anything to grab and your fabric will not go anywhere.
Your Bobbin Case Is Full of Lint
Lint builds up in your bobbin case as you sew. It can get in the way of your needle and prevent the hook in your bobbin case from forming stitches properly. If you get too much lint in your bobbin case, it can jam your sewing machine and prevent it from sewing forward. Clean your sewing machine frequently to avoid the problem.
Your Fabric Is Too Thick or You’re Sewing Through Too Many Layers
Sewing machines are not designed to sew through several layers of fabric. Too many layers can jam your sewing machine or cause it to stop sewing. This is a bigger problem if you’re trying to sew through leather or vinyl. If you really need to sew through so many layers, you can adjust your presser foot pressure. Just be sure to put it back to normal when you’re finished, or your sewing machine will not feed two layers of fabric properly. You can also use a walking foot attachment to help feed fabric through your sewing machine evenly.
You Are Overworking Your Sewing Machine
Newer sewing machines have an automatic shutoff feature when the motor gets too hot. If you’ve been overworking your sewing machine, you may need to give it time to rest before it will work again. Unplug your machine and wait an hour or more to let it cool down.
Did you find this article helpful?
I can help you solve other sewing machine problems, too! Get a copy of my book, Sewing Machine Problems and How to Solve Them on Amazon.
Your sewing machine is going to give you troubles again.
It’s inevitable…
My troubleshooting book walks you through how to solve the 20 most common sewing machine problems. You’ll be prepared to tackle any problem your sewing machine throws at you. That means more time sewing and less time crying.
The ebook version only costs $2.99. You’d easily pay between $75 and $150 to take your sewing machine to a repair technician. Learn how to do a lot of the sewing machine troubleshooting yourself and save money. For more information, visit our Sewing Machine Troubleshooting Page.
Share this post on Pinterest!
You say to adjust the pressure but you didn’t say which way, up or down?
A helpful post. All the possible root causes are mentioned in this post. Thanks
My Usha allure feed dog only moves up and down not forward. What can be the reason.
I have the same with my vintage Pfaff 31 and have not found a solution yet. So hear another request for tan answer on the same question
Very helpful for people like me who are still a beginner
I am quilting but i can’t figure out how to lower the feed dogs on this 10 yr old brother portable machine.it sews great.
Sp