Sewing Machine Troubleshooting Guide

Sewing machine troubleshooting should be learned by anyone who owns and uses a sewing machine. Not only will you save time by eliminating unnecessary trips to the repairman, but you'll save money on unneeded repair bills.

The purpose of this sewing machine troubleshooting guide is twofold. First you'll learn about some simple preventative maintenance that you can perform on your own sewing machine.

Next, you'll learn how to diagnose and fix simple problems like breaking needles, breaking threads, or unbalanced tension to name a few.

Following these simple steps will give you more time for trouble free quilting.

The First Step to a Happy Sewing Machine

Before beginning, locate the instruction manual that came with your domestic sewing machine. Find a place to keep it handy when you are quilting. It is an invaluable aid to diagnose problems and likely has a directory of problems and fixes indexed in the back.

The Importance of Your Needle

The sewing machine needle is such a little insignificant thing. Or is it?

This tiny piece of metal is at the root of so many problems. ‘Good thing it's so easy to change. For almost every problem listed in this guide, the needle is the first thing to check.

Now for a little needle know-how:

• If the problem just started, insert a new needle. Keep in mind that just because a needle is new and fresh from it's package, doesn't mean it's perfect.
• Hit a pin, change your needle. Same goes for a needle that you've been using for several hours. The smallest amount of damage to the needle tip will affect stitch quality.
• A bent needle? Of course, you'd change it!
• Make sure to insert the needle completely. A needle that extends just a tiny bit longer will be in the wrong position to form a stitch.
• Choose the correct needle to handle your thread choice.

Now to learn more about simple preventative sewing machine maintenance, click here.

We have covered a number of sewing machine problems. Find yours in the list below and click on the name. Remember that if you feel uncomfortable with any of the adjustments consult you dealer for more information.

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