Many little elements can make your machine do strange things, which later impact your sewing. One of these is your machine skipping stitches! I used to struggle with this problem, which made my projects less secure and messy. So if you are struggling too, in this post I will give you a list of things that can cause your machine to skip stitches.
#1 Wrong Needle Type
There are many types of needles, all to be used with different types of fabric. Each needle is designed to manipulate the fabric according to its fibres, creating the perfect stitch.
Before I learnt about the difference in needles, I used to just use a Universal needle, which is designed for most types of fabric. But, when I started using stretch fabrics, I realised that your needle has a big impact on the quality of your stitching.
Generally, the packs of needles that you can buy have an explanation on the back and a list of fabrics that you can use them with. Before you start sewing, check those lists and see which needle type is best for your fabric!
#2 Needle Size
Once again your needle can play a big factor in the quality of your stitching, but this time it is the size!
Depending on the type of fabric, the fibres are entwined differently. This means that if the fibres are looser and you have a small needle, the needle cannot latch on to create a stitch. The same goes for too large a needle; there is no space for it to create a stitch.
If you look at a pack of needles, there may be two numbers indicating the size (e.g.: 75/11, 110/18). The numbers ranging from 60 to 110, are European sizings. Whilst the numbers ranging from 8 to 18 are American sizing. So if you have a pack of needles with either one set of numbers, or both, do not get confused, they both mean the same thing!
#3 Damaged Needle
The last problem with the needle is if it is damaged. This reason speaks for itself as if anything is damaged, there will always be complications. A few ways your needle can become damaged is if you hit a pin whilst sewing, or if the needle hits the needle plate. Overuse of one needle can make it blunt, bent, or scratched.
Also, remember that even if you cannot see any damage, it may be there. Needles are so small that you would not be able to see it with the naked eye.
#4 Bad Quality Thread
Generally, if something is bad quality, it will not be worthwhile, and the same goes for your thread. Your sewing machine does not like cheap thread!
When I say bad quality, I do not mean synthetic thread. It does not matter whether it is polyester or pure cotton. Just make sure that if you are buying polyester thread, it is good quality so that the fibres do not break, and ruin your machine and stitching!
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