When Your Machine is Misbehaving
Before you call a service technician there are several steps you can take. Following these steps may allow you to fix the problem yourself. Even if you don’t manage to fix the problem, the information you gather may help your service technician diagnose and fix your machine more quickly.
Poor Stitch Quality / Skipping Stitches / Machine is Noisy
*Re-thread the machine
Some problems simply go away when you fully re-thread. While you’re threading, notice if the thread feels like it’s dragging or catching – it may be a sign of trouble that’s likely minor but that you probably can’t fix yourself. Don’t forget to lift the presser foot before threading – otherwise the thread may not go into the tension disks, and you may see looping or ‘nesting’ on the bottom of your fabric. Make sure your bobbin is inserted correctly – if in doubt consult your user’s manual. And check to see that the thread is wound smoothly and evenly on the bobbin – if it looks ‘bunchy’ or loose it may cause trouble.
*Change the needle
Even a barely-used needle may have a small bend or a burr, or be a little bit dull. A bent needle can cause anything from skipped stitches to machine damage, so replacing it is a good place to start. (While you’re doing that, make sure the needle is inserted all the way into the clamping mechanism). Be aware that not all machines use the same type of needle. Some needles may be too long for your machine and could damage it, while others may be too small in diameter and simply fall out. Make sure you use the correct kind for your machine!!! Also, don’t use no-name dollar-store needles; decent needles aren’t necessarily expensive, but they should come from a reputable manufacturer. Needles are your cheapest sewing consumable, but are among the most critical. Skimping on them can cost you in the long run, both in wasted time and in damage to your machine.
*Adjust the tension
Tension problems most often show up as looping, nesting, stitches that pull out too easily, or puckering and bunching where you aren’t expecting it. In general, stitches that appear loose on the top indicate that the bobbin tension is too low, while messy stitches on the bottom indicate that the upper tension is too low. Improper tension can also result in skipped stitches. Adjusting the upper tension – AFTER re-threading the machine – may help. And be aware that tension problems aren’t always visible; I recently worked on two machines that were stitching quite nicely but were very noisy, and tension adjustments went a long way toward making them quiet.
Machine Doesn’t Run
*Check the Mechanical Condition
If the machine has power but won’t run, then try turning the handwheel toward youby hand. If it won’t turn or is stiff, you should have the machine serviced – further attempts to use it may cause damage.
*Check the Electrical Connections
Turn on the power switch and check to see whether the lights on your machine light up. If not, make sure the power cord is inserted fully into the machine and into the wall socket. If that doesn’t work, you might have a tripped circuit breaker in your basement, a faulty outlet, a bad power cord, or a fault inside the machine. If the machine is receiving power but still won’t run, check that the foot pedal connector is fully inserted into the machine. If the machine has a Start/Stop button on the front, try that. If it still won’t run, it may be time to contact Sew Tec.
Stitch Length is Too Short, or Fabric Won’t Feed
*Clean out under the stitch plate
The most common cause of problems with fabric feeding is felted fabric dust in the grooves of the feed dogs. If you’re comfortable doing so, remove the needle plate – refer to your owner’s manual if necessary. Then push a toothpick or a pin through the grooves between the rows of teeth that would normally be sticking out of the stitch plate and gripping the bottom of the fabric. If a fair amount of ‘stuff’ comes out of the grooves, you’ll probably find that when you put the stitch plate back on and start sewing your feed problems have disappeared. But if there’s that much crud in the feed dogs, it’s probably about time to have the machine serviced – there may be a lot more fabric dust inside the machine where you can’t get at it.