In my experience, this is the second most common reason why machines skip stitches, but the first thing you should check. This is especially true when it comes to Sergers. It may seem odd but some many Sergers use needles of varying lengths. If the needle is too short or too long then the machine will not properly form a stitch. It’s also possible that the needle length may be correct but not designed for the particular fabric you are working with. This can be seen from corresponding image. It’s important to make sure that the needle you are using is designed to be used with the material you are using. If you’re absolutely sure that you are using the correct needle then move on to the next step below.

Tension plates removed from a sewing machine

This the third most common reason why machines skip stitches. It is VERY common for lint and thread to get stuck in your sewing machine’s tension plates. When this happens, they need to be cleaned in order for the machine to form proper stitches again. First lets discuss what tension plates are. Where the tension plates are located will vary depending on the make and model of your sewing machine but they almost always look the same. They are two metal discs that the thread passes through when you are threading your machine and they are almost always located somewhere near your tension dial. Sometimes the tension plates are hard to see as they are somewhat hidden on some machines. The easiest way to find them is the slowly thread your sewing machine and watch for the thread to pass through two metal discs. The corresponding image shows what they look like when they are removed from the machine. Once you think you’ve found the tension plates you can confirm by lifting and lowering your presser foot lever. If the plates open up when you lift the presser foot lever, and close when you lower it then congratulations you found them! The first step you need to take in order to clean your tension plates is the lift the presser foot lever up. Once you do this you should see the tension plates open up. This will make it easier to clean them. Often times when you look into the tension plates you won’t see anything, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing in there. There is almost always lint or thread hiding away. Especially if you have been using dark threads. The best way to clean them is to blow canned air into the tension plates. You can normally buy canned air at any sewing shop or hardware store. Most of the time this will remove any dust, debris, lint, or thread that may be stuck in there. Once you’ve cleared everything out of there, thread your machine back up and try again. If the problem persists and you are relatively new to sewing then your next step should be to contact a service technician as there may be something more serious wrong with your machine. If you are seasoned sewer who is comfortable digging deeper into your machine then keep on the lookout for part 2 of this article where I will cover more advanced techniques.