Skipped Stitches and Broken Needles? Is it YOU?
It’s human nature to want to help things along. You see the fabric moving and you want to… assist. But every time I see someone pulling their fabric through their sewing machine, I cringe a little inside. Not because I’m judging them for “doing something wrong” — but because something is going to break eventually and that will stink for them.
Your machine is designed to move the fabric all by itself. All you need to do is a little steering.
Here’s why that matters — and what’s actually happening inside your machine when you pull.
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The feed dogs do a little box step — up, back, down, return — and that’s what’s moving your fabric. The presser foot holds it against them so they can do their job.
You don’t need to help.
Here’s the part most people don’t know about: something called the hook. The hook has one job — catch the needle thread at exactly the right moment to make a stitch. And it has to come right next to the needle to do it. We’re talking touching close.
When you pull the fabric, you move the needle just enough to cause problems. Too far from the hook and you get skipped stitches. Too close and the needle breaks. And if the hook gets damaged… that affects every single project after.
So if you’re dealing with skipped stitches or broken needles and you can’t figure out why — it might be worth thinking about what your hands are doing while you sew.
Want to go deeper on how your machine works? My Master Your Machine playlist is free and covers all of this and more.
Happy sewing. 😉
