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What went wrong with the stitch?
Filter sewing symptoms to find possible causes and the first checks to make.
8 symptoms
| Symptom | Possible cause | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Loops underneath | Upper thread may not be seated | Rethread with the foot raised; follow the manual’s take-up lever path. |
| Loops on top | Bobbin may be inserted or threaded incorrectly | Turn off the machine and follow the bobbin orientation diagram for your model. |
| Skipped stitches | Needle may be bent, dull or unsuitable | Fit the correct needle system and fabric point; use a scrap before continuing. |
| Thread breaks | Thread may catch or needle eye may be unsuitable | Check spool path, needle direction and thread/needle guidance. |
| Fabric puckers | Tension or feeding may be unsuitable | Use a fresh scrap, check threading, then change one permitted setting at a time. |
| Needle breaks | Needle may hit a pin, foot or plate | Stop. Remove pins before sewing; check foot, plate and stitch width compatibility. |
| Fabric will not feed | Feed dogs may be lowered or stitch length too short | Check feed and length settings in the manual; do not pull fabric through. |
| Uneven buttonhole | Layer support or foot setup may be wrong | Read buttonhole setup and use the same layers and stabilizer on a scrap. |
Which sources did we use?
- Singer Faqmaker reference · read 2026-11-04
- Schmetz Fabricmaker reference · read 2026-11-04
- Janome Hd Manualmaker reference · read 2026-11-04