General Maintenance and proper technique are critical for optimum performance of your sewing machine and project outcome.
Sometimes the answer is as close as your feet...
Your sewing feet that is.
Have you had the circumstance where your machine is skipping stitches, or the stitches just do not look the way they should?
More than usually, the project is not a simple sewing project but a multilayer item with foam or other stabilizer, or it may be a pieced item with multilayered seams, or maybe a complex decorative element.
It is most often the case that the machine is struggling because the contact between the foot and the fabric is causing an issue. There are several issues that crop up such as an imbalance, articulation of the the foot or too much pressure.
A foot that is allowed to hang over the edge of a thick project will not have full contact with the feed dogs, or could be out of balance as it is no longer parallel to the machine. This can put strain on the fabric and impede proper movement thus resulting in poor or skipped stitches. A similar outcome is common when sewing over large multilayered seams such that the foot is forced up, the foot articulates and loses its solid contact against the fabric and thus the feed dogs. Lastly, because in most of these scenarios the project or portions of the project are thick, it may be advisable to reduce the presser foot pressure to allow the fabric to freely move with the feed dogs. Having too much downward pressure can stretch your fabric or disrupt the proper movement of your fabric through the machine.
The keys to success when sewing on thick projects, seams or complex configurations, is to slow down, reduce the pressure foot pressure and select a foot that allow you to keep appropriate contact with the project.
Still having an issue? Feel free to stop in with a sample of your project, we are always happy to provide feedback and assistance!
