Fixing a mistake made on a sewing machine is a little harder than undoing your hand sewing stitches, but it can be done. When you see a problem, stop, and take your foot off the pedal. Take a deep breath, and think about how you might fix it. Here are some of the things that might happen when you’re using a sewing machine and the ways to fix them.
A seam ripper is a very sharp yet useful tool that can undo tiny machine stitches. Always store it in a safe place. When you need to use your seam ripper, take your time. Find a very bright light, or a sunny window, and sit nearby. Make sure the light is bright enough that you can see the stitches.
Note: If you used the reverse stitch to make a knot, you may need to start an inch or so into the seam, then work backward.
My seam is running off the edge of the fabric. You’re not sewing in a straight line. Leave the old stitches where they are, lift the presser foot, and gently reposition the fabric to the place where you went off course. Carefully lower the presser foot so that you have a proper seam allowance of 1⁄4 inch. Resume sewing.
Two pieces of fabric did not get sewn together. Either your fabric pieces aren’t the same size, or you veered off the edge of your fabric. If you need to, trim the fabric so that both pieces are the same size. Leave the old stitches where they are. Go back to the beginning, and carefully lower the presser foot so that you have a proper seam allowance.
My thread keeps breaking. Your sewing machine might not be threaded correctly, the tension could be set wrong, or your needle might not be installed properly. Cut the old thread and discard. Rethread your sewing machine. Please refer to your sewing machine manual if this problem continues.
My thread keeps bunching up on the back of the seam. This happens when the bobbin thread and the needle thread aren’t working together properly. First, double-check to make sure that you sewed with the presser foot in the “down” position. If not, drop the presser foot and resew. If you had the presser foot down and were sewing properly, rethread your sewing machine and take the bobbin out and put it back in.
Every time I finish sewing the needle comes unthreaded. You are cutting the thread too close to the needle. Remember the table rule ( ). Once you finish sewing, lift the needle and the presser foot, and gently pull the fabric off the sewing machine. Now, as gently as you can, pull the threads down to the tabletop. Clip them close to the fabric instead of close to the machine.
My fabric got bunched up. This happens when you’re not keeping your fabric flat as you guide it through the machine, especially when you’re sewing large pieces of fabric. Be sure to smooth your fabric to make sure it’s not folded or bunched as it travels past the needle. Once your fabric is bunched and stitched, the only way to fix it is to use a seam ripper to undo your stitches, and then start again.
My project is coming apart! Did you remember to reverse stitch when you started and stopped sewing? If not, your stitches will come undone.
The stitches aren’t the same length. Remember how gently you need to hold the fabric while you guide it through the sewing machine? If your stitches are uneven, you are pulling too hard.
My needle broke. Double-check to make sure that you are using the right needle for your make and model of sewing machine. Did you accidentally sew over something you shouldn’t have, like a pin or a metal zipper pull? Ask a grown-up to help replace the needle.
My fabric is stuck in the machine. First, turn off and unplug your sewing machine. Lift the presser foot, and then use your right hand to manually turn the hand wheel toward you until the needle is in the up position. Now reach under the fabric to remove the needle plate. You might have to take the bobbin out of its casing and then use the seam ripper or scissors to cut the tangle of threads that are clogging the feed dogs. Once you cut away the snarl, you can slowly ease your fabric away from the sewing machine.
The good sides aren’t facing out. Read the project directions to see how to put together the fabric when you sew. Did you put the good sides together first? The only way to solve this problem is to use a seam ripper to undo your stitches, reposition the fabric so the good sides are facing the right way, and resew your project.
