Why?
 

For months and months I've quilted using the same big cone of thread and a size 12 needle. For the past 2 days, I keep having skipped stitches. I've changed out the size 12 needle, no difference. On a whim I switched to a size 14 and the skipping has virtually stopped.

Why??? I am not using a new pack or a different brand of size 12 needles. Same package as always, I bought many packs in one batch so essentially the same needles.

Same thread. Same quilting cottons.

Can tension somehow make me need a larger needle? Perhaps something changed there? What else could it be?

I've solved the problem but I need to know - why??

I find it's usually because I either have lint in my bobbin case, especially in that tiny little loopy thing that you have to catch the thread in, or else sometimes there is a tiny burr on the bobbin case. Try cleaning everything top & bobbin really well and oil your bobbin hook. If it's still an issue, I'd make a service appointment.

Ok, now things are really odd. I did as Bree123 advised. I opened up the bobbin area. It had more lint than I expected, I usually keep it spotless. I cleaned it and put a drop of oil on the shuttle run. I did the "yo yo" test on the bobbin case and found it had gotten tight so I loosened it up. I put a drop of oil on the bobbin post and reassembled.

I put my size 12 needle back - still skipping stitches. If you remember, this was my 2nd size 12 needle. I did not discard the first needle since I wasn't sure it was bad. I simply set it aside. On a whim I put it back and now everything is fine. What???

The needle I'm now using is the first size 12 needle which I replaced because of skipping stitches. I just don't understand. I've discarded the replacement size 12 needle and I've just sewn 4 WOF strips with no skips. Odd huh?

Life is a mystery...:)

The only thing I can think of is that you are not inserting the needle all the way up into the shaft. Turn the power off, loosen the screw enough so the old needle falls out, insert the new needle using your fingernail or the old needle with the tip inserted into the eye to make sure it's pushed up all the way. If the needle is even a tiny bit long, you will skip stitches.

Princess, that's an interesting theory. Perhaps the first needle was inserted incorrectly and the 2nd needle was simply defective. That would explain it all.

Or ghosts. Ghosts would explain it all.

I would have said lint

Perhaps the needle had come a tad loose and moved, either down or twisted

Quilting even more so.

last week I looked at a friend's old singer which was not working. I began by putting all levers into correct positions. Began to sew missing stitches. Cleaned bobbin area and changed thread. Still sewing but skipping stitches. Each check was a slight improvement. Finally tried to take needle out, pliers required, kept pulling. Eventually another lady took it out stronger fingers than mine. New needle and it worked. Friend had lent the machine to someone who maintained he had not fiddled or taken the needle out. Finally he admitted he had. The needle we worked out was not in the needle shaft so we sewers knew it had been moved. Would have started with needle had I known this fact.
needles need to be new and in the shaft to work properly. Hope you keep sewing.

Lint is what came to my mind also.

I have a son who is a Technician who will tell you in heart beat not very needle that comes out of a new packet is perfect , he buys his in bulk of thousand and says he would get at least 10 in each batch that are no good ,I could of been just that needle.

A needle put in backwards will also result in skipped stitches. The flat side of the shaft needs to be where the thread comes out. A friend bought a featherweight and couldn't get it to sew properly. I looked at it and she had the needle inserted so the thread went in front to back. Featherweights are right to left. I moved the needle and it sewed like a dream. I put my needle in backwards (with the flat part to the front) once and it skipped stitches. I've also had an experience where I didn't push the needle in far enough. I've learned to slow down and not be so rammy when I'm changing needles. Now if I could just learn that lesson for the rest of my life...

LOL! Poor ghosts! I blame them for everything around here!

Tension has nothing to do with the needle size requirement, but your thread size and density if your batting does. Best advice to any quilter....use a 90/14 topstitch needle. The topstitch has a larger eye and makes a slightly Iarger Sure, you need to check for lint and debris.....but skipped stitches means the top thread is not meeting up with the bobbin thread in time to lock. Change to a 90/14 topstitch needle and should not have any more problems. Happy quilting

It's those darned sewing Fairies. They sit on my shoulder often. Bad, bad, fairies.

Go with it and quilt, you may never figure out why, however, not all needles in a pack are the same, they can be different.

My usual cause for skipping stitches is a burr developing on the needle point. I have had problems with lint or thread bits binding in the bobbin case or tension discs. I once went through almost a new pack of needles trying to solve the skipping, only to find burrs in the eyes or points of them all!

I"m going with poltergeists. They always mess me up

Glad the problem is solved, even if there is no answer for 'why'.

It's not ghosts, it is gremlins.

I have an HQ 16. When I first got it, it skipped stitches. It was so frustrating. I finally figured it out. I wasn't pulling the thread back and forth in the tension disks to get the thread to settle all the way into the disks. Can't say that is or was your problem, but you may want to try that. Also lint and dull needles can cause a tension problem as well as incorrectly inserting the needle. Good luck (that old needle will not work forever, so I hope your problem can be solved).

I used to think it was the way I held my mouth, or if I had the wrong shirt on, maybe a full moon. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense.

Sometimes you just get a bad needle or package of needles.

I think Gay might be onto something. Machines clearly vibrate when we sew, even the smoothest ones. It doesn't take much for something to get just enough out of line to cause problems.

I'd say it was the lint. My viking hates lint. When it starts acting up I clean out the bobbin area and all is well.

Any chance it's the type of needle? You didn't mention if you were using a microtex, topstitching, quilting or universal. Also, what fabric are you stitching - batik, traditional quilting cotton?