Kutarheeltq

I am piecing pinwheels with 2 Moda cotton fabrics; one white and one blue. The white always puckers a bit whether it’s on the top or bottom. Tension seems to be ok.

Tartan

Is it actually gathering the fabric? If so, it sounds like a tension issue. If you can press the pieces and the wrinkles iron out, it might be a dull needle. Check the thread oath coming from the spool. Once in a while mine with get caught around the extra spool pin without me noticing and it puckers the sewing and then breaks the thread.

QuiltingVagabond

Try starching the white fabric, maybe it just needs more body.

aashley333

When that happens, I lay down newsprint first, then fabric and sew.

juliasb

I find this happens when I have a dull needle.

Jordan

If this happens to me then I always put the fabric that is puckering on the bottom next to the bobbin carrier. Someone told me always put the looser fabric on the bottom. I remember this by "baggie on the bottom".

grennan

Always worth changing, unless you just (one or two seams ago) did. Make sure it's not a ball-knit needle, and for really sharp go Microtex/sharp.

And tissue paper/adding machine roll stabilizer can't hurt, either.

Plus liquid thread lube up top and or stick the needle in sewers magic (solid conditioner).