papagrandma12

Please help me! My featherweight keeps skipping stitches when sewing. I've tried adjusting the upper tension, plus the bobbin tension, put in a new needle and my stitches are still skipping. Any suggestions on what is happening?

oldsewnsew

try this thread, http://www.quiltingboard.com/vintage...e-t250390.html

dwerther

The first things to check are if the needle is on correctly (needle flat to the left), in all the way, and the correct length needle. Then check to make sure that with the bobbin case out of the machine, when you pull on the thread the bobbin turns counter-clockwise.

If all that is good check to make sure you have proper tension. You said you tried adjusting it, but with the presser foot lever down is there sufficient top tension when you pull the thread? Same with the bottom thread - when held by the thread and bounced, the bobbin case should not drop on it's own weight or at least not very much.

Also check the presser foot tension screw. A good starting point is about 1/4" of space between the underside of the adjustment screw and the top of the arm. Then adjust per the thickness and type of fabric you are sewing.

Did this problem just develop suddenly? Or did it coincide with a service, change of thread, change of needle, etc? Did you take the rotary hook off the machine to clear thread behind it?

Last but not least if you feel all of the above are correct you'll need to look at the needle bar adjustment, then the hook timing. If you are not comfortable tackling these yourself then seek out an experienced FW tech. I would be glad to help you but it would be a bit of a drive for you to Texas.

oldsewnsew

or what happened before it started? remove and replace bobbin case, changed needle, &put in correctly faced, different thread. Whayt are you sewing? Itll be something simple, I'd be willing to bet.

purplefiend

Is the finger of the bobbin base in between the throat plate springs? Is the needle in the machine correctly? Machine threaded correctly?

KenZ

Is the bobbin wound loose? If so it can cause skipped stitches. Try winding a bobbin with the thread wound around the bobbin winder tension disk an extra turn to wind the bobbin very snug and even.

KenZ

Checked with my wife and she recommends checking the thread feed. She stated that if the thread is not feeding smoothly the machine will skip a stich every time gets pulled. It may also be a bad spool of thread. Test with another spool.

oldtnquiltinglady

And one other thing I have discovered lately--be sure your thread is feeding off the back of the spool. And are you making sure you leave the needle in the "up" position every time you finish a seam? That seems unreasonable, but try it. FWs are pretty particular about such as that, to my way of thinking.

mom-6

When mine did that the culprit was a bit of thread where it didn't belong in the bobbin area. I had to remove the bobbin case and also get out some dust that had collected around the feed dog area. A chenille craft stick (pipe cleaner) can work well for feeling around in that area.

Sew Krazy Girl

Are you using the same thread in the bobbin as in the spool?