I have found that another thing to try in these circumstances is to remove my bobbin and use another one entirely. If the thread on your bobbin gets messed up for any reason (not wound properly, uber cheap thread with uneven thickness, etc.), it will mess with your tension and can lead to knots and snags under the fabric and/or 'eating' of the fabric. Don't waste your time trying to "fix" the faulty bobbin if you don't have to. Winding a fresh bobbin will take only a minute, and you may save your sanity in the bargain.
Right! Last year I bought 100 bobbins and i knew that there had to be some that didn’t have the exact dimensions, it happens during manufacturing. I happened to have that issue you mentioned, right away i knew it was the bobbin, i rewound it onto another bobbin and it fixed the issue, the bad bobbin went into the garbage. I expect there will be more.
Ugh I just got flashbacks to fashion school and having a faulty zipper foot. You feel like you're going insane until you finally figure it out. Great tip!
I'd love a sewing machine that can just sew fabric, without me having to make sure that the sun is positioned at the right angle in the sky. I have a Brother "Tough and Strong" and so far there's nothing strong about it, but it's _very_ tough to work on. Right now I'm sewing shirts in thin cotton (basket weave) and it's dying. Dainty freaking cotton... and it's acting up - I can't even backstitch without the fabric edge lumping up. I've gotten to the point where whenever I look at it I think "should I just hand sew this coat? It'd probably save me some time in the long run" Sorry, I had to vent somewhere
So, this trick someone mentioned to me which is kind of brilliant -- Before you begin sewing a questionable fabric, tape a scrap of stabilizer to the *bottom* of your sewing plate with a fairly firm adhesive. This won't completely remove the risk of it pulling fabric through, but it provides a barrier that "pushes back" against fabric as it starts to get pulled under while still being something that your needle can easily and safely sew through.
@@barefacedquestions Not at all, the idea is that the needle punches through a very limited area of the "open" section of the baseplate and the rest is open just in case the needle drifts or is shifted by thick fabrics/tension. Stabilizer is fragile enough that the needle (of course) punches right through it if the needle shifts, but helps resist cloth getting pulled through that opening anywhere the needle has not punched out. This makes it easier to avoid having enough fabric pulled through the base plate to get caught inside.
My machine does not have the option to switch the stitching plate. For light fabric or stretchy, I place a few inches long scrap of paper (posts its work great) under the fabric when I start sewing. If you use posts its ensure that the glue part is upwards, on the fabric, towards the left of the stitching line, NOT on the stitching line directly. This method keeps the posts its in place which is easy to tear away once finished stitching. This completely solved this issue for me. In the case of sewing chiffon, as you need to cut each pattern piece individually, I leave the tracing paper on which I copied the pattern on the fabric until I am done sewing the pieces together and once done I tear away the pattern paper. Besides solving the issue of the material being sucked inside the machine, this also solved the issue with stitches looking all swanky when sewing chiffon or very light materials.
@@TheAwlNighter1 Indeed, chiffon can be a nightmare to work with, however, then end product is always amazing. I am not going to lie, no matter how much I have worked with chiffon, the love and hate relationship with this fabric is still on going. LOL
That was a huge help, when you explained how a dull needle can push the fabric down into the machine. Makes total sense, I tried a new needle and it worked! Thank you for saving me from tossing the machine out the second story window. :)
I know what to do, It could also be a poorly wound bobbin or bad bobbin or wrong bobbin. I watched to see if there’s a different way than i do it, I use a leader piece of fabric to start sewing if I’m using a lighter weight fabric. I backstitch once I get to the fabric I’m sewing. I found that holding the threads do not always work. If all else fails, I use a coffee filter underneath.
I forgot about starting on a scrap piece, but I've never heard of using a coffee filter! I'll have to give that a try. Does it tear away like paper after?
not my idea but you could cover the throat plate with a small strip of masking tape to create a temporary zero-clearance slot for the needle ... just make sure not to cover the feed dogs.
Omg that's so clever! I've never heard that before. I wish i had known that when I was using those cheap $50 machines that didn't have extra attachments!
Read some of the comments if you're still having issues. There are some really good tips from other viewers. Is it happening on all fabric? If so, it's probably something else going on. Try rethreading, changing needle, & oiling if necessary. Your machine could just need a service as well.
I am beginner and had that problem until I lessened tension in my bobbin holder. It is much better now but I still can not do zig zag on smallest length and width *sigh, I have cheap Janome 2222 and I think that many problems come from buying subpar equipment ☹ Now I just do zig zag that is (2, 3 ) 🤷♀
Oh boy. Im glad I found your video. Ive been pulling my hair out. Im new to dress making and my light weight cotton fabric has been eaten by my machine. It seems to happen when I’m Back stitching. Thanks for the tips
I was mending my daughter's doll's clothes and it kept jamming, a few times it even pushed the fabric down, I was trying to use the first technique, as is natural for me, but it wasn't working, so I came looking to see if paper works as a tear-away stabilizer. After watching this video, I tried paper, and it started eating the paper the same as it had eaten the fabric, then I tried the second technique, and it jammed again when I started forward after the backstitch, but when I combined the first and second techniques (started on a backstitch, then when I started forward again, I held the tails to maintain tension on the fabric), it made the cleanest seams I have ever gotten out of my machine. I'm never looking back.
i'll hand crank the wheel to slow start it for an inch or two but it kills my arm and the machine i have is too new and fancy to hand crank for a back stitch.
Can you use tear away stabiliser when gathering? I’m having a major issue with my machine eating chiffon while trying to gather and even straight stitch. Any advice on how to help?
Thanks! I was using thin cotton and it kept getting jammed in the hole where the needle would thread. I'm guessing it's cause I kept backstitching at the beginning. I just let it run through entirely without backstitching and it came out fine with a small back stitch at the end.
@@GrandmaSezSo I don't know but my mom who was amazing seamstress never did back-stitch. She sew everything from satin to heavy coats. She did a lot of finishing by hand, though - I will have to ask her about this. I am new at sewing and I would rather skip back stitching than ending with holes in my fabric and all of the frustration ...
@@TheAwlNighter1 i’m trying different things to see if it will help me sleep like this nature made product that has melatonin but a couple other things. It’s so so. I guess it does not help if you have chocolate ice cream right before you go to bed 😅😀🍨🍦
I have a Singer heavy duty machine with only a wide zig zag throat plate option. My daughter bought a vintage dress in extremely lightweight satin which she wants me to reduce the size of. The machine can't form even stitches on it. I am thinking about using starch on the seam lines, then sewing when it has dried, then washing the starch away after. i'm hoping it would be easier to get rid of than the paper which sometimes stays under stitching even after washing.
Switch to double needle. I had thin very stretchy material that was being eaten badly, on a new to me machine with a plastic horizontal bobbin. I gave up and went back to my older machine with a vertical metal bobbin and switched from single needle to double and was able to finish the project. I have not been back to the newer machine or that fabric for a while. I have read that lint in the feed dogs can cause problems. On some old machines threading the tension disc incorrectly can be bad.
2:25 my mother taught me to do this and I'm always surprised how many people don't know this trick. I vaguely remember her mentioning tension settings when we had some thread/fabric nest problems, so after checking the needle be sure to check the tension dials and test stitches to be sure (dusting out the bobbin area with a brush may also be a good idea). I also have seen some people who start with the foot on the fabric and needle down (by hand crank) before stitching or back-stitching. I don't know if that helps more, but I've seen it. Just a note, I'm not sure if you're using two layers of fabric through the whole video but I've heard using only one can be bad for the machine. So for anyone testing stitches, try to have a little swatch of 2 layers to be safe. (I keep a dark and light one my by machine to be able to see the stitches I'm testing.)
Not crazy at all! Gutterman is a better quality thread than alot of the cheaper ones you find at craft stores. The cheap thread is already fuzzy and balling up before you put it in the machine!
Is it a Singer Heavy Duty 44S by chance? I wish I had never bought this machine. Can't afford to replace and too late to return. I hate it. I have spent more time unscrewing the plate and unclogging the bobbin area.
I have found that another thing to try in these circumstances is to remove my bobbin and use another one entirely. If the thread on your bobbin gets messed up for any reason (not wound properly, uber cheap thread with uneven thickness, etc.), it will mess with your tension and can lead to knots and snags under the fabric and/or 'eating' of the fabric. Don't waste your time trying to "fix" the faulty bobbin if you don't have to. Winding a fresh bobbin will take only a minute, and you may save your sanity in the bargain.
Right! Last year I bought 100 bobbins and i knew that there had to be some that didn’t have the exact dimensions, it happens during manufacturing. I happened to have that issue you mentioned, right away i knew it was the bobbin, i rewound it onto another bobbin and it fixed the issue, the bad bobbin went into the garbage. I expect there will be more.
Ugh I just got flashbacks to fashion school and having a faulty zipper foot. You feel like you're going insane until you finally figure it out. Great tip!
I'd love a sewing machine that can just sew fabric, without me having to make sure that the sun is positioned at the right angle in the sky. I have a Brother "Tough and Strong" and so far there's nothing strong about it, but it's _very_ tough to work on. Right now I'm sewing shirts in thin cotton (basket weave) and it's dying. Dainty freaking cotton... and it's acting up - I can't even backstitch without the fabric edge lumping up. I've gotten to the point where whenever I look at it I think "should I just hand sew this coat? It'd probably save me some time in the long run"
Sorry, I had to vent somewhere
This happens every fucking time
So, this trick someone mentioned to me which is kind of brilliant -- Before you begin sewing a questionable fabric, tape a scrap of stabilizer to the *bottom* of your sewing plate with a fairly firm adhesive. This won't completely remove the risk of it pulling fabric through, but it provides a barrier that "pushes back" against fabric as it starts to get pulled under while still being something that your needle can easily and safely sew through.
Ooooo this is a new one for me. I like this!
With this method, does the stabilizer get stitched to the fabric? So do you need to remove it after sewing?
@@barefacedquestions Not at all, the idea is that the needle punches through a very limited area of the "open" section of the baseplate and the rest is open just in case the needle drifts or is shifted by thick fabrics/tension. Stabilizer is fragile enough that the needle (of course) punches right through it if the needle shifts, but helps resist cloth getting pulled through that opening anywhere the needle has not punched out. This makes it easier to avoid having enough fabric pulled through the base plate to get caught inside.
My machine does not have the option to switch the stitching plate. For light fabric or stretchy, I place a few inches long scrap of paper (posts its work great) under the fabric when I start sewing. If you use posts its ensure that the glue part is upwards, on the fabric, towards the left of the stitching line, NOT on the stitching line directly. This method keeps the posts its in place which is easy to tear away once finished stitching. This completely solved this issue for me.
In the case of sewing chiffon, as you need to cut each pattern piece individually, I leave the tracing paper on which I copied the pattern on the fabric until I am done sewing the pieces together and once done I tear away the pattern paper. Besides solving the issue of the material being sucked inside the machine, this also solved the issue with stitches looking all swanky when sewing chiffon or very light materials.
Great tips! I've never thought about using post-its! I think everyone has a horror story when it comes to sewing chiffon hahaa
@@TheAwlNighter1 Indeed, chiffon can be a nightmare to work with, however, then end product is always amazing. I am not going to lie, no matter how much I have worked with chiffon, the love and hate relationship with this fabric is still on going. LOL
That was a huge help, when you explained how a dull needle can push the fabric down into the machine. Makes total sense, I tried a new needle and it worked! Thank you for saving me from tossing the machine out the second story window. :)
Great topic for a very frustrating sewing problem. Thank you! Clear, concise, easy to understand .. and very much appreciated!
I know what to do, It could also be a poorly wound bobbin or bad bobbin or wrong bobbin. I watched to see if there’s a different way than i do it, I use a leader piece of fabric to start sewing if I’m using a lighter weight fabric. I backstitch once I get to the fabric I’m sewing. I found that holding the threads do not always work. If all else fails, I use a coffee filter underneath.
I forgot about starting on a scrap piece, but I've never heard of using a coffee filter! I'll have to give that a try. Does it tear away like paper after?
@@TheAwlNighter1 Yes it does! Tear it gently. If i don’t have a coffee filter, i use tissue paper.
not my idea but you could cover the throat plate with a small strip of masking tape to create a temporary zero-clearance slot for the needle ... just make sure not to cover the feed dogs.
Omg that's so clever! I've never heard that before. I wish i had known that when I was using those cheap $50 machines that didn't have extra attachments!
Like today I kept getting fabric sucked down and a knot of threads ruining my knit fabric. Like even using the walking foot didn't help today
Read some of the comments if you're still having issues. There are some really good tips from other viewers. Is it happening on all fabric? If so, it's probably something else going on. Try rethreading, changing needle, & oiling if necessary. Your machine could just need a service as well.
I can't do a zigzag to save my life. Everytime I try, it gets jammed.
Mine only jams when I try to sew letters. 😢 I bought it for the lettering so frustrating
I am beginner and had that problem until I lessened tension in my bobbin holder. It is much better now but I still can not do zig zag on smallest length and width *sigh, I have cheap Janome 2222 and I think that many problems come from buying subpar equipment ☹ Now I just do zig zag that is (2, 3 ) 🤷♀
I didn’t have stabilizer, but I had paper piecing paper and that worked. But I also changed my needle. Thank you!
Oh boy. Im glad I found your video. Ive been pulling my hair out. Im new to dress making and my light weight cotton fabric has been eaten by my machine. It seems to happen when I’m Back stitching. Thanks for the tips
I was mending my daughter's doll's clothes and it kept jamming, a few times it even pushed the fabric down, I was trying to use the first technique, as is natural for me, but it wasn't working, so I came looking to see if paper works as a tear-away stabilizer. After watching this video, I tried paper, and it started eating the paper the same as it had eaten the fabric, then I tried the second technique, and it jammed again when I started forward after the backstitch, but when I combined the first and second techniques (started on a backstitch, then when I started forward again, I held the tails to maintain tension on the fabric), it made the cleanest seams I have ever gotten out of my machine. I'm never looking back.
My goodness, I finally used a (clean) McDonald's napkin! I was so frustrated!
Searching or sizing your fabric also helps.
i'll hand crank the wheel to slow start it for an inch or two but it kills my arm and the machine i have is too new and fancy to hand crank for a back stitch.
Can you use tear away stabiliser when gathering? I’m having a major issue with my machine eating chiffon while trying to gather and even straight stitch. Any advice on how to help?
Give it a try! There's some great suggestions in the comments as well.
Thanks! I was using thin cotton and it kept getting jammed in the hole where the needle would thread. I'm guessing it's cause I kept backstitching at the beginning. I just let it run through entirely without backstitching and it came out fine with a small back stitch at the end.
But if it is not back stitched at the beginning, there is a risk of a weak seam. right? So, this isn't really a solution.
@@GrandmaSezSo I don't know but my mom who was amazing seamstress never did back-stitch. She sew everything from satin to heavy coats. She did a lot of finishing by hand, though - I will have to ask her about this. I am new at sewing and I would rather skip back stitching than ending with holes in my fabric and all of the frustration ...
please make subtitle. thank you
Hey girl haven’t spoke to you in a while. I need to get back to sewing again. I keep getting interrupted by life. The nerve!!
I know that struggle, currently having the same problem! We'll get back on track eventually
@@TheAwlNighter1 i’m trying different things to see if it will help me sleep like this nature made product that has melatonin but a couple other things. It’s so so. I guess it does not help if you have chocolate ice cream right before you go to bed 😅😀🍨🍦
Thank you so much❤
I have a Singer heavy duty machine with only a wide zig zag throat plate option. My daughter bought a vintage dress in extremely lightweight satin which she wants me to reduce the size of. The machine can't form even stitches on it. I am thinking about using starch on the seam lines, then sewing when it has dried, then washing the starch away after. i'm hoping it would be easier to get rid of than the paper which sometimes stays under stitching even after washing.
Switch to double needle. I had thin very stretchy material that was being eaten badly, on a new to me machine with a plastic horizontal bobbin. I gave up and went back to my older machine with a vertical metal bobbin and switched from single needle to double and was able to finish the project. I have not been back to the newer machine or that fabric for a while. I have read that lint in the feed dogs can cause problems. On some old machines threading the tension disc incorrectly can be bad.
Nice tips. Getting ready to try them....🤞🏽..fingers crossed.🥰
2:25 my mother taught me to do this and I'm always surprised how many people don't know this trick.
I vaguely remember her mentioning tension settings when we had some thread/fabric nest problems, so after checking the needle be sure to check the tension dials and test stitches to be sure (dusting out the bobbin area with a brush may also be a good idea).
I also have seen some people who start with the foot on the fabric and needle down (by hand crank) before stitching or back-stitching. I don't know if that helps more, but I've seen it.
Just a note, I'm not sure if you're using two layers of fabric through the whole video but I've heard using only one can be bad for the machine. So for anyone testing stitches, try to have a little swatch of 2 layers to be safe. (I keep a dark and light one my by machine to be able to see the stitches I'm testing.)
Great tips! Yes, I totally agree on testing with a double layer of fabric since we rarely stitch on just one!
Yes I belong to a singer quantum stylus Facebook group and they always say to start with the needle down
I have a machine shark for 10 years and all problems like that
This is going to sound crazy, but every since I've been using Gutterman All Sew Thread, This hasn't happened ? Crazy I know.😮
Not crazy at all! Gutterman is a better quality thread than alot of the cheaper ones you find at craft stores. The cheap thread is already fuzzy and balling up before you put it in the machine!
Mine still eats it no matter what I do.
Is it a Singer Heavy Duty 44S by chance? I wish I had never bought this machine. Can't afford to replace and too late to return. I hate it. I have spent more time unscrewing the plate and unclogging the bobbin area.
@@GrandmaSezSoit’s a encore 260a
What if it eats only the threat?
I use the purple glue stick to glue pdf paper pattern pieces together
Great tips. Thank you so much
Thank you!
Subbed! Thanks!!!
Thank you so much !
Thank you