Firing up and ready to start a new stitching project is always exciting for sewers. However, the energy goes down the drain if you experience unexpected unthreading. There is nothing more frustrating than to stop mid-stride and re-thread a needle.
If you have gone through this pain and wondered why does my sewing machine keep unthreading? You have landed at the perfect place, as we will discuss all the possible causes with solutions to keep your machine running like a rabbit.
Numerous causes may influence your sewing machine’s performance; one of the main reasons for bad performance is that your machine is not threaded correctly. Likewise, a few others also create this hurdle.
So, let’s study the solutions to prevent sewing machine needles from unthreading.
Reasons for Unthreading – A Mechanical Analysis
Here are the possible reasons why your needle keeps unthreading with their solutions.
1. Take up Lever’s Positioning
One of the major that your machine keeps unthreading when you begin is that the take-up lever is not at the top when you last stop sewing. Therefore, always set your needle at the highest possible position before cutting the thread. If you do not do so, you will not have enough rope upon your next seam, and boom, unthreaded needle!
Moreover, you can easily see the needle position by its take-up lever. Likewise, make sure that your needle is placed by cranking the hand wheel towards you until you can see the top take-up lever. Once you are in this position, release the presser foot and enjoy your smooth stitching.
2. Wrapped Thread
If you are wondering why is my sewing machine not sewing, one of the reasons could be that the thread is either caught or wrapped. Furthermore, it generally happens your machine unthreads mid-seam. Moreover, this issue occurs if you are using old, slippery, or stiff threads.
Additionally, to remove this problem, check the wrapping at the base of the spool pin, storage slit, or top of the take-up lever. Furthermore, you can easily remove the problem by ensuring the thread slides smoothly through the machine’s tension.
However, if the thread is wrapped in the spool’s storage slot, you need to turn your spool upside down and let it slide in the opposite direction of the line unwind.
3. Short Thread Tails
Why does my sewing machine keep unthreading on my sewing? The answer is that you may need a longer needle to reach the fabric. You need to have needle in your fabric to avoid this problem. Moreover, ensure your needle is not rusty and in proper shape before starting sewing.
Furthermore, most sewing machines have an ideal thread tail of about 6 inches; however, depending on the nature of the project and machine model, you may need to linger.
4. Mismatched Spool
Another possible reason a sewing machine needle keep unthreading is that you have attached a mismatched spool. A wrong-sized spool or an incorrectly installed spool can lead to unthreading. Therefore, ensure you use the proper spool to avoid this issue.
Moreover, properly attach your spool of thread to the needle. In addition, check whether your spool is spinning without shaking, as a shaky spool will provide an uneven thread amount, which may cause unthreading.
5. Tension Problem
It is pivotal to create a balance between upper thread tension and bobbin tension. You can find this information in tension discs and thread guides. Moreover, you can observe the problem by inspecting the top and bottom threading of the fabric.
Furthermore, the needle is unthreading when start sewing solution, which also depends on the right balance between thread and bobbin tensions. You can easily remove this problem by running and adjusting threads on an experimental fabric.
6. Loose Needle
It may seem too obvious, but check if your needle is loose. Therefore, try reinstalling your hand and ensure your machine is not threaded. Further, you can stop unthreading by doing this simple act.
Likewise, it would help if you kept multiple needle sizes with you all the time to avoid such problems. In addition, always use a long enough thread while threading your machine.
7. Spool Cap Size
Another apparent reason for regular unthreading is the spool cap size. Although specific machines do not require a spool cap, others must have a spool size to allow stitching. Therefore, you must check to install the proper cap size to enjoy smooth stitching.
Furthermore, if your machine has a horizontal pin that is relatively vertical, only then do you need a spool cap. So, if you want to avoid several inches of thread hanging from the spool, always use the right size of spool cap.
8. Shoddy Thread
You cannot use each thread for every type of fabric. Moreover, certain materials require only specific threads to achieve proper sewing. Therefore, if you use a soft thread on tough fabric, you will wonder if my sewing machine is not moving.
Moreover, if you are not a regular sewer, you must look to discard old threads that may have minor damage. Therefore, run your fingers on a considerable thread to feel for bumps and divots. This way, you can quickly check for shoddy threads, equally valid for new lines.
FAQs
How do I stop my sewing machine from unthreading?
If your sewing machine needle keeps unthreading, here are tips to solve this problem.
1. Check needle size and quality.
2. Check that the upper thread is correctly hanged
3. Check for tangles or knots in the thread
4. Check upper thread tension and keep it neither too tight nor too loose
5. Check for holes or scratches on the presser foot
How do you stop a needle from unthreading?
Once you pull the needle from the fabric, hold it at the bottom opposite the pointed end. So, it will help to prevent the hand from unthreading.
What tension should my sewing machine be on?
Generally, the dial on sewing machines runs from 0 to 9; therefore, 4.5 is the default position and the best for a balanced tension on your device. However, the best tension settings depend on the nature of the fabric and threads. Therefore, always run a test stitch and make necessary adjustments before formally starting a new project.
Why is my sewing machine not catching stitches?
One of the most significant causes of the sewing machine not catching stitches is that the top bobbin thread needs to be placed correctly. It means the thread does not match the needle; hence, thread tension is disturbed.
Conclusion
There are numerous reasons your sewing machine can have unthreading problems. Therefore, we checked and recommended how to stop thread coming out of needle.
One of the first steps is to check whether you are using the right size needle, that your threads are fresh, and that they are not damaged. Moreover, the thread through your tension discs can also cause unthreading.
Moreover, another hack is to put your machine back on basic settings. Likewise, changing the needle is a straightforward solution in most situations. In addition, proper oiling of smaller parts of the machine also helps in minimizing unthreading problems.
We hope you are now well-equipped to answer why does my sewing machine keep unthreading. Please leave any other possible solution that you have used to solve this issue.
