Fabric Jamming – How to Adjust Your Sewing Machine

Sometimes your favorite sewing assistant stages a real machine uprising, desperately jamming the fabric and ruining your cut pieces 😕 There can be several reasons for this, and some are easily fixed on your own – shall we take a look?

## 1. Stitching too close to the fabric edge.

Topstitching necklines, corners, or cuffs requires a certain level of skill, and much depends on the fabric itself. In this case, plain paper can save the day – place it under the difficult section, and the stitch will lay perfectly flat without puckering the fabric.

## 2. Needle issues.

Take a close look at the main player in the process: it might be too large (thick) for the fabric, dull, or have a manufacturing defect like a bend or burr. Simply replacing the needle will completely solve the problem.

## 3. Incorrect feed dog height adjustment.

Heavy fabrics should be sewn with the feed dogs slightly raised, while thin fabrics require them to be lowered. Otherwise, fabric jamming is almost inevitable.

## 4. Bobbin/feed dog clogged with debris.

Dust and fabric lint in the form of threads easily clog these parts, causing the fabric to stop feeding under the needle with the necessary consistency. Just perform a routine cleaning.

## 5. Thread tangling.

An incorrectly threaded machine can cause a lot of trouble, so it is worth checking the thread path. At the same time, you should check for correct thread tension – this is also frequently the cause of a ruined stitch.

If anyone would like to share their own experience in "investigating" such malfunctions, I would be all for it 😉