Machine Problems

How to Fix a Sewing Machine: A Step-by-Step Home Guide

You can fix a sewing machine at home more often than you might think. Most problems that make a machine seem broken come from five small things: the needle and the threading, the bobbin, a build-up of lint, or a setting. This guide shows how to fix a sewing machine step by step, in the order that finds the cause fastest, and tells you when to stop and take it to a repair shop.

Before you start: safety and setup

• Unplug the machine before you remove the needle plate, open a cover, or clean near the needle.
• Find your manual. Most brands post free PDF manuals on their support sites. Search the brand name plus your model number.
• Get a small kit ready: a new pack of needles, a lint brush, small screwdrivers (usually one comes with the machine), tweezers, scrap fabric, and good all-purpose thread.
• Write down your settings (stitch, length, width, tension) so you can put them back.

How to fix a sewing machine in six steps

These steps solve the widest range of problems. Do them in order, and sew a test line on scrap after each one.

1. Put in a new needle

A dull or bent needle, or the wrong type, causes skipped stitches, snapping thread, and loud punching sounds. Loosen the needle clamp, remove the old needle, and push a new one up as far as it goes, with the flat side of the shank facing the back on most home machines. Tighten the clamp. Match the needle to the fabric: universal for woven cotton, a ballpoint or stretch needle for knits, jeans for denim. Our sewing needle size chart lists the common pairs.

2. Re-thread the top thread with the presser foot up

Raise the presser foot. This opens the tension discs so the thread can slide between them. Pull the old thread out and thread the machine again along every guide, including the take-up lever. Many machines show the thread path with printed numbers or arrows. If the presser foot is down while you thread, the thread can miss the discs, and you get loops and nests under the fabric.

3. Re-seat the bobbin

Take the bobbin out, check that it is the type your manual lists, and put it back so it unwinds in the direction shown on the case or cover plate. Pull the thread through the tension slot. A bobbin that fits but is the wrong class can wobble and jam.

4. Clean out lint

Unplug the machine and remove the needle plate. Brush lint out of the feed dogs and the area around the bobbin. Lint packs in tightly under the plate, especially after fleece and flannel, or cotton batting. Do not blow into the machine, since moisture from your breath can cause rust. Use a brush or a small vacuum attachment.

5. Check the settings

Check that the feed dogs are raised, the stitch length is not set to zero, and the tension dial is at the default your manual gives. Many "broken" machines just have the feed dogs lowered from a past free-motion project, or the stitch length turned all the way down.

6. Test on scrap fabric

Sew on two layers of the fabric you plan to use, with contrasting thread colors on top and in the bobbin. Look at both sides. If the stitch is balanced, you are done. If not, match the symptom in the table below.

Fix sewing machine problems by symptom

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Fix sewing machine noises

A healthy machine makes a steady hum and a soft, even tapping. Listen for changes:

• A sharp tick on every stitch: often a bent needle striking the needle plate, or a needle that is too fine for the fabric. Replace it.
• A thump at thick seams: the needle is working hard. Use a jeans needle, slow down, and turn the handwheel by hand over the bulk.
• Rattling: a loose needle plate screw or presser foot. Tighten both.
• Squeaking or a dry, rough sound: on a machine that needs oil, the marked points may be dry. Oil only where your manual shows.

If a new grinding sound appears after a jam, stop. A jam can knock the hook out of place, and sewing on can make the damage worse.

When the machine will not run at all

Check the simple things first. Make sure the power cord and the foot pedal cord are both pushed fully into the machine, and try a different wall outlet. Many machines have a separate main switch as well as a light switch.

If the motor hums but the needle does not move, look at the bobbin winder. On many machines the needle stops moving while the winder is pushed across into winding position. Push it back. On older machines with a clutch knob inside the handwheel, check that the knob is tightened.

If the handwheel will not turn by hand, something is jammed. Unplug the machine, remove the needle plate and bobbin case, and look for thread wrapped around the hook. Do not force the handwheel. Turn it gently toward you, the way it turns when you sew.

Cleaning and oiling: the routine that prevents most fixes

Regular cleaning prevents many of the problems above. A simple routine:

1. Brush lint from the bobbin area after every few bobbins, and after every project with fleece or batting.
2. Wipe the thread path and tension area with a clean, dry cloth.
3. Oil only the points your manual marks, with sewing machine oil, one drop at a time. Skip this step if your manual says the machine needs no oil.
4. Sew on scrap fabric after oiling so any extra oil soaks into the scrap, not your project.

Brands give the same advice. The Brother guide to fixing common sewing machine problems and New Mexico State University's checklist of common sewing machine problems both start with the needle and the threading, then cleaning.

Fixes to leave to a technician

Some faults need tools, parts or training that a home sewer does not have. Take the machine to a repair shop if you see any of these:

• Skipped stitches that continue with a new needle and correct threading. This can mean the hook timing has slipped, often after a hard jam.
• A grinding, knocking, or clicking noise that continues after cleaning.
• Burning smells, sparks, or a motor that runs slowly and gets hot.
• An error code on a computerized machine that the manual cannot clear.
• Cracked plastic parts, a bent needle bar, or a broken belt.

Our guide to machine repair for sewing machines covers what a service includes and how to choose a shop. For a do-it-yourself tune-up, see how to repair a sewing machine at home.

Quick fix checklist

• New needle, right type and size for the fabric.
• Full re-thread with the presser foot up.
• Correct bobbin, correct direction, thread in the tension slot.
• Lint cleaned from the feed dogs and bobbin area.
• Feed dogs up, stitch length above zero, tension at default.
• Test seam on scrap, checked on both sides.

If you work through this list and the problem is still there, go to the sewing machine problems hub to match the exact symptom, or read our full list of sewing machine problems and their causes.