Skipped Stitches or Breaking Thread

• 1). Replace the needle if the tip is broken.
  
  
• 2). Replace a needle if it is bent.
  
  
• 3). Install the needle correctly. Turn the hand wheel toward you to raise the needle to its highest position. Turn the clamp screw toward you to release the needle. Reinsert the needle with its flat side facing the back of the machine, pushing it up as far as you can. Tighten the clamp screw using the screwdriver included with your machine.
  
  
• 4). Loosen the upper tension if your stitches are uneven on the underside of the fabric. Lower the presser foot. Set the thread tension control, located on the front of the machine next to the thread take-up lever, to a lower setting.
  
  
• 5). Check the thread path and re-thread your machine if it is threaded incorrectly. Raise the presser foot. Turn the hand wheel toward you to raise the needle to its highest position. The thread take-up lever should be visible at the top of the machine. Pull the thread off the spool and pass it through the thread guide on the top of your machine, located near the back and above the thread take-up. Guide the thread through the take-up from right to left. Slide the thread into the groove on the front of your machine, beneath the take-up, and then bring it down and pass it through the thread guide over the needle. Thread the needle, inserting the thread from front to back.
  
  
• 6). Prevent the thread from wrapping around the spool holder. If you're using a normal-sized spool, use the horizontal thread spool and place the spool cap on the end of the spool to keep the thread flowing smoothly. If you're using an oversized spool, use the vertical spool holder located on the back of your machine. Place the removable thread guide on the vertical spool holder. Pull down on the spool holder and pull up on the thread guide pole, which is on top of the machine directly above the vertical spool holder. Put the spool of thread on the spool holder and pass the thread through the thread guide pole, and then through the removable thread guide. Continue threading your machine as usual.
  
  
• 7). Remove thread and fabric debris that have collected under the needle plate. Raise the needle to its highest position by turning the hand wheel toward you. Use the screwdriver to remove the two screws holding the needle plate. Remove the needle plate and pull out the bobbin and the bobbin case. Clean the feed dogs and the hook area, using the lint brush included with your sewing machine. Put one drop of sewing machine oil in the center of the hook race, where the bobbin case sits, and one drop at the back of the hook race. Replace the bobbin case, making sure that its projection is against the spring. Replace the needle plate and screws.
  
  
• 8). Replace a thin needle with a thicker one, at least a No.14 size, if you are sewing heavy fabrics.
  
  

Embroidery Pattern Misaligns

• 1). Stop the machine, remove the embroidery hoop and straighten the thread if the misalignment is on the machine side, because the machine may be embroidering while the thread is tangled.
  
  
• 2). Set the tension lower, using the tension adjustment on the front of your machine, next to the thread take-up area, if the upper thread tension is too tight and the thread is feeding unevenly.
  
  
• 3). Use the correct size needle for your fabric and replace the needle if it is broken. Check the needle package to determine the correct usage of each needle size.
  
  
• 4). Check the threading, remove any tangles and re-thread your machine, if necessary. Tangled thread will increase the tension and cause the stitches to pucker on the machine side of your fabric.
  
  
• 5). Loosen the hoop, adjust the fabric and tighten the hoop again if the embroidery is misaligned on the hoop side. The fabric should be taut and make a drum-like sound when you touch it.
  
  
• 6). Align the hoop properly. Raise the presser foot and needle, and push up the lever on the embroidery foot while positioning the embroidery hoop beneath the foot. Fasten the hoop to the embroidery unit by lining up the hoop mounting screws and projections on the unit with the square holes in the mounting plate area of the hoop. Use the screwdriver to tighten the mounting screws.
  
  
• 7). Use a piece of stabilizer that is slightly larger than the hoop, following the manufacturer's directions for correct use and application. After the embroidery is finished, remove the stabilizer.
  
  
• 8). Check for obstructions and remove anything that interferes with the hoop's motion.