I briefly mentioned it last week in my article regarding the “automatic tension” feature found on many modern sewing machines. Prior to that, I have touched on it in numerous articles related to Baby Lock and developments to sewing machine & serger technology over the past 50 years.

This is technology I wholeheartedly believe in, and I want to take the time explain it to people as clearly as possible so that they might appreciate how helpful it truly is. The following article may be a little bit more dense than usual, but a deeper examination was required to fully explain the magic that is Automatic Thread Delivery (ATD).

I hope you find it helpful,

—Cale

Brief Review of Traditional Tension Systems Found on Sewing Machines, Embroidery Machines, Sergers, and Coverstitch Machines

To best understand how ATD works, it is helpful to quickly review how a traditional tension systems works on a sewing machine, embroidery machines, and sergers.

On machines with traditional tension systems, the thread slides through tension discs, which place constant drag on the thread as we sew. A major factor in stitch quality outcome is whether or not the tension is balanced. On a sewing machine, the needle thread is sliding through the upper tension disc, while the bobbin thread slides through the bobbin case tension disc. On a serger, both the needle threads and looper threads slide through tension discs found on the tp half of the machine.

Serger tension is notoriously difficult to balance, because we must balance 3-4 thread sources (1-2 needles + 2 loopers) versus 2 thread sources on a sewing machine (needle thread + bobbin thread).

One way to think about it is that poor tension balance is caused by too much or too little thread being let out on the needle thread and looper thread during the stitch making process. Because the structure of a serger stitch (AKA overlock stitch) is such that it wraps over the edge of the fabric, tension imbalance manifests when the stitch wrap too much onto the topside of the fabric or too much onto the bottomside of the fabric.

Changing the stitch type, or stitch width, or fabric thickness will invariably change the precise length of thread need needed to achieve a perfect stitch. Even if the aforementioned factors do not change, changing from a light weight thread to a heavy weight thread will change the length of thread that passes through the tension discs (assuming we keep the tension setting the same).

For example, an overlock stitch where the needle is 3 mm from the edge of the fabric will require a greater length of thread than the same overlock stitch where the needle is only 2mm distance from the edge of the fabric. In the same vein, a project where we are sewing thicker layers of fabric will require more thread per stitch than a project where we are sewing thinner layers of fabric.

So the question becomes: what if you could measure out exactly the right length of thread and ensure that that precise length of thread be used to make the stitch, no more and no less?

That is precisely the function of Baby Lock’s Automatic Thread Delivery mechanism. The result in perfect stitch quality, no matter the thread, no matter the fabric.

How ATD Works

On a serger or coverstitch machine with ATD, there are no tension discs.

On a machine with ATD, instead of thread constantly sliding through the tension discs toward the needles and loopers, the ATD mechanism collects the precise length of thread necessary to create a perfect stitch, then delivers that precise length of thread to the needle and looper when it is time to make a stitch.

So, what is the structure of the ATD mechanism?

ATD is completely mechanical — there are no electronics involved whatsoever. It is constructed by 3 rows of mechanical parts:

1. A rear row of holding discs

2. A middle row of rectangular metal thread plates that shuttle back and forth

3. A front row of holding discs

For a serger with ATD, the thread path begins at the thread spool, then travels into the ATD mechanism where is passes through the rear row of holding discs, then the row of thread plates, then the front row of holding discs, before continuing onto the needle and loopers.

As the machine undergoes the stitch cycle, the ATD mechanism works in the following way to make a stitch:

• As the needles rise (needles in up position), the rear discs open, allowing our thread to flow freely from our thread spool into the machine’s ATD mechanism.

• The thread plates shift and pull out the exact length of thread, which depends on the stitch we have selected.

  • On a serger, different stitch types require a different length of threads in order to make a stitch

• As the needle descends, the rear discs close and the front discs open, releasing the perfect length of thread necessary for the machine to make a stitch

Because the precise length of thread is being measured out each stitch, the result is perfect stitch quality on every single stitch.

How ATD adjusts to our selected stitch length, stitch width, and fabric thickness

The magic of ATD is that it measures the exact length of thread needed to make a perfect stitch. That length of thread varies depending on a variety of factors, including stitch length, stitch width, and fabric thickness. So how does the ATD mechanism adjust to these variables?

This is the genius to ATD: the sliding metal plates are linked to our stitch settings (stitch length, stitch width, fabric thickness) through a network of internal cables:

• A cable connected to the feed mechanism adjusts the movement of the sliding metal plates depending on the stitch length we have selected.

• A cable connected to the stitch width knob adjusts the sliding metal plates to deliver more or less looper thread, since looper thread length is most affected by changes in stitch width

• A cable connected to the presser foot adjusts the sliding metal plates based on fabric thickness, since thicker fabric needs more thread to make an overlock stitch than thinner fabric

Thread weight does not matter on machines with ATD

On a machine with traditional tension discs, heavier weight thread (AKA thicker thread) will have more tension than a thread of a lighter weight, even if the tension dial setting has not been changed. Why? Because the thicker the thread, the more natural friction/drag as the thread slides through the tension discs.

On a machine with ATD, thread weight does not matter. The ATD mechanism does not “feel” the drag of thread like traditional tension discs because ATD’s holding discs pinch the thread completely so it cannot move at all (regardless of thickness), or it releases the thread completely so it can be delivered to the needles + loopers. Thread weight does not matter. You can have a crazy combination of decorative metallic thread in the needles and a fine stretchy polyester thread and loopers, and the stitch quality will be perfect, just as if you were sewing with high quality cotton thread in both the needles and loopers.

Machines with Automatic Thread Delivery:

• Baby Lock Victory

• Baby Lock Acclaim

• Baby Lock Splendor

• Baby Lock Triumph

• Baby Lock Applaud

• Baby Lock Euphoria

Thank You For Reading!

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On the upper tension dial, which is typically numbered 1 through 9/10, with 1 being the lightest tension and 9/10 being the heaviest tension, you will see a slot on the dial that says “auto” or “automatic”.

The other day, I logged onto my LinkedIn profile for the first time in months, and I was happy to see a message from the owner of a sewing machine dealership in Sweden. He asked me the following question:

I am a Janome and Baby Lock sewing machine shop owner from Sweden. I really like your articles. It would be interesting to hear about your view on automatic tension. Some has Electronic tension but for exemple Janome S5 and s3 and even cheaper models it is also called auto. Is it really a difference in this setting compared to a specific number? for example number 4. In what way is it automatic?

Great question. It was on my mind for a while. Here is my response:

Regarding the question of automatic tension…

My honest opinion is that the manufacturer choosing to call it “automatic tension” is a slightly misleading choice of words. The tension dial does not automatically adjust itself if the tension is poor. The machine has no way of seeing what the stitch actually looks like. So why do they call it “automatic tension”? Probably because it makes for good marketing.

But how does a machine with “automatic tension” differ from machines that don’t offer “automatic tension”? How does “automatic tension” actually work?

With “automatic tension”, the manufacturer has done enough research to make an educated guess of the best tension setting in relation to the stitch pattern being used.

Here is an example:

Assume we are using a tension scale of 1-10 as most modern machines use, with 1 being light tension and 10 being heavy tension. If my tension is set to “automatic” and I select a straight stitch, then the machine will set the tension to what the manufacturer’s research has determined what is typically the best upper tension for a straight stitch. Let’s say it’s a 4 on the dial. Though the tension dial shows “auto”, internally the tension discs will adjust to a 4. If I was to select a zig-zag stitch, then the machine will set the tension to what the manufacturer’s research has determined what is typically the best upper tension for a zig-zag. Maybe that is 5 or 5.5.

If you were to go through all the different stitches, I bet the tension adjusts slightly for each category— for example, I think with “automatic tension” selected, the tension changes slightly for all stitches in the buttonhole category, all stitches in the appliqué category, the monogramming category, etc.

How does the tension change without turning the dial on these machines with “automatic tension”? The tension system on machines with “automatic tension” is not purely mechanical. There is a stepper motor attached to upper tension mechanism that will adjust the tension discs according to the stitch pattern selected, as long as tension dial is set to automatic. Once you go off automatic tension and turn the dial to a specific number, I believe the stepper motor (and therefore “automatic tension”) is no longer in play.

You can actually see the tension change on some Janome and Baby Lock machines with touchscreens. These machine tell you what the precise tension is set at on the screen (you have to press the tension icon in order to see it). If you take a picture of the tension setting on a straight stitch, then select a decorative stitch and take a picture of the tension, you will see the exact change being made due to the “automatic tension” feature.

Bernina machines go one step further….

Modern Bernina machines go one step further. They have a feature called “Creative Consultant.” With this feature, the machine will essentially ask the user what fabric they are sewing and what sewing application technique they are going to employ on that fabric. Fabric options give by Creative Consultant are quite wide, more than 10 in total, including: leather, denim, light woven, heavy woven, toweling, pile fabrics, and more. Sewing technique application options include: zipper, buttonhole, embroidery, decorative, and more. Once you tell the machine the fabric and technique, Bernina will recommend a specific needle (size and type) and specific thread (weight and material). Then it will adjust tension based your input of fabric and technique, and the Creative Consultant’s recommended needle type and thread type.

This Creative Consultant feature actually helps prove my earlier point, of how “automatic tension” is misleading terminology. The stitch type (straight, zig-zag, decorative, etc.) we’ve selected is not sufficient information for the machine to know how much to adjust the upper tension. Stitch type matters, but so does the fabric, thread, and needle— I think of it as a four ingredients to the “stitch recipe”. I have written a few articles on the relationship these four stitch ingredients have with one another (how each one affects the others), which I will link to you below.

But that is why “automatic tension” isn’t actually automatic. My stitch quality will look perfect when using high quality thread like Mettler, Isacord, or Aurifil, but if I switch to something of poor quality like Coats & Clark, or a significantly heavier thread (e.g. switch from 50 wt thread to 12 wt thread), the tension will become poor due to changing the thread. Our “automatic tension” does not have any way to see or feel the thread change, and it will not adjust automatically. As mentioned before, the machine is making an educated guess of what upper tension is best, and assumes the user is using quality thread and using the correct needle for the fabric they are sewing on.

Another point on how the term “automatic tension” is misleading: it only applies to the upper tension discs. When we talk about tension, we are talking about the tension balance between the needle thread and bobbin thread. But there is no mechanism in place to adjust the bobbin case tension automatically.

Small aside — the closest thing we have to “automatic tension” in the sewing world is the Automatic Thread Delivery (ATD) system found on most Baby Lock serger and coverstitch machines. ATD is a beautiful mechanical system of sliding metal blocks and wires (no electronics involved) that measures the amount of thread needed to make a perfect stitch. Tension dials are eliminated and any brand or type of thread can be used without adjustments. ATD works by sensing the thread feed and making precise adjustments in real-time, ensuring even, professional-quality stitches every time you sew. Whether you’re working with delicate silk, stretchy knits, or heavy denim, ATD ensures consistent results without the need for constant fine-tuning of tension, allowing users to focus more on creativity and less on fussy details.

Thank you for reading!

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At least once a week, we get asked the same question about Baby Lock-- specifically, why on earth would a sewing machine company be called “Baby Lock” in the first place? How did Baby Lock get its name?

It’s actually a neat story, and it starts in 1950s with Juki, one of the most prominent manufacturers of industrial sewing machines.

A very common industrial machine is the overlock machine, which is commonplace in factories for finishing edges in garment-making. You can watch a fantastic video animation of how an overlock stitch is made in the video below:

​Like all industrial machines, the overlock machine is large and heavy. It sits in a table with a motor mounted on the underside of the table. It is not really meant for home use.

​So, back in the 50’s, home sewing machines were becoming more and more popular, and a couple of engineers working at Juki thought it would be a great idea to invent a home overlock machine. They mocked up a design and presented their idea to their superiors, and the lore is that they were laughed out of the room.

‘Nobody is going to want to use an overlock machine at home!’ — that was the prevailing thought, so the idea was shot down.

However, the engineers had a strong belief in their idea and their design, and they believed it was marketable, so they quit their jobs at Juki and started their own company that made overlock machines for home use— overlock machines that were light and portable, similar to home sewing machines...

... miniature overlock machine...

... BABY overlock machines...

Thus, the company was named BABY LOCK, that’s how Baby Lock got its name.

​Baby Lock got a head start on the competition with home overlock machines, nowadays known as sergers, plus they have a spirit of innovation embedded in the company’s DNA.

In the 90’s, Baby Lock came out with two pieces of game changing technology: Air Threading for the upper and lower looper and Automatic Thread Delivery which replaces the traditional tension system and delivers a perfect stitch every time.

Now it’s 2026, and Baby Lock still reigns supreme in the world of sergers. They make ultra-reliable machine that is easy to use, difficult to break, and consistently produces beautiful stitches.

If you would like to read more about modern developments in Baby Lock serger technology, please click below to be linked to an article I wrote on the subject earlier this year:

Thank you for reading!

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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You will unlock the full archive of over 150 similar sewing machine educational essays and articles.

All support is hugely appreciated.

—Cale

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Two sewing machine retail and repair stores, both alike in dignity
(In Northern California, where we lay our scene). . . . . . . . . . . .

The Sewing Machine Shop is my father’s aptly named sewing machine business, located 25 miles east of San Francisco in Walnut Creek, California.

We are proud to call ourselves the premier sewing machine dealership in the Bay Area, and arguably the premier dealership in Northern California.

Who knows sewing machines like the Schoenberg clan? Who fixes them better than us? Who sells them like we do?

Nobody.

In German, Schoenberg ((schön - berg)) translates to “beautiful mountain.” Bernina, the world-renowned Swiss sewing machine manufacturer, is named after Piz Bernina, the highest peak in the Eastern Alps. The factory where Baby Lock manufactures the best sergers in the world is located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan — in the shadows of Three Sacred Mountains of Dewa: Mount Haguro, Mount Gassan and Mount Yudono.

Our family tie to sewing machines is predestined. Nobody does it quite like us.

Nobody.

NOBODY!

. . . . . . .

Nobody?

. . . . . . .

Alas, a fierce rival lies 70 miles east in the state capital of Sacramento:

Meissner Sewing & Vacuum.

The bloodshed between our two stores spans decades. Women in Berkeley threatening to drive to Sacramento because Meissner sells the new Bernina 770 for $50 less than we do. Kills me every time. If I had dollar for every time I had to price match a quote from Meissner’s, I’d damn near be a millionaire.

They were driving me insane.

We were on the eve of war.

Something had to be done.

I became a dedicated weightlifter, spending hours in the gym, preparing my mind and body for a Herculean feat ::::: to yank that 82 foot tall needle out of the ground and javelin-chuck it through Meissner’s front door. . . . . .

II. Meissner Family Tree

Ernest Robert Meissner

In 1930, Ernest Robert Meissner founded his industrial sewing machine business in the Los Angeles area. At the time, California’s garment industry was booming, with more than 900 manufacturers and 28,000 workers. Thanks in part to the movie industry, California fashion has always found plenty of buyers and its garment industry flourished until the lure of cheap foreign labor drew many manufacturers overseas.

William (Bill) Meissner

Keeping the garment industry humming was the company’s main focus when Ernest’s son, William (Bill), came into the business. Bill moved the business to Sacramento in 1958, where the family lived upstairs from its Victorian storefront between 20th and P Streets. The industrial side of the business continued to prosper as Bill and Myrtle Meissner expanded into the home-sewing business, gaining a loyal base of customers throughout the Sacramento area.

Jim Meissner

The company extended its family tradition to the third generation when Bill and Myrtle’s son, Jim, took an interest at an early age. By the time Jim was 10 years old, he could be found in the downstairs shop after school, building industrial stands and learning to repair machines. Jim grew into his career as a service technician, which is the chief reason the company places a strong emphasis on their service and repair department.

When Bill Meissner retired in 1982, Jim took over the family business, moved the company to its current headquarters at Business 80 and El Camino Avenue in Sacramento, and erected the giant needle and thread. Today the company’s needle in the sky serves as a Sacramento landmark and a testament to the Meissner family’s more than 85 years in the sewing business.

Kate Meissner & Collin Meissner

Jim Meissner and his wife, Cindy, had two children: Kate and Collin Meissner. Neither grew up to work in the family business, but the influence sewing machines had on both their lives is worthy of note.

Born in 1995, Kate Meissner is an artist who makes incredible figurative oil paintings. As a child, she spent a significant amount of time in her father’s store, sewing quilts and clothes on the floor model machines. Much of her artistic works depict bodies draped in fabric in a most uncanny manner. Coincidence?

Her younger brother, Collin, spent some time in his adolescence fixing sewing machines in his father’s shop. His knowledge of machines would eventually help him secure a spot on his high school’s highly competitive robotics team. Collin was educated as a mechanical engineer and now works as a rocket scientist for SpaceX.

III. Schoenberg Family Tree

Ramon Schönberg

Born on the border of Argentina and Paraguay, Ramon wandered through the jungle as a young boy, tromping about, using a slingshot to fire rocks at exotic jungle birds, which he never hit. Until one day, he did :::: he slung a rock at a toucan, and a successful headshot killed the majestic bird. Ramon sobbed with guilt and regret, having discovered the concept of death.

Ramon grew up and was was educated as a mechanical design engineer in Switzerland. During his time in Europe, he travelled to England where he met a beautiful young British woman named Doreen. She was engaged to a sailor at the time, but Ramon stole her heart and the engagement was called off. Together they moved back to Argentina, where he got a job running a factory in Buenos Aires that manufactured sewing machine parts for the Swedish company, Husqvarna. Additionally, the factory also manufactured a sewing machine called MADEX.

Meanwhile, Ramon and Doreen manufactured 5 beautiful children: Adriana, Martin, Tomas, Guillermo, and Daniel.

In 1963, due to political instability in Argentina, the Schönberg family immigrated to Richmond, California. Shorty after their arrival, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Ramon was hired as an engineer for a company in Berkeley that designed pumps and Doreen worked as a school teacher. Still, Ramon needed a second job to make some extra money and support his family. As a side hustle, he found work repairing sewing machines for the Berkeley Sewing Machine Company twice a week, on Thursday nights and Saturdays.

Marty Schoenberg & Dan Schoenberg

Ramon’s oldest son, Martin, accompanied his father on Tuesdays and Saturdays when Ramon worked his side-job repairing sewing machines. Marty was still a young boy at the time. Ramon would put an old junker sewing machine on the floor in front of his son, along with a set of screwdrivers.

“Take apart everything you can,” Ramon said. Marty did as he was told, disassembling machines into hundreds of individual parts. And so began the foundation of a skill set that would serve Marty well for the next 50 years.

In 1974 Marty began working full time fixing sewing machines for the Berkeley Sewing Machine Company. A few years later, he invested in a van and some tools and started a one-man business called Sewing Machine Engineering that offered traveling industrial sewing machine repair.

Meanwhile, Marty’s youngest brother, Daniel (my father), earned his college degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He was on track to fly jets in the Navy, but the discovery of a stigmatism in his eye disqualified him from flying. He ended up working for a Kawasaki motorcycle dealership in Richmond, showing great talent as a motorcycle salesman. Marty recognized this talent and recruited his baby brother to join Sewing Machine Engineering. Together, they expanded the business, renting a storefront in El Sobrante, CA and soon changed the name of the business to The Sewing Machine Shop. Eventually they moved the shop to Botelho Drive in Walnut Creek where it remains to this day.

Cale Schoenberg & Lewis Schoenberg

Son of Dan and Kelly Schoenberg, I was born in 1994, several years after the birth of The Sewing Machine Shop.

I have been around sewing machines as long as I can remember. First got into the family business when I was in high school, working part-time during the summer, learning the art of sewing machine repair. Initially I learned on the older Pfaff machines, but eventually moved onto Bernina, Janome, Brother, Baby Lock, Singer, etc.

After high school I continued to work for my Dad, fixing machines as I attended DVC, the local community college. At 22, I transferred from DVC to UCLA where I studied philosophy. After graduating in 2018, I stayed in Los Angeles for a few years and worked at the Hollywood Bowl, writing god-awful screenplays in my East Hollywood apartment. However, I was fired from my job in March 2020 at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and statewide lock-downs. People may have stopped going to concerts, but they were sewing more than ever before. My Dad was extremely busy at the shop and needed help, so I moved back to the Bay Area and started working for him again.

A few years later, my younger brother, Lewis, followed suit. Lew is a high school basketball coach, an eloquent speaker, and extremely handsome in the face. If you walk into the shop, it is highly likely that you under the spell of his smokey-green eyes and self-assured spirit, and you are in grave danger of falling in love with your next sewing machine with Sweet Lew by your side.

IV. ADLER ::: ALL HAIL THE PRINCE! // THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!

In the late 1980s, Jim Meissner paid an unsolicited visit to a young sewing machine dealership in El Sobrante, California to see if they wanted to start carrying Brother industrial machines, for whom he was the exclusive West Coast distributor.

So began a longstanding friendship between Jim and my father.

Over the years, the two men would would socialize at sewing machine conventions and dealership trips organized by the vendors. They had children around the same age and would vacation in Tahoe for wintertime skiing and sledding. When I was seven years old, there was even a joint Meissner-Schoenberg vacation in Hawaii, which I vividly remember.

Fast forward more than 20 years, I travel to Las Vegas with my father to attend a much anticipated sewing machine trade show where the Janome Continental M17 was unveiled for the first time. As we mull around the convention hall awaiting the M17, I hear commotion near the entrance of the conference room as Jim & Cindy Meissner enter the building, bona fide semi-celebrities in this niche world of ours.

Jim spots my Dad and makes a beeline straight toward us, beaming ear to ear. They immediately dive into conversation and yak for a good 15 minutes, catching up on all of life. Meanwhile, I enter conversation with Jim’s wife, Cindy, who I don’t think I’d seen in 20 years, and I surprise myself by first asking her a question about her son, as to not appear overly eager when I proceed to ask many, many questions about her daughter.

“You should reach out to her,” Cindy says. “I think you two would be kindred spirits.”

Kindred spirits? Such peculiar verbiage for a mother to use!

Noted.

It was months before I finally did pluck up the gumption to contact Kate Meissner. When the time came, I did so in a spirited fashion. We began to exchange lengthy messages via Instagram, taking days, sometimes weeks, to respond to one another. For both our parts, the responses were thoughtful, our pace old-fashioned, like how I imagine people once exchanged letters over long periods of time before phones or internet.

Somehow, in our ongoing communication, I maintained the discipline to sprinkle in a perfectly measured dose of aloofness, knowing all the while that she is way out of my league. Overachieving is the term— for her astonishing beauty, undeniable talent, and her kind, sweet soul grounded in a refreshing open-mindedness — certainly, I am not worthy of such a woman.

I dare not share the details of our messages here out of fear of embarrassment, but my thousand word diatribes, experimental use of parenthesis, daring to draw chords between her paintings and my vague recollections of misinterpreted core passages of Being and Time…. somehow it worked.

I was planning a solo camping trip to Joshua Tree, I told her, and afterwards I would drive to Los Angeles to visit friends — and, since you live in LA, Kate, would you like to grab a drink?

She said yes, so I planned the trip for real.

I camped in Joshua Tree. I drove to LA. We had our drink. We fell in love.

I moved down to LA, approximately 0.7 miles from her house. 10 months later, she gave birth to our son.

Given commonalities in our family trees, we had to name him after a sewing machine. Pfaff, Singer, and Viking were out of the question. Janome doesn’t work, neither does Brother. Bernina might be a beautiful name for a girl, but it also might not be. Thus, we settled on Adler, a somewhat obscure German sewing machine manufacturer, though not insignificant in sewing machine history.

Adler James Schoenberg :: Model 267 :: the love of my life :: born May 17th, the same birthday as his great-grandmother, Doreen <3

V. AND NOW

I love my family more than words can describe. And I love that people can no longer price match The Sewing Machine Shop versus Meissner Sewing ever again.

Thank you for reading!

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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In this edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter, I’ve highlighted 11 of the most common issues that send machines into our repair shop, and link to past articles I’ve written over the years, in case you’d like to dive deeper into any of them.

I hope you find it helpful.

—Cale

Examples of the Pareto Principle:

• in 1988, many video rental shops reported that 80% of revenue came from 20% of videotapes

• approximately 80% of Italy's land was owned by 20% of the population

• a 1992 United Nations Development Program Report shows that the richest 20% of the world's population receives 82.7% of the world's income.

• Microsoft noted that by fixing the top 20% of the most-reported bugs, 80% of the related errors and crashes in a given system would be eliminated.

Given my line of work, I couldn’t help but see how the Pareto Principle applies to sewing machines. In our repair department, it seems that around 80% of the machines we service come in for the same small set of issues. In other words, out of all the hundreds of potential causes of sewing machine malfunction, there is a small set of recurring, preventable problems that account for the majority of breakdowns.

(1) Broken Needle Threader

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that The Sewing Machine Shop repairs at least two broken needle threaders every day. The vast majority of broken needle threaders are caused by user error: bent needles, improper needle insertion, and failure to use the needle up/down button are the main culprits.

It’s a costly error. If the needle threader’s tiny wire hook is broken or bent so severely that it needs to be replaced, the cost for parts is anywhere between $12-$50 depending on the machine.

(2) Failure to Thread Take-up Lever

Failure to thread the take-up lever guarantees that thread will gather on the underside of the fabric, appearing similarly to a bird’s nest. Besides the stitch quality being unacceptable, this bird’s nest can lead to other problems. It can cause a jam in the lower half of the machine that causes a mechanical bind and/or the machine being thrown out of time. It is also common that failure to thread the take-up lever leads to damage on the bobbin case due to needle strikes.

(3) Failure to thread machine with the presser foot is raised position

When threading a sewing machine, a non-negotiable rule is that you must thread the machine with the presser foot in the raised position. When the presser foot is in the raised position, the machine’s upper tension discs are open. When the presser foot is in the lowered position, the tension discs are closed.

We want to thread the machine while the tension discs are open because that is how our upper thread gets in between the tension discs. If we thread the top half of the machine with the tension discs closed (presser foot lowered), it is difficult for the thread to slide between the tension discs. Instead, the thread will likely sit atop the closed tension discs and your upper thread will not have any tension while you sew, which commonly results in small thread loops (AKA “eyelashes”) on the underside of the fabric.

(4) Sewing with a bent needle

A fairly common occurrence at The Sewing Machine Shop is that someone comes in with their machine that is skipping stitches, but when I power up the machine and sew on it, there are no skipped stitches for me. Some have said there must be some sort of magic that occurs by walking through our door. Others say that I have the Midas Touch for sewing machines.

Neither is true.

There is no magic at play, but there is a secret: needle-hook clearance is a leading cause of skipped stitches, and a slightly bent needle can throw the needle-hook clearance out of whack. With that being the case, if you get skipped stitches and want to troubleshoot your machine at home instead of bringing it to a technician, the first step is to insert a new needle.

(5) Poor Quality Sewing Thread

If I had a dollar for every time someone came into our shop complaining about poor stitch quality, and the issue turned out to be low-quality thread, I think I’d be at least $1,000 richer by now. It’s remarkable how often the simple switch to a high-quality thread like Mettler or Aurifil completely resolves the problem.

Thread quality plays a critical role in stitch formation. It cannot be overstated: even the best sewing machine in the world can’t compensate for inferior thread. Bad thread leads to skipped stitches, inconsistent tension, thread breaks, and a host of other frustrating issues.

(6) Unbalanced Tension

Each time the machine makes a stitch, it ties a tiny knot between two thread sources: the upper thread and bobbin thread. That knot is what holds your fabric layers together.

When tension is balanced, that knot sits neatly between the layers of fabric, hidden and secure. When tension is unbalanced, the knot gets pulled too far toward one side— you might see loops on the top or bottom of the fabric, notice the stitch feels loose or bumpy, or find that the thread can be pulled out too easily.

Fortunately, in most cases, you have the ability to troubleshoot unbalanced tension at home. It’s a great skill to have. The article linked below shows you how.

(7) Sloppy Bobbin

When winding a bobbin, the thread we’re winding onto the bobbin needs to be under adequate tension, or else the bobbin will end up being “loose” or “sloppy”. This is no good. A sloppy bobbin will cause all sorts of problems, particularly with stitch quality, but also has the potential to cause more traumatic events such as thread jams and needle crashes.

(8) Needles

Using the incorrect needle type or needle size welcomes a whole host of problems: skipped stitches, puckered fabric, thread loops, and more. Below is my simple guide to needles:

(9) Improper Needle Insertion

Speaking of needles, failure to properly insert the needle will render your sewing machine useless. You’ll think the machine is broken, when really your needle hasn’t been inserted all the way up, or it is inserted with the flat facing the wrong direction.

(10) Spool Caps

As strange as it sounds, spool caps serve as a common obstruction to the upper thread path. It can cause skipped stitches and other stitch quality issues. Also, if you’ve needle becomes unthreaded after you use your automatic thread trimmer, then an incorrectly sized spool cap (or a spool cap with a burr in the plastic) is likely the culprit.

(11) Needle Strikes

Needle strikes on the needle plate, bobbin case, or hook can be a big problem. They can case thread breakage, thread looping, and skipped stitches. Most of the time, needle strikes happen when we are sewing thick fabric that our machine has difficulty feeding. We help the machine feed the fabric by pushing the fabric through, and that’s when needle strikes occur— because we push the fabric while the needle is in the fabric, causing the needle to deflect off course and strike a part of our sewing machine.

Thank you for reading!

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It was a jam-packed event. New products were unveiled. There was news from the manufacturing front.

I have 6 big takeaways, which I write about in detail below:

1. A true family owned business

2. Clever collaboration with Liberty London fabrics

3. TOL trickle-down effect

4. Tariffs and the closure of Bernina’s Swiss factory

5. AI Boom causing computer chip shortage

6. New Bernina sergers— are they worth it?

I hope you find this article interesting.

Thank you,

—Cale

(1) A True Family-Owned Business

Bernina is the only family-owned company left in the sewing machine industry. I was aware of this fact, but it was on display at a deep level in New Orleans.

Hanspeter Ueltschi, current owner and chairman of Bernina, is the founder’s great-grandson and the fourth generation of his family to run the business. Not only is he heavily involved in the operation of the Swiss sewing machine manufacturer, but so are his children, Katharina and Phillipp, who represent the 5th generation of the family. This paves the way for an internal family succession.

In New Orleans, Hanspeter was joined on stage by Phillipp and Philipp’s son, who represents the next generation of the Ueltschi family. With his son and grandson at his side, Hanspeter was overcome with emotion as he spoke of the family business and what it means to him.

I bring this up to make the point that Bernina is not merely a family-owned business in name only. They have serious skin in the game: it’s in their blood. Take an owner who cares deeply about the past, present, and future of his company, then combine that with multigenerational know-how of the industry and the capability to execute big ideas, and you get a company like Bernina who has consistently produced innovative products for over 5 decades.

As someone born into the family business, I can relate to that. As someone who sells sewing machines, I see Hanspeter crying on stage and I am filled with confidence that Bernina will continue to be an industry leader for generations to come.

(2) Clever Collaboration

Every few years, Bernina comes out with a handful of special edition machines that are manufactured with a special outer cover. Most recently they collaborated with artist and textile designer, Kaffe Fassett. Before that, they collaborated with sewing influencer and fabric designer, Tula Pink.

At Bernina University, they unveiled their newest collaboration with heritage department store and fabric brand, Liberty London. As many of you already know, I am not a sewist myself, so I don’t have a strong opinion on this type of thing. Still, I couldn’t help but notice the enthusiastic reception from the quilters and garment makers around me at the conference. They went crazy when they saw the machine.

I was unfamiliar with Liberty London, so I did some more research and have formed the opinion that this is quite a clever collaboration. Bernina and Liberty are old, classy brands that have earned a strong reputation over decades of making quality products. I am expecting to receive floor models of the B495 & B580 Liberty edition machines any day now. I have a feeling people will love the new look.

(3) Top-of-the-Line Trickle Down Effect

Bernina unveiled another new machine, the B790 Ultra, and I think it is a noteworthy example of top-of-the-line features being dispersed to a machine that is not Bernina’s top-of-the-line machine.

Until now, Bernina made the following features available only on the B990, their top-of-the-line sewing & embroidery machine. They are now available on the B790 Ultra:

• BERNINA Integrated Stitch Regulator (BISR)

• Jumbo Stitch function— allows stitches and monograms to be resized from 25% to 500%

• Automatic Stitch Plate Recognition

• Improved embroidery editing features

• Improved navigation & touchscreen

Click HERE to read more about the B790 Ultra

The point here is: the way our industry works, innovative new features first appear on top-of-the-line machines. While they may seem unreachable to most sewists at first, those features eventually trickle down to lower models over time. The B790 Ultra is evidence of this. Eventually, I expect all aforementioned features will be found on lower Bernina models like the 5-series.

(4) Bernina Ceases Manufacturing at their Factory in Steckborn, Switzerland

At Bernina University, the CEO of Bernina International somberly announced the company is relocating the last of its production in Switzerland to Thailand. It was clear this decision was made with no pleasure. More than 40 jobs are affected by the move.

The background to the relocation is the economic impact of the US tariffs were introduced in 2025. Bernina generates most of their revenue in the USA, which is hitting the company particularly hard. Added to this is the strong Swiss franc and other currency fluctuations, which is making exports even more difficult.

Going forward, prototype construction, research and development, and the logistics center for accessories and spare parts will remain at the Steckborn site.

(5) AI Boom & Sewing Machine Parts

A few months ago, we had a Bernina machine in for repair that was made in the early 2000s. It had electrical issues and needed a new motherboard, but when we went to order it, we were surprised to see that Bernina was no longer making them. This was surprising, because the machine wasn’t all that old. Obviously, manufacturers cannot continue to supply original parts for out-of-production models forever, but this was sooner than expected. (Fortunately for the customer, my Uncle Marty had a brand new motherboard in original packaging in his garage, which is kind of remarkable.)

At Bernina University, the CEO of Bernina International made an offhand comment that the AI Boom was making it difficult to source computer chips at affordable prices. When he said this, it all made sense to me. Computer chips are getting expensive and Bernina only has so many resources. All their current machines are computerized, and those machines are prioritized over 20 year old machines. Thus, they’re forced to stop producing motherboards for those older machine.

Obviously it is to be expected there is a domino effect from Artificial Intelligence that is far-reaching, but who would have thought there is a domino in the sewing machine industry?

(6) New Bernina Sergers— are they worth it?

Bernina presented two new sergers at Bernina University: the L660 and the L620. The L660 is a midline serger that will go for ~$3,500, while the L620 is a standalone coverstitch machine that will go for ~$3,000.

My honest opinion on these new sergers is they appear to be quality machines, but Baby Lock sergers are still the industry leader by a longshot. Bernina’s method to make these new sergers more palatable is to stack them with extra features like a knee lift and an extension table included with purchase. But, in the end, Baby Lock has automatic thread delivery, which you can essentially think of as automatic tension. It is perhaps the greatest innovation to grace the sewing world in the past half century. Bernina does not, so they still use traditional tension discs.

This would be fine, except the Bernina offering is more expensive than the Baby Lock offering. The way I see it, to go with a Bernina serger is to spend more money on a lesser machine. This is no knock on Bernina— like I said earlier, the Bernina sergers seem fine— rather, it is a testament to Baby Lock and the incredible sergers they make. I love Bernina sewing machines, but when it comes to sergers, the Japanese company is head and shoulders above the competition in features, quality, and price.

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Over a year ago, I put out an article that touched on the history of a handful of popular European sewing machine manufacturers:

A theme throughout the article was that a lot of these European companies were sold in the late 1990s-early 2000s and acquired by private equity firms that specialize in leveraged buyout transactions. However, I did not go into much detail on the implication of leveraged buyouts and how they affect the sewing machine manufacturing process.

Fortunately, my father has written an article that helps break down how leveraged buy outs work and why they are conducive for poor quality sewing machines. With nearly 40 years in the sewing machine industry as a technician and business owner, he is an invaluable source of wisdom and knowledge. I always appreciate when he takes time to write an article like this, so that wealth of knowledge can be shared with the broader sewing machine community. I think sewing machine enthusiasts will find it fascinating. I hope you enjoy.

—Cale

The Intersection Where Leveraged Buy Outs (LBOs) Meet Sewing Machines

Written by Dan Schoenberg

I often get inquiries in my inbox on what I think about a certain sewing machine make and model and why I don't list it in my annual sewing machine review. I have deliberately avoided talking about machines I do not sell and instead focus on sharing why I like certain manufacturers and specific makes and models.

In general, I like sewing machines that demonstrate innovation, use high quality materials, and are engineered for longevity and reliability. It is no coincidence that the sewing machine companies that consistently achieve this very high standard of excellence are very old companies that have never been sold. For example, Bernina, Janome, and Brother are all sewing machine companies that are over 100 years old. Baby Lock, the company that developed the first domestic serger over 55 years ago, is still the gold standard for quality and serger innovation; they, too, have never been sold. Juki, another Japanese sewing machine manufacturer specializing in industrial sewing machines and now domestic machines also is approaching 100 years in existence without ever changing hands. For these companies with a proud heritage, it is still about the sewing machine.

In contrast, there are three iconic sewing machine brands that were the target of Leveraged Buy Outs, or LBOs: Singer, Viking, and Pfaff. In most LBOs, a private equity firm uses almost entirely borrowed money to buy a company with the intent of improving its operations and profit margin in order to resell it quickly; usually between 5-7 years.

In 2004, Kohlberg and Company acquired Singer in a LBO. Singer had long been in decline for various reasons and in my opinion had not produced a high quality machine since the sixties. Two years later, in 2006, Kohlberg acquired VSM Group, which owned both the Viking and Pfaff Brand. All three iconic brands were merged together to create SVP Worldwide— the letters SVP standing for Singer, Viking, Pfaff. In 2018, Kohlberg completed the LBO process when they sold SVP Worldwide to Ares Management, another private equity firm. A few years later, in 2021, Ares Management flipped SVP Worldwide yet again, selling the company to Platinum Equity (another private equity investment firm).

So, why is an LBO bad for the “sewing machine” ?

It’s important to remember that the letter “L” in LBO stands for leverage. Leverage means borrowing (loans), and borrowing equals debt. In an LBO, a company is acquired using a mix of equity and a large amount of debt, with the expectation that future cash flows will pay off these high-interest loans. LBO loans are high interest loans because LBO’s are very risky and often go bad. Heavy reliance on borrowed money amplifies both potential rewards and risks, since any downturn can quickly make debt repayments unmanageable.

Now, think about what makes a sewing machine worth owning: innovation and quality. Creating a top-tier machine demands significant investment—research and development (R&D) is costly, as are quality materials and sound engineering. When a sewing machine company is saddled with the enormous debt from an LBO, it’s forced to allocate resources to meet financial obligations rather than investing in those key areas. The result is a business that struggles to maintain innovation and quality, and thereby has trouble making a good sewing machine.

LBOs are notorious for cutting expenses and are not conducive to R&D. Because LBO companies are acquired using significant debt financing, management is forced to prioritize short-term cash flow and debt repayment over long-term investments. It’s no wonder then that I’ve seen no innovation from these three iconic brands in the past 25 years (Singer, Viking, Pfaff)— they wait for heritage companies to take the lead in invention. Instead of reinvesting in R&D, a company likes SVP Worldwide finds profitability through consolidation, cost cutting, and clever marketing that leans heavily on the storied legacy of these once-great sewing machine makers. In turn, the sewing machine suffers. The company needs to cut costs in order to increase profitability, so they start equipping their machines with cheaper parts— cheaper circuit boards, hook assemblies, metal housings, etc. They cut back investments in engineering and design. All of these factors cause the quality of the sewing machine to decline.

The clock is ticking for Platinum Equity to get SVP back in shape for a sale. It’s been four years since they acquired SVP from Ares Management, and by every measure of an LBO, that’s long enough. We can only hope that the next buyer is a heritage sewing machine company that values innovation as much as legacy.

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Working at The Sewing Machine Shop, I get a very frequent question when customers compare different sewing machines: “Which machine is the most powerful?”

At first glance, it sounds like a simple question. But what exactly do we mean by “powerful”?

• Do we mean the machine that sews the fastest?

• The one that punches through thick denim or leather with ease?

• The machine that lasts the longest over years of hard use?

Each of these is valid, but none are captured by a single statistic. In this article, I want to unpack the concept of sewing machine power and walk you through how to better understand what makes one machine feel more powerful than another.

I hope you find it helpful.

—Cale

What Is Power?

In physics, power is defined as the rate at which energy is transferred or converted. The standard unit is the watt (W), which measures how quickly energy is used.

For electric sewing machines, we calculate electrical power like this:

Power (Watts) = Voltage (Volts) × Current (Amps)

This formula tells us how much electrical energy the machine is consuming. But power consumption doesn't always reflect mechanical output or "sewing strength."

Where to Find Wattage on a Sewing Machine

On the back of nearly every modern sewing machine, you'll find a metal tag showing its:

• Model and serial number

• Voltage (usually 120V in North America)

• Current (in Amps) or sometimes total wattage

Multiply voltage by amperage and you get the electrical wattage.

Here are a few examples:

The machines I subjectively view as “strongest”— the M7, TL-18, and B770— are also among the highest in wattage. This shows that power ratings can be a useful indicator up to a point.

Why the Math Doesn’t Always Add Up

Let’s look at a Janome HD3000, a mechanical workhorse that's been around for years.

On older HD3000’s, the back tag listed 1.0 amps (120W). But newer models say 0.8 amps (96W). Did the machine get weaker?

No. Janome simply started using more efficient LED lights inside the machine. The light bulb drew less power, so total amperage dropped, even though the motor and mechanical performance stayed the same.

This brings up a critical point: the electrical power listed on the back of a machine includes everything inside it—motor, lights, electronics. It’s not a direct readout of the motor’s mechanical power.

Sometimes, the motor itself will be labeled inside the machine. For example, a Baby Lock Joy shows 0.38A × 120V = 45.6W on the back of the machine. But inside, its motor is labeled 60W— because that’s just the motor’s power, not the total system draw.

Energy Loss and Mechanical Efficiency

Even if two machines have identical wattage ratings, they may perform very differently. Why?

Because power isn’t just about input— it’s about what you do with it.

Every machine has some degree of energy loss, where electrical power doesn’t make it to the needle. This can be due to:

• Friction in gears and shafts

• Resistance in wiring or motor windings

• Heat loss from inefficient components

• Loose tolerances or sloppily engineered drive systems

Machines with smoother drive trains**, better bearings, tighter tolerances, and well-tuned shafts will feel stronger and more responsive, even if their wattage is lower.

This is why a modern Bernina 570 with a 90W tag can outperform a vintage Kenmore with 120W. It’s not about raw input. It’s about design efficiency.

**A drive train in a sewing machine refers to the system of mechanical components that transfers power from the motor to the needle and feed mechanisms. It’s what converts the motor’s rotation into the precise, timed movements needed to make a stitch.

The Missing Stats: Torque and RPM

In the world of motors, two numbers are just as important as watts:

• Torque: the twisting force delivered by the motor

• RPM: how fast the motor spins

These values help define the “feel” of the machine. A motor with high torque at low RPMs will feel strong, especially at slower sewing speeds. Unfortunately, sewing machine manufacturers rarely publish this data, so we’re left to infer performance from wattage and user experience.

Fun fact:

1 horsepower = 746 watts
So a 150W sewing machine motor delivers about 0.2 horsepower, which is pretty substantial for a home appliance.

The Verdict: How to Judge Power

If you're evaluating sewing machine power, here's what to consider:

1. Check the back tag
   Multiply volts × amps for a rough estimate of power. It’s a good starting point.

2. Understand the context
   A high-wattage machine with poor internal design may underperform. A lower-wattage machine with precision engineering may feel surprisingly strong. So don’t obsess over numbers. Use wattage as a reference, not a final verdict.

3. Go by feel
   Try the machine on dense fabric. The way it handles layers, its sound under load, and its stitch consistency tell you more than a spec sheet.

Final Thoughts

There’s no one number that captures how “powerful” a sewing machine truly is.
The motor matters, but so does the mechanical design, the build quality, and the efficiency of how energy is transferred from the motor to the needle.

Ultimately, feel is king. And that’s something you only get by sitting down at the machine and sewing.

Thank you for reading!

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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Understanding this concept is important because if your sewing machine is out of time, then you’ll likely need to take it to a trained sewing machine technician for a fix. On the other hand, if your machine is not out of time, then the problem lies elsewhere and fixing the problem may be in your control.

When we refer to timing, we are referring to the timing between the machine’s upper shaft and the machine’s lower shaft. The upper shaft and lower shaft must operate in harmony together, for each controls the movement of critical components to the stitch-making process.

The upper shaft controls the movement of the needle bar, and therefore the movement of the needle.

The lower shaft controls the movement of the hook and the feed dogs.

Given that proper sewing machine operation depends on the needle bar being synced up to both the hook mechanism and feed dogs, there are two different types of timing:

1. Needle-Hook Timing: the precise timing between the movement of the needle and the hook.

2. Needle-Feed Timing: the precise timing between the movement of the needle and the feed dogs.

Needle-Hook Timing

A useful way to think of needle-hook timing is to consider the movement of the needle and hook individually, then consider their relationship to each other as it pertains to the stitch-making process.

The Hook

• The hook rotates around the bobbin and bobbin case (no matter if your machine is designed with a rotary hook or oscillating hook).

• For oscillating hook machines, the hook-point rotates back and forth on a vertical axis, rotating clockwise and then counter-clockwise.

• For rotary hook machines, the hook-point continuously rotates counter-clockwise on a horizontal or vertical axis.

The Needle

• The needle starts in its highest position, several centimeters above the needle plate.

• As the machine begins the stitch-making process, the needle travels downward, down below the needle plate, until it reaches its bottommost position.

• Once it hits its bottommost position, the needle travels upward, up above the needle plate, until it reaches its highest position again.

The needle’s revolution (upper shaft) and the hook’s revolution (lower shaft) are TIMED so that the hook passes behind the needle at a very specific point in time: when the needle rises 2-3 millimeters above its bottommost position, the HOOK POINT should pass right above the NEEDLE’S EYE.

Why?

Because, as the needle rises upward, a tiny thread loop forms at the eye of the needle (on the backside of the needle). If the machine is correctly timed, the hook-point passes just above the eye of the needle and passes through the tiny thread loop right after that loop has formed.

The hook catches the needle thread loop and then takes the needle thread with it for a ride as it completes its revolution around the bobbin case. As the hook completes its revolution, a knot forms between the needle thread and bobbin thread, a crucial step in the stitch-making process.

What does it look like for needle-hook timing to be off?

Remove your needle plate and bobbin case. Turn the machine’s hand wheel (turn it toward you) until the needle reaches its lowest position. Continue to turn the hand wheel slowly so that you can clearly see the needle begin to rise upward . As the needle begins its upward trajectory, the hook will pass behind the needle. On what point of the needle is the hook passing?

Remember, we want the hook to pass just above the eye of the needle after the needle has risen 2-3 millimeters above its bottommost position. It is possible for the timing to be off in either direction— the timing could be advanced, or it could be retarded.

If the needle-hook timing is advanced, that means the hook is arriving at the needle earlier than it ought to. It still passes above the eye of the needle, but passes too high and fails to catch the needle’s thread loop.

If the needle-hook timing is retarded, that means the hook is arriving at the needle later/slower than it ought to. It passes below the eye of the needle and therefore misses its chance to catch the needle’s thread loop.

Needle-Feed Timing

Similar to hook timing, a useful way to think of feed timing is to consider the relationship between the needle and the feed dogs.

The Needle

• The needle starts in its highest position, several centimeters above the needle plate.

• As the machine begins the stitch-making process, the needle travels downward, down below the needle plate, until it reaches its bottommost position.

• Once it hits its bottommost position, the needle travels upward, up above the needle plate, until it reaches its highest position again.

The Feed Dogs

• The feed dogs begin above the needle plate, with the gripped feed teeth making contact with the bottom layer of fabric.

• As the needle enters the fabric, the feed dogs drop beneath the needle plate, so that they no longer make contact with the fabric.

• As the needle rises back up above the needle plate, the feed dogs also rise (again making contact with the fabric).

• After rising above the needle plate, the feed dogs move from the front of the needle plate to the back of the needle plate, moving the specific distance that you have set your stitch length (typically 2-4 millimeters).

The movement of the needle is timed with the movement of the feed dogs so that the feed dogs lower beneath the needle plate while the needle is penetrating the fabric. If feed timing is correct, then the feed dogs will only rise back up above the needle plate and feed the fabric after the needle has rise out of the fabric.

In other words, the feed dogs only feed the fabric after the machine has made a stitch. This means the feed dogs are inactive during the stitch-making process while the needle is down below the needle plate, and active when the needle has risen up above the needle plate.

What does it look like for needle-feed timing to be off?

Proper needle-feed timing looks like this:

• As the needle enters the needle plate hole, the feed dogs should be going down beneath the needle plate.

• They should no longer be above the needle plate feeding the fabric forward.

• Then, as the needle rises up out of the needle plate, the feed dogs should begin to rise out of the needle plate as well.

If needle-feed timing is off, that means that the feed dogs are feeding the fabric during the stitch-making process. Or, in other words, the fabric is being fed while the needle is still in the fabric.

If the needle is down below the needle plate, but the feed dogs are up above the needle plate and feeding the fabric forward, then the feed timing is off.

If the needle is up above the needle plate, but the feed dogs are not rising above the needle plate until the needle is getting close to re-entering the fabric, then it is also possible that the feed timing is out of whack.

We don’t want the fabric being fed while the needle is in the fabric for a few different reasons. One, if the needle is deep in the fabric while fabric is being fed, then the needle will bend and/or break, potentially causing harmful needle strikes to key areas like the hook, needle plate, and bobbin case. Two, even if the feed timing is slightly off, stitch quality can be negatively affected because the action of the feed dogs feeding the fabric helps cinch the knot properly in the fabric.

What causes a sewing machine to go out of time?

I’d guess that the most common reason a machine goes out of time is when we try to sew through something too thick for my machine to handle.

Imagine, I try to sew through thick leather on a small home sewing machine. My needle (upper shaft) gets stuck in the material and stops moving, but the hook and/or feed dogs (lower shaft) continues to turn.

Incongruity between the upper shaft and lower shaft—even for a split second— can cause the machine to go out of time.

Can you fix a timing issue yourself?

The short answer is no, probably not.

To fix a machine that is out of time, you have to remove the machine’s plastic cover and expose the internal components. Then you have to disengage the machine’s lower shaft from the upper shaft and manually time the hook mechanism and feed dog mechanism to the needle position. The sequence in which you perform these tasks matter. The timing must be very precise. Sewing machine companies actually make tools and gauges specific to certain machine models to help the technician time the machine properly.

That’s all to say, if your machine is out of time, I recommend you take the machine to a trained sewing machine technician.

Thank you for reading!

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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All support is hugely appreciated.

Thank you.

—Cale

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1. “Tensile Strength”

2. “Linear Density”

3. “Elongation at Break”

This edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter examines each of these terms in detail. These properties are crucial in determining how a thread will perform in different sewing applications, from durability to flexibility and suitability for various fabrics. By achieving a better understanding of these important thread characteristics, I believe that we can elucidate sewing thread in general— why certain thread is better for certain projects, why working with a specific fabric calls for a specific thread, how strong is a certain thread, how stretchy is a certain thread, etc.

I hope you find it helpful.

—Cale

Linear Density

Linear density refers to the mass per unit length of a fiber or thread. It is a critical measurement in the textile industry because it determines the thickness, strength, and performance of a thread. Different systems are used to express linear density, and Mettler provides values in Nm (Number Metric) and dtex (decitex).

Common Linear Density Units in Threads

1. Number Metric (Nm)

   • Definition: The number of 1,000-meter lengths of thread that weigh 1 kilogram.

   • Example: Nm 50 means that 50 kilometers of the thread weigh 1 kg.

   • Interpretation: A higher Nm number means a finer (thinner) thread, while a lower Nm number means a thicker thread.

2. Decitex (dtex)

   • Definition: The mass (in decigrams) of 10,000 meters of thread.

   • Example: dtex 150 means that 10,000 meters of the thread weigh 150 grams.

   • Interpretation: A higher dtex number means a thicker thread, while a lower dtex number means a finer thread.

3. Denier (den)

   • Definition: The mass (in grams) of 9,000 meters of thread.

   • Example: A 40 denier thread means 9,000 meters weigh 40 grams.

   • Interpretation: Like dtex, higher denier = thicker thread, lower denier = finer thread.

4. Tex

   • Definition: The mass (in grams) of 1,000 meters of thread.

   • Example: Tex 30 means 1,000 meters of thread weighs 30 grams.

   • Interpretation: A higher Tex number means a thicker thread.

Why Does Linear Density Matter in Sewing?

• Thread Strength: Thicker threads (lower Nm, higher dtex) are generally stronger.

• Sewability: Finer threads (higher Nm, lower dtex) work better for lightweight fabrics.

• Appearance: The thickness of the thread affects stitch definition and seam bulk.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strength is the maximum force a thread can withstand before breaking when stretched. It is measured in centinewtons (cN), where 1 cN ≈ 1 gram-force.

For example: A thread with a tensile strength of 1,600 cN can withstand 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) of force before breaking.

Why is Tensile Strength Important?

1. Durability & Load-Bearing Ability

   • Higher tensile strength threads can withstand more stress without breaking.

   • Threads with lower tensile strength may snap under tension.

2. Thread Selection for Different Applications

   • Heavy-duty sewing (jeans, leather, upholstery) → High tensile strength.

   • Lightweight fabrics (silk, chiffon, quilting cotton) → Lower tensile strength is acceptable.

3. Seam Strength & Longevity

   • A thread with high tensile strength ensures seams last longer.

   • Threads that break easily can cause premature seam failure.

How is Tensile Strength Measured?

1. Tensile Testing Machine

   • The thread is clamped at both ends and stretched until it snaps.

   • The force required to break it is recorded in centinewtons (cN).

2. Factors Affecting Tensile Strength

   • Material Type: Polyester is stronger than cotton.

   • Thread Thickness: Thicker threads generally have higher tensile strength.

   • Thread Construction:

     • Core-spun threads (e.g., polyester core with cotton wrap) are stronger than regular spun threads.

     • Filament threads (continuous fiber) are usually stronger than staple fiber threads (thread made from short, discrete fibers).

Comparing Mettler Threads by Tensile Strength

Choosing the Right Thread for Your Project

• For Strong Seams (Jeans, Leather, Upholstery, Buttonholes) → High tensile strength (2,000-6,000 cN).

• For General Sewing (Cotton, Polyester, Mixed Fabrics) → Medium tensile strength (1,000-2,000 cN).

• For Decorative Sewing & Embroidery → Moderate tensile strength (~1,000 cN).

• For Stretchy Fabrics & Activewear → Lower tensile strength (elastic thread) but high elongation.

Elongation at Break

Elongation at break is a measure of how much a thread can stretch before it breaks when subjected to tensile force. It is expressed as a percentage of the original length.

For example: If a thread is 100 mm long and stretches to 120 mm before breaking, its elongation at break is 20%.

Why is Elongation at Break Important?

1. Flexibility & Stretchiness

   • Threads with higher elongation are more flexible and stretchable.

   • Threads with lower elongation are more rigid and break more easily under tension.

2. Durability & Wear Resistance

   • Threads with moderate elongation can absorb stress and movement, making them ideal for garments and upholstery.

   • Threads with very low elongation are more brittle and may snap under tension.

3. Thread Performance in Sewing

   • If a thread stretches too much, it may cause seam puckering or loose stitches.

   • If a thread doesn’t stretch enough, it may break under high stress (e.g., in activewear or upholstery).

Typical Elongation at Break Values for Threads

How is Elongation at Break Measured?

1. Tensile Testing Machine

   • The thread is clamped at both ends and pulled until it breaks.

   • The machine records the change in length.

   • The result is expressed as a percentage of the original length.

2. Factors Affecting Elongation at Break

   • Material Type: Polyester and nylon have higher elongation than cotton.

   • Thread Construction:

     • Filament threads (continuous fibers) tend to stretch more.

     • Spun threads (shorter fibers twisted together) have lower elongation.

   • Thread Finish: Some coatings or treatments can alter elongation.

Choosing the Right Elongation for Your Sewing Project

• For Strong Seams (Jeans, Leather, Heavy-Duty Sewing) → Lower elongation (less stretch, more stability).

• For Stretchy Fabrics (Activewear, Knitwear, Lingerie) → Higher elongation (more flexibility).

• For Embroidery & Quilting → Moderate elongation (prevents puckering but doesn’t stretch too much).

  ---

Article Summary

1. Tensile Strength – This refers to the maximum amount of tensile (pulling) force that a thread can withstand before breaking. It is typically measured in centinewtons (cN) and is an indicator of how strong the thread is.

2. Linear Density – This describes the thickness of the thread, usually expressed in tex, denier, or decitex (dtex). It indicates the mass of the thread per unit length, with higher numbers corresponding to thicker threads.

3. Elongation at Break – This refers to the percentage increase in length that a thread can undergo before it breaks under tension. A higher elongation percentage means the thread is more stretchable and resilient, which is particularly useful for flexible or stretchy fabrics.

These properties are crucial in determining how a thread will perform in different sewing applications, from durability to flexibility and suitability for various fabrics.

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Identifying the source of a strange machine sound can be challenging—sometimes it's difficult enough that it requires a trained technician. However, there is a straightforward method you can try at home to diagnose some of the more common sewing machine issues. This approach involves trial and error.

Simply put, you'll systematically remove potential sources of noise, one at a time. If you remove a part and the noise persists, then that particular component is not the issue. If the noise stops after removing a certain part, then you've identified a likely culprit.

So, which parts should you begin checking to isolate the noise? I always recommend starting with the needle.

Needle

Whenever I hear a sewing machine making a strange sound, the first thing I do is remove the needle. Then I run the machine again and listen for whether or not the peculiar sound remains.

A dull needle can cause a “popping” noise when penetrating the fabric. A bent needle may cause a “ticking” noise because it is deflecting off the hook during the stitch-making process. A needle that wasn’t inserted properly may scrape against the floor of the bobbin case basket.

If you remove the needle and the sound goes away, then insert a fresh needle and run the machine again. If you were hearing a “popping” sound caused by a dull needle, then that should go away with a fresh needle.

If you were hearing a “ticking” sound, then that could also go away with a new needle given that the old needle was bent. However, even with a fresh needle there is a chance that the “ticking” sound remains, which indicates that the machine’s needle-hook clearance may be too tight— or that the needle is deflecting off some something other than the hook.

Presser Foot

Though it’s rare, I have seen instances where the needle plate deflects off the presser foot, which would certainly cause a strange sound:

However, the main reason I like to remove the presser foot when troubleshooting is to make sure that the sound I am hearing is not merely the sound of the presser foot making contact with the feed dogs, which is completely normal. An integral part of a sewing machine’s design is that the presser foot holds the fabric down against the feed dogs. If those two parts were not making contact on every stitch, then the machine would not be able to sew.

Needle Plate

If the sound isn’t coming from the needle or presser foot, then remove the needle plate and run the machine and see if the sound remains. This is a key part of this troubleshooting process because the needle plate is situated so close to a bunch of different moving parts.

• Needle strikes against the needle plate will cause a sound— if you have a fresh needle in the machine and you’re still getting needle strikes on the needle plate, then your needle bar may be misaligned or your needle plate needs to be repositioned.
  

• If the feed dogs are out of alignment, then they may be scraping up against the side of the needle plate.

• If needle plate itself is damaged, it could be making contact with the bobbin case. However, even if the needle plate is not damaged, it could still be making contact with the bobbin case, in which case we would need to examine the state of the bobbin case and hook area.

Bobbin Case and/or Hook

Sewing machines designed with a top loading bobbin (horizontal rotary hook machines) are especially susceptible to needle strikes on the bobbin case, which can damage the bobbin case, leading to strange sounds while sewing.

On these horizontal rotary hook machines, the bobbin case sits atop the hook race, which is thin ledge on the inner edge of the hook. The outer rim of the bobbin case makes contact with the hook race.

The outer rim of the bobbin case makes contact with the hook race. Both parts are designed to reduce friction, with the hook made out of a smooth metal and the bobbin case is made out of a smooth plastic. However, a significant needle strike to the bobbin case can damage the shape of the underside of the bobbin case, distorting it in a way so that the hook no longer rotates smoothly underneath. Instead, the increased friction of the hook rotating under the distorted bobbin case will cause a scraping sound that did not exist before.

Depending on the severity of the needle strike(s), the bobbin case may or may not be able to be repaired. If the needle strike is minor, then it is possible to smooth out the burr on the plastic bobbin case with emery tape. If the burr cannot be smoothed out, then the bobbin case will have to be replaced.

Sometimes, removing the bobbin case will get rid of the sound, but not because of a damaged bobbin case. It is possible for the hook race itself to be damaged with a burr in the metal, which scrapes against the bobbin case and generates a scraping sound. If you find a burr on the hook race, it can be really difficult to smooth it out with emery cord. Even for a trained technician, sometimes the burr is bad enough that the entire hook will have to be replaced.

All the same issues with the hook and bobbin case are also possible or sewing machines where the bobbin loads from the front— vintage Pfaff, vintage Bernina, modern Bernina — though it’s much more rare. These machines tend to be loud, but the most common reason for the noise is that the hook race is dry and in need of lubrication.

If you have one of these machines and it seems to be sewing loud, try lubricating the hook race with a drop of oil, then run the machine again and see if the sound goes away.

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I accidentally dropped a needle down through the needle plate hole and I can’t find it! What do I do? I live an hour away from your store, I really don’t want to have to bring it all the way to the shop!

I realized that I receive questions about this subject fairly often, both for the case where someone drops a whole needle into the machine, and for the case where the needle breaks and the broken half disappears inside the machine.

There are various Reddit threads discussing it, but I wasn’t totally satisfied with the answers I found there, so I thought I’d share my opinion in this edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter.

I hope you find it helpful.

—Cale

The needle dropped into my machine and I can’t find it..... what do I do?

First, stay calm. I know it appears that we have a big problem on our hands. The needle disappeared down into the guts of the machine where so many important parts are located—— the feed dogs, the bobbin & bobbin case, the hook system, the automatic thread trimmer.

What if the needle lodged itself into an undesirable space among these critical components?

If I try sewing again, I’ll break my machine, right?

The truth is, there is a very small chance that the needle has landed in a location where it can harm your machine. If you dropped your needle inside your machine, or if the needle broke off inside your machine, and you cannot see it when you go looking for it, then it is highly likely that the needle has fallen all the way down to the bottom of your machine and is resting harmlessly on the floor of the machine’s cover.

Thank you, gravity!

Ask any seasoned sewing machine technician—— when we open up a machine for service, it is very common that we find pins and needles and other things resting harmlessly on the floor of the machine’s cover.

Troubleshooting 101: Turn the Handwheel

If your needle has disappeared into the recesses of your machine and you cannot find it, and you want peace of mind that it is not in a space that can damage the machine, there is a simple way to troubleshoot.

Simply turn the machine’s hand-wheel toward you so that the needle goes up and down a few times.

Pay attention as you turn the hand-wheel. Does the machine turn over smoothly? If so, then you’re in the clear.

Remember, we are afraid that our needle has found its way into a spot that can disrupt the proper operation of the machine’s internal components—— the feed dogs, the bobbin & bobbin case, the hook system, etc.

If the needle was to find its way into an undesirable spot, we should be able to feel it when you turn the handwheel. It would feel like a jam or a bind—— something of that sort. And if you do feel that jam/bind, then you probably need to take your machine to a sewing machine technician.

Doublecheck the Hook Race

The one place where I have found multiple broken needle tips is the hook race. I can imagine that this is not a spot sewists will look at when searching for their broken needle tip.

The hook race varies slightly depending on the type of hoo system the sewing machine is designed with:

• On a machine with a horizontal rotary hook (AKA drop-in bobbin), the hook race in the thin metal ledge on which the bobbin case basket sits.

• On a machine with a vertical hook system (rotary or oscillator), the hook race is the thin metal ledge on which the hook itself rides along.

Modern Bernina machines (e.g. B770, B740, B570, B475) are designed the B9 hook system, which is a very unique vertical hook design. With the B9 hook system, the hook race is magnetic, and over the years I have found broken needle tips stuck onto the hook race due to this magnetism.

Fortunately, the engineers at Bernina are very clever and designed the machine to give the sewist an error message on the screen if there is a potential obstruction in the hook area. The error message shows the image of gears with a red X, and the machine won’t let you sew until you remove the hook, clear the obstruction, and re-install the hook properly

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In this edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter, I'm going to talk about why sewing machines are getting bigger and what this means for sewists.

• We'll dive into the history of why manufacturers have been increasing the size of home sewing machines.

• Then I will analyze how this trend affects the sewing machine landscape as a whole

• You might assume the bigger the machine, the higher the price, right? That used to be true, but it's no longer the case. I'll explain why.

I hope you find it interesting and helpful,

—Cale

Janome Starts the Party

In 2019, Janome dropped a bomb on the sewing machine landscape when they introduced their new top-of-the-line sewing machine, the Janome Continental M7, which featured an unprecedented 13.5 inches of throat space, making it the largest home sewing machine available.

In addition to the massive throat space, the Continental M7 was the first home sewing machine to be equipped with an industrial grade brushless servo motor. This combination of advanced motor technology and throat space superiority was an absolute game changer. If you've ever sewn on an M7, you know just how incredible its touch and responsiveness feel. Owners of the machine often remark that it's challenging to use anything else afterward.

Increased throat space makes sewing more enjoyable for several reasons. More room means less feeling cramped and constrained as you sew, plus enhanced visibility and lighting, and easier handling of large fabric pieces. Additionally, a larger throat space typically means a larger overall machine (larger footprint), which often contributes to a smoother sewing experience that people find more enjoyable.

The Continental platform proved so successful that Janome quickly followed up with the Continental M17 in 2022. This sewing-embroidery combo machine retained the M7's 13.5-inch throat space and brushless servo motor while introducing advanced embroidery capabilities and stitch regulation for free-motion quilting. Janome's innovation set a new standard, motivating other companies like Bernina, Brother, and Baby Lock to soon develop similar machines.

Bernina Follows Suit

In 2024, Bernina introduced their new flagship sewing-embroidery combo machine, the B990, one-upping Janome by half an inch with a total of 14 inches of throat space, making it the largest available in any home sewing machine. Bernina’s decision to slightly exceed Janome's 13.5-inch Continental M17 throat was intentional, allowing them to claim the title of the machine with the most throat space in the world.

To understand how significant this trend is, let's take a brief look at the history of Bernina’s throat space evolution over the past two decades:

• In 2004, Bernina launched the Aurora 440, a groundbreaking machine at the time, primarily due to its stitch regulator (BSR), a technology that dramatically influenced the sewing machine market. Despite the BSR technology innovation and its exceptional build quality, the Aurora 440 had a modest 7.5 inches of throat space to the right of the needle.

• By comparison, Bernina’s Q16 long-arm quilting machine boasts a 16-inch throat, just two inches larger than the B990.

• Bernina's former flagship machine, the polarizing B880, provided 12 inches of throat space.

• Bernina’s popular 7-series sewing machine platform (B770, B740, B735, etc.) offers 10 inches of throat space.

Brother & Baby Lock

Later in 2024, Baby Lock and Brother, released their own top-of-the-line super machines designed of both sewing and embroidery: the Baby Lock Radiance and the Brother Aveneer. These machines took the competition even further, featuring a comical 14.1-inch throat space, just edging out the Bernina 990 by one-tenth of an inch.

Perhaps I am too much of a sewing machine nerd for my own good, but I have started refering to this era in the sewing machine industry as the The Great Sewing Machine (Throat) Space Race.

Where do we go from here?

The obvious question is: how big will sewing machines get?

Will we see another significant jump, perhaps machines with 16 inches of throat space— essentially matching the size of long-arm sewing machines but with the features of home machines?

I do think it’s a realistic possibility that we see a sewing machine with a 16 inch throat. Sewists, especially quilters, appreciate the benefits of machines with larger throat spaces. Manufacturers have recognized this preference. In my experience selling hundreds of sewing machines, I've never met a sewist who regrets opting for a larger throat space— quite the opposite. Larger throat space improves visibility and lighting, makes maneuvering quilts and large fabric easier, and usually results in a larger, more stable machine footprint, enhancing the sewing experience.

However, there is a practical limit. The Janome M17, Bernina B990, Brother Aveneer, and Baby Lock Radiance already weigh over 40 pounds without their embroidery units attached. A machine with a 16-inch throat would likely be even heavier, making it extremely difficult for many sewists to move without assistance.

With all that said, I believe focusing solely on size misses the more critical point: will these larger-throat-space machines become affordable and accessible to more sewists?

Currently, machines with substantial throat spaces like the Bernina B990, Baby Lock Radiance, and Brother Aveneer have an MSRP around $24,000. If I had to guess, most dealerships tend to have these machines priced around $5,000 lower than MSRP. Fortunately, prices are starting to decrease. Janome, for example, responded to competitors' 14-inch machines not by increasing throat space further, but by introducing the Continental M6 and Continental M8.

The M8 is essentially a souped-up M7, sharing its robust platform of 13.5” throat and brushless servo motor, but adding an ASR stitch regulator, an improved needle threader, and an innovative thumb wheel. At $5,999, the M8 is the most affordable home sewing machine on the market with over 12 inches of throat space and stitch regulation.

Meanwhile, the Continental M6 offers a generous 13.5 inches of throat space at an even lower price of $3,999. While it lacks extras like stitch regulation and embroidery capabilities, it's an exceptional machine for its price, making advanced features accessible to more sewists.

I anticipate Bernina, Brother, and Baby Lock will follow Janome's lead by offering similarly stripped-down, more affordable versions of their larger machines.

Another positive outcome of the rise in large-throat-space machines is the increased availability of quality pre-owned machines. Sewists upgrading to larger models often trade in their previous machines, leading to an influx of high-quality, pre-owned options like the Bernina 7-series (10” throat), Janome M7 and MC15000 (11” throat), and combination machines from Brother and Baby Lock. These pre-owned machine represent great value, especially if you get them from a dealership who offers parts and labor warranty on their pre-owned machines. In many cases, you can get a machine with 10+ inches of throat space more than 40% off the original price.

That’s all to say: while sewing machines are growing bigger and more expensive, there's also a beneficial trend of increased availability of affordable, high-quality machines with substantial throat space.

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Archive

Within this email, they shared one piece of information that really grabbed my attention: geopolitical events are having a large impact on the cost of oil, directly impacting all modes of freight.

The effect is that this particular sewing machine manufacturer is facing 5%-15% increases from freight carriers across all modes. For The Sewing Machine Shop (my family’s small sewing machine retail and repair business), this means we can expect the cost of machines and parts to increase.

In this state-of-the-union email, the manufacturer listed a variety of things they are planning to do to mitigate impact: origin consolidation, early booking appointments, larger carrier pool for domestic deliveries, review of package sizes for FedEx ground shipments, etc.

Still, in no uncertain terms, cost of products is expected to rise, and this increase will be shouldered by both the manufacturer, the retailer, and the customer.

Albeit frustrating from a pure business standpoint, I consider myself fortunate that the sewing machine industry serves as a substrate to help me better understand the complexities of the world. Given my job, I can’t help but view the world through a sewing machine-colored lens.

In the 21st century, the vast majority of sewing machines are manufactured in and imported from Asia. Machines of this origin make their way to North America by boat, meaning there is a dependence on ocean freight. If the cost of diesel rises due to a conflict like the one happening in the Strait of Hormuz, or if ships must take longer routes due to something like the ongoing Red Sea crisis, then the cost to import a sewing machine rises as well.

That doesn’t mean every sewing machine price is immediately affected by such events. Dealers and brands can absorb some costs temporarily, shift production, or delay increases. But ultimately the rising cost of freight will eventually be reflected in the price of imported products, and the sewing machine industry is no exception.

In times like this when the business faces tangible adversity completely outside our control, I find myself feeling incredibly proud of my father and the work culture he has created at The Sewing Machine Shop. The ethos he’s infused into the business truly helps us combat rising costs.

He’s been in this business for decades and operates according to a simple principle: although he has the ability to carry any machine in the world, he has consistently chosen to only carry the highest quality machines. In a sense, this choice is self-serving— after all, he is the head technician of The Sewing Machine Shop, so carrying high-quality machines and foregoing poor quality machines means less warranty repair work in the long run. Still, so many dealerships choose to carry every machine under the sun, whereas his disciplined approach gives him undeniable credibility.

He shines in moments like the one we’re currently in, because he’ll target a specific model of sewing machine, and make a massive bulk order of that one model in order to negotiate a better price per unit with the manufacturer. He can then pass the savings onto the customer, thereby combating the rising cost of goods.

He did this a few weeks ago in light of the rising freight prices, ordering 30 units of the Baby Lock Victory, his favorite 4-thread serger under $2,000. The price of the Victory rose during the Covid-19 pandemic, then rose again due to tariffs, and was looking to rise yet again in lieu of geopolitical conflicts affecting cost of freight. However, he got such good deal on the bulk order of 30 units that he is able to price the Victory at $1,499, hundreds of dollars lower than what it would have cost otherwise, back to the pre-pandemic price ballpark.

This isn’t the first time he has done something like this.

Late in 2025, when tariffs caused the price of the Janome Continental M8 (one of his favorite sewing & quilting machines) to increase substantially, he made a massive order of the Elna 792 Pro, which is the Janome M8 but with a brand nameplate. He bought 70 units of the Elna 792 Pro and got such a good price that he was able to price them at $5,999— thousands of dollars less than what they cost elsewhere.

I wrote about this Elna 792 Pro bulk order in great detail in an article a few months ago: How Tariffs Changed the Sewing Machine Business Overnight.

Thank you for reading!

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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Ontology is defined as a set of concepts and categories in a subject area or domain that shows their properties and the relations between them. Therefore, we can think of sewing machine ontology as a set of concepts and categories in the domain of sewing machines that shows properties of sewing machines and the relations between them.

Personally, my understanding of sewing machines deepened tenfold when I was able to wrap my head around bedrock sewing machine concepts, rather than simply memorizing specific information. Instead of encountering a problem and trying to think of another time when I encountered that same specific problem, I began to see a problem and trace my steps back toward the overarching sewing machine concept that the problem is tied to.

With that said, this edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter is dedicated to the concept of the unobstructed thread path. Obstructions to either the upper thread path or lower thread path will absolutely sink your stitch quality, whether it be skipped stitches, thread looping, or thread breakage. It’s an important concept to understand because thread path obstructions can manifest in a relatively wide variety of variations.

Review: How a Stitch is Made

A stitch is essentially a knot that gets tied between two sources of thread— the bobbin thread and the needle thread. The knot is formed below the needle plate, when the needle reaches its bottommost position and begins its trajectory upward. As it begins to move upward, the thread forms a loop at the eye of the needle (on the backside of the needle).

Now, this entire time the machine’s sewing hook has been rotating around the bobbin case and bobbin. The position of the hook point is timed with the position of the needle, so that the hook passes behind the needle (just above the needle eye) when the needle has risen approximately 2-2.5 millimeters above bottom dead center (the needle’s bottommost position).

This precise timing allows the hook point to pass through (or catch) the thread loop as it is formed. After catching the upper thread loop, the hook continues its rotation around the bobbin case, taking the [needle] thread along for the ride. During “the ride”, the needle thread and bobbin thread form a loose knot with each other near the top of the bobbin case.

At this point, the stitch is essentially done being made— all it needs now is to be cinched up into the fabric by the take-up lever, then get properly positioned in the middle of the fabric by way of the upper thread tension and bobbin case tension. It’s an ingenious process that requires precision, without much room for error. In turn, it can all be derailed if either thread path is obstructed.

Whether it be the upper thread source (needle thread) or bobbin thread source, the thread must flow freely from the thread source as your sewing machine sews and makes stitches. There are many different points along the thread path where obstructions can occur and prevent the thread from flowing freely. We’ve actually published quite a few articles on the specifics of these obstructions already, so I will link you to those relevant articles when appropriate. Hopefully, by putting all these examples of thread path obstructions here in one place, we can hammer the concept home.

Spool Cap

Your spool cap ought to be slightly larger than thread spool itself. If the spool cap is smaller than the thread spool, then the thread is susceptible to getting snagged on the rough plastic of the spool. If it’s much larger than the thread spool, then the thread can still get snagged.

A snag serves as an obstruction to the upper thread flowing freely. It can prevent the thread loop from being formed at the eye of the needle, which results in skipped stitches.

Needle Eye Too Small or Thread Too Thick

The thread has to flow freely throughout the stitch-making process. One point where this is tested is at the needle eye.

Thread shredding often occurs because the needle eye is too small for the thread to pass through it freely. There are two potential reasons for this.

1. The needle eye could be too small (e.g. using a size 65/9 needle with normal 40/50 weight thread).

2. The thread could be too thick (e.g. using 12 weight thread with a universal 80/12 needle)

Either way, an inharmonious combination of needle eye size and thread weight serves as a thread path obstruction. The needle and thread must be compatible with each other.

Compacted Lint in the Tension Discs

If compacted lint and/or shredded thread becomes wedged between a sewing machine’s upper tension discs, then the tension discs will not be able to close properly. If the tension discs don’t close onto the thread properly, you upper thread will have zero tension.

Where are your upper tension discs?

The thread must pass through closed tension discs in order for a successful stitch to get made. Otherwise, you will get small loops on the underside of your fabric.

The Pull Test

The Pull Test is a troubleshooting test invented by my dad, and it might be the most helpful information I could give a sewist in regard to troubleshooting their machine.

Performing the pull test will tell you whether or not your upper thread is under a zero tension condition. When you pull the thread with the presser foot raised, the thread should pull freely. When you pull the thread with the presser foot lowered, you should feel tension. If you pull the thread with the presser foot lowered and you feel no tension, then your tension discs are not closing on the thread all the way for some reason and you have a problem that needs to be solved.

Another useful aspect of the pull test is that it can indicate other thread path obstruction beyond the tension discs. As I said before, when you pull the thread with the presser foot raised, the thread should pull freely. But what if it’s not pulling freely? What if you feel a snag somewhere?

Such situations have arisen numerous times when I’ve troubleshooted sewing machines. It means there is an upper thread path obstruction somewhere that needs to be cleared. It could be the spool cap is too big, too small, or is damaged with a nick that keeps catching the thread. It could be that there is a nick in the plastic shell of the machine that the thread is getting caught on. It could be compacted lint or shredded thread stuck somewhere other than between the tension discs. Either way, the pull test is one of the first things you should do when experiencing stitch quality issues like thread looping or skipped stitches.

Lint/Thread Between the Bobbin Case Tension Discs

Just like the upper thread path needs to be clear of obstruction, so does the bobbin thread. And, just like compacted lint can obstruct the upper tension discs from closing properly, it can cause the same issue with the bobbin case tension discs (circled in red below).

If compacted lint and thread gets stuck between those discs, the discs will not close properly. If the discs don’t close properly, then the bobbin thread will have zero tension and get sucked up to the top of the fabric, manifesting as small loops (a.k.a. eyelashes). If you ever get these small loops on the topside of your fabric, clear out any obstruction between these discs by using canned air or something thin like a pin or needle.

Needle Strikes on the Needle Plate & Bobbin Case

Needle strikes on the needle plate, bobbin case, and presser foot can serve as thread path obstructions.

Similar to the spool cap, all of these parts are designed to be extremely smooth because the thread slides over across their surfaces during the stitch-making process. Sharp burrs born from needle strikes (as seen in the photos above) can create all sorts of problems, such as thread breakage or unwanted thread loops.

Poorly Wound Bobbin

As strange as it sounds, a poorly wound bobbin is an obstruction the bobbin thread itself.

You want the thread to flow freely from the bobbin. There is a portion of the bobbin thread that is “next up” in the sense that it is the next portion of the bobbin thread that will be used to make a stitch. When you wind a good bobbin where the thread is tight and even, the portion of the bobbin thread that is “next up” should flow freely from the bobbin as it partakes in the stitch-making process. However, if you wind a loose sloppy bobbin (as seen in the photo above), the thread that is “next up” may be buried underneath other loose threads due to the bobbin being wound sloppy and uneven. Therefore, the thread that is “next up” has to pass through the thread it is buried under, which essentially acts as an obstruction in the bobbin thread path.

Thank you for reading!

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The Three Fundamental Stitch Systems & Why They Exist

If you strip sewing down to its essence, there are only a few ways to join fabric together with thread.

Modern machines have evolved into three dominant stitch systems:

• Lockstitch (standard sewing machine, embroidery machine, long-arm quilting machine)

• Overlock stitch (serger)

• Coverstitch (coverstitch machine)

They are not interchangeable. Each one exists because it solves a different mechanical problem.

In today’s edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter, I am going to break it all down.

I hope you find it helpful,

—Cale

1. The Lockstitch (Standard Sewing Machine)

What it is

The lockstitch is the most common stitch in the world.

It uses:

• 1 needle thread (top)

• 1 bobbin thread (bottom)

These two threads interlock in the middle of the fabric.

How it works

• The needle carries thread down through the fabric

• A hook grabs that thread and wraps it around the bobbin thread

• The stitch tightens and “locks” in between the fabric layers

Why it exists

The lockstitch was designed for strength.

It creates a tight, stable seam that does not stretch.

What it’s good for

• Woven fabrics (cotton, denim, canvas)

• Construction seams

• Topstitching

• Zippers, buttonholes, detail work, quilting

Its limitation

The lockstitch has one major weakness: it does not stretch well.

That’s why it may struggle with:

• Knit fabrics

• Activewear

• Anything that needs elasticity

2. The Overlock Stitch (Serger)

What it is

The overlock stitch uses:

• 1–2 needles

• 2 loopers (upper and lower)

• 3–5 threads total

Instead of locking threads inside the fabric, it wraps thread around the edge.

How it works

• The needles form straight stitches

• Loopers swing back and forth, wrapping thread around the fabric edge

• A built-in knife trims the fabric as you sew

The result is a seam that is sewn, finished, and trimmed all at once

Why it exists

The overlock stitch was invented for speed and edge control.

In manufacturing, fabric edges fray. The overlock stitch solves this by encasing the raw edge in thread.

At the same time, it allows for some stretch, unlike a lockstitch.

What it’s good for

• Finishing raw edges

• Sewing knit garments

• T-shirts, leggings, athletic wear

• Fast garment construction

Its limitation

• Not as precise as a lockstitch

• Not ideal for detailed work

• Doesn’t create a “clean topstitch” look

3. The Coverstitch (Coverstitch Machine)

What it is

The coverstitch uses:

• 2 or 3 needles (top)

• 1 looper (bottom)

• 3–4 threads total

On the top, you see parallel straight lines

On the bottom, you see a looper forming a zigzag/chain

How it works

• Multiple needles create rows of straight stitches

• A looper connects them underneath in a flexible chain

Unlike a lockstitch, this structure allows the seam to stretch without breaking.

Why it exists

The coverstitch was designed specifically for: stretch + appearance

It solves a problem neither of the other stitches handles well:

• Lockstitch = clean but not stretchy

• Overlock = stretchy but not visually clean

The coverstitch gives you a professional finished look with elasticity

What it’s good for

• Hemming knit garments (T-shirts, sleeves, activewear)

• Necklines

• Decorative topstitching on stretch fabrics

If you’ve ever looked at the hem of a T-shirt, that’s a coverstitch.

Its limitation

• Cannot join fabric edges like a serger

• Not ideal for structural seams

Thank you for reading!

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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All support is hugely appreciated.

—Cale

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With that said, today I will make the argument that the corner of the sewing world inhabited by sergers and coverstitch machines is where the most important technological developments have taken place. The vast majority of innovation comes from the engineers at Baby Lock, and their improvements in technology is rooted in a utilitarian spirit. Their sergers aren’t as flashy as other brands— no color touchscreens or anything like that. Instead they are designed as tools that are easy to use, difficult to break, and allow the user to work seamlessly (no pun intended).

What is a Serger?

A serger machine, also known as an overlock machine, is a specialized machine designed to create professional-quality seams, hems, and finishes.

Unlike a traditional sewing machine, a serger uses multiple threads (typically three, four, or five) to simultaneously stitch fabric, trim excess material, and overcast raw edges. This combination of functions helps prevent fraying and gives garments and projects a polished, professional-made look.

Why Would I Want to Use a Serger?

Sergers excel at handling tasks that traditional sewing machines struggle with, such as sewing stretchy fabrics or creating clean, fray-resistant seams.

One reason why sergers excel in this arena is because the machine is designed to make an overlock stitch, which has greater ability to stretch as fabric stretches in comparison to the lockstitch that a sewing machine is designed to make.

Another reason sergers are so good at sewing stretchier fabrics is because are capable of differential feed.

A serger with differential feed has two sets of feed dogs—one in the front and one in the back—that can move at different speeds relative to each other. By adjusting the differential feed settings, users can prevent fabric from puckering, stretching, or gathering unintentionally. For instance, when sewing lightweight or stretchy fabrics, increasing the differential feed can help eliminate unwanted ripples. Conversely, decreasing the differential feed can be used to create intentional gathers or ruffles. This level of control is especially beneficial for achieving professional-quality finishes on a wide range of fabrics, from delicate silks to heavy knits, making differential feed an indispensable feature for both beginner and experienced serger users.

Additionally, sergers can create decorative edges and unique stitch patterns, adding a creative flair to garments and home decor items.

What are the Best Sergers?

In my opinion, the Baby Lock serger machines coming out of the Suzuki factory in Yamagata, Japan are clearly the best sergers in the world. They’re easy to use, difficult to break, and last for decades. I have not encountered evidence to persuade me to recommend any other brand, though I am open to arguments that would change my mind.

You can see these Baby Lock sergers being made by hand in the Yamagata factory here:

Founded in the 1960’s, Baby Lock has more than half a century of experience manufacturing sergers, and that experience translates into a remarkably reliable product. They are mechanically sound and the electronics are superb, making them a favorite of both sewing enthusiasts AND sewing machine technicians around the world.

Where Baby Lock really stands out is that they have combined this reliability with innovative features that competing manufacturers have only recently began to copy. There are 2 features in particular that stand out above the rest:

1. Air-Threading Loopers (and needles)

2. Automatic Thread Delivery (ATD)

Air-Threading Sergers

A challenge with traditional sergers is the complexity of threading 3-5 different spools of thread, requiring precise threading through multiple small guides and tension disks, which can be confusing and time consuming.

Air-threading on a Baby Lock serger is an innovative feature that simplifies the threading process, making it faster and more user-friendly. With air-threading, Baby Lock sergers use a built-in mechanism that utilizes a burst of air to automatically thread the loopers with minimal effort from the user.

The process works by inserting the thread into a designated threading port and then pressing a lever or button to engage the air-threading system. A stream of air pushes the thread through the internal pathways and into the looper eye, completing the threading in seconds.

This technology eliminates the frustration of manually threading loopers, especially in tight or hard-to-reach areas. Baby Lock’s air-threading feature is particularly appealing to sewists of all experience levels, as it saves time and ensures consistent threading for smooth, high-quality stitches.

Automatic Thread Delivery (ATD)

Another challenge with traditional sergers is that it is notoriously difficulty to balance the tension. Not only are there 3-5 thread spools under tension, but they create a stitch that sits on the edge of the fabric, opposed to a sewing machine where the stitch is a simple knot from two thread spools that sits in between the fabric we are sewing.

Again, Baby Lock addresses this problem with utter perfection. Automatic Thread Delivery (ATD) is a beautiful mechanical system (no electronics involved) that measures the amount of thread needed to make a perfect stitch. Tension dials are eliminated and any brand or type of thread can be used without adjustments. Perhaps a more simple way to explain ATD is that you can think of it essentially as automatic tension.

ATD works by sensing the thread feed and making precise adjustments in real-time, ensuring even, professional-quality stitches every time you sew. Whether you’re working with delicate silk, stretchy knits, or heavy denim, ATD ensures consistent results without the need for constant fine-tuning of tension, allowing users to focus more on creativity and less on fussy details.

Read the article below or more information on Baby Lock and their history:

Serger FAQs

What Sergers are Best for Beginners?

If the $1,500-2,000 price point is compatible with one’s budget, then the Baby Lock Victory is ideal for beginners. The air-threading system takes the fuss out of threading, while ATD takes the fuss out of balancing tension, which will make your serger experience stress free and fun.

Sergers vs Coverstitch Machine

While sergers and coverstitch machines may look similar and share some overlapping features, they serve distinct purposes in the sewing world.

A serger machine is primarily used for overlocking, which involves stitching seams, trimming excess fabric, and overcasting edges to prevent fraying, all in one step. It is excellent for creating strong, stretchy, and professional-looking seams.

On the other hand, a coverstitch machine is designed specifically for hemming and topstitching. It does not have blades for trimming fabric but excels at creating clean, durable hems, such as those seen on t-shirts, and decorative stitching on the right side of the fabric.

In addition to their sergers, Baby Lock makes a couple incredible standalone coverstitch machines: the Baby Lock Euphoria and the Baby Lock Applaud.

Can Sergers do Coverstitching?

Yes, both the Baby Lock Splendor and Baby Lock Triumph are combination machines capable of performing the function of a serger machine and a coverstitch machine.

There are several key differences between the Accolade and Triumph.

1. The Triumph has air threading for both the loopers and needles, whereas the Splendor only has air-threading loopers.

2. The Triumph has a larger 5” inch workspace to the right of the needle, about double the size of the Splendor.

3. The Triumph is design with a slider to control variable speeds while sewing.

4. The Triumph as a knee lift that raises/lowers the presser foot.

Thank you for Reading!

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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You will unlock the full archive of over 150 similar sewing machine educational essays and articles.

All support is hugely appreciated.

—Cale

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Everyday I see machines where the needle threader’s tiny wire hook is broken off or bent so severely that it cannot be straightened out. In these cases, the needle threader has to be replaced. An average cost for a threader is about $12, but they can be as high as $40 depending on the machine.

To Review:

At the center of the needle threader mechanism, there is an extremely tiny hook-shaped wire that is critical to the success of your needle threader.

When you engage your needle threader, that tiny wire hook passes through the eye of the needle, from the back to the front.

The wire hook passes through the eye of the needle and sits there, waiting for you to give it some thread that it can pull through the needle eye.

Our job is to deliver the thread to that tiny wire hook. If we do our job properly, then that tiny wire hook will pull the thread through the eye of the needle when the needle threader is released.

The automatic needle threader is an incredible feature on your sewing machine. However, that tiny wire hook is very delicate and can become bent out of shape. When bent, it renders the needle threader useless. You can follow all the steps to perfection, but your needle threader will not work if that tiny wire hook is bent out of shape.

What causes the wire hook to bend?

When that tiny wire hook gets bent, 99% of the time it is because the wire hook has crashed into the needle instead of passing through the needle eye.

Below I have given you a list of the top 5 things you can do to prevent this crash.

(1) Using a needle with too small an eye

Needle eyes get larger with needle size. For example, a 90/14 size needle has a larger eye than a 80/12 needle, and a 80/12 needle has a larger eye than a 70/10 needle.

On any needle below size 80/12, the eye of the needle is too small for the needle threader’s tiny wire hook to pass through successfully. From my experience as a technician, as well as my father and uncle’s wealth of experience (over 70 years combined between the two of them), we can tell you that the tiny wire hook is guaranteed to get bent out of shape if you attempt to use your needle threader on any needle below size 80/12.

Now, I am not saying you can’t use needles below size 80/12 to sew. You certainly can. 75/11, 70/10, 60/8, etc.— they are made for a reason. But, if you do, I highly recommend that you thread those needles by hand instead of using your needle threader.

(2) Utilize your needle up/down button

Needle threaders are designed to work with both the needle and take-up lever in their highest position. If you pull down your needle threader lever when the needle is not in the highest position, the threader’s tiny wire hook will not be properly aligned with the needle eye. The wire hook will crash into the needle and get bent.

Part of the challenge here is that it is difficult for us to visually gauge whether or not the needle is truly in the highest position. You can see this in the photograph below— the needle looks like it’s in its highest position, but it’s not quite all the way up. Therefore, the tiny wire hook is doomed to crash into the needle right above the eye.

The good news is that the companies who make sewing machines are aware of this problem. Therefore, they have started putting a needle up/down button on most of the modern machines.

I strongly recommend you get in the habit of pressing the needle up/down button before you thread the top half of the machine. It will position the needle in the highest position (the ideal position for threading) and help you prevent the tiny wire hook from crashing.

For those of you who do not have a needle up/down button, the same principle applies: your needle threader is designed to be used when both the needle and take-up lever are in their highest position. Therefore, turn the hand wheel until both the needle and take-up lever are in the highest position, then engage your needle threader.

What is the take-up lever? It is the mechanism shaped sort of like a shepherd’s crook on the top-left side of your machine. In the photograph below I have circled the take-up lever in red.

(3) Bent needles

Imagine your needle threader’s tiny wire hook passing cleanly through the needle eye.

Now imagine your needle is slightly bent to the left or the right.

Instead of passing through the eye cleanly, the tiny wire hook may now rub against the inside wall of the needle eye and bend slightly, or perhaps it crashes into the needle head-on and bends badly. OR maybe the needle is bent to the point where the wire hook misses the eye completely. Any way you cut it, changing your needle relatively often will help save your needle threader.

(4) Needles not fully inserted

If your needle is not fully inserted into the machine, the tiny wire hook will crash into the needle and bend.

How do you know if your needle is fully inserted?

The hole in the needle bar in which you insert your needle— there is a pin that stops the needle from being pushed up any higher. Make sure you insert your needle all the way up until it hits that pin.

Below, the two photos on the top row show the needle inserted all the way up until it has hit the pin. The two photos on the bottom row show a needle that has not been fully inserted— you can see a little bit of daylight between the top of the needle and the pin and that daylight makes all the difference. If we were to attempt to use our needle threader, the tiny wire hook would crash into the needle (above the eye) and bend.

(5) Pull the lever straight down

This only applies to the more basic semi-automatic needle threaders, oppose to the fully automatic needle threaders.

When you pull down the needle threader lever, the telescopic shaft that you lower is thin and has flex in it. It is important to pull the shaft straight down without any lateral force left or right. If you apply lateral force, this may cause the threader wire to crash into needle, or miss to the outside of the needle.

In the photo below, notice how my finger is positioned toward the left side of the lever. The position of my finger creates lateral force to the right, and you can see the wire hook is missing the needle eye to the right.

In this next photo, my finger is positioned directly on top of the lever, pulling straight down. No lateral force whatsoever, and the wire hook passes through the eye of the needle without a problem.

Un-bending the bent hook…

Sometimes the tiny wire hook can be un-bent. Sometimes it can’t and will need to be replaced.

If it’s merely bent to the left or right, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to straighten it out. However, if that tiny wire hook is kinked, it will most likely have to be replaced.

Either way, it is no easy task. That tiny wire hook is really small and delicate, so un-bending it requires a certain level of coordination and eyesight. It also requires patience because there is lots of trial and error involved.

Here is the tool our technicians use to straighten out:

We shaved off the tip of a needle so that we can use the narrow walls of the needle eye to tweak the thin wire hook in one direction or the other and hopefully straighten it out again.

Thank you for Reading!

Needle threaders are an incredible feature, but they are delicate mechanisms. There’s not a lot of room for error, and I believe we can help reduce user error by gaining a better understanding of how they work. The information I put in this article came from fixing hundreds and hundreds of needle threaders over the years , so I hope you found it helpful.

If you find my work valuable, please upgrade to become a paid subscriber. All revenue supports my family and goes a long way in helping me to continue to write.

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You will unlock the full archive of over 150 similar sewing machine educational essays and articles.

All support is hugely appreciated.

—Cale

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Archive

In this edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter I will attempt to demystify the needle threader. I am going to explain exactly how needle threaders work and pinpoint a few intricacies that I’ve picked up on over the years. It is my firm belief that having a solid understanding of your needle threader mechanism will help you use your needle threader more successfully.

In principle, all needle threaders work the same way…

At the center of the needle threader mechanism, there is an extremely tiny hook-shaped wire that is critical to the success of your needle threader:

When you engage your needle threader, that tiny wire hook passes through the eye of the needle, from the back to the front.

The wire hook passes through the eye of the needle and sits there, waiting for you to give it some thread that it can pull through the needle eye.

Our job is to deliver the thread to that tiny wire hook. If we do our job properly, then that tiny wire hook will pull the thread through the eye of the needle when the needle threader is released.

Vocabulary Clarification: when we pull the needle threader lever down, I say the needle threader is engaged because the wire hook passes through the eye of the needle; when we let go of the lever, I say the needle threader is released because the wire hook pivots back out of the needle eye.

Given the minuscule size of the wire hook and the needle eye, there is not a lot of room for error. Over the years I have noticed a few common things that can go wrong when using the needle threader, and I am going to focus on those common issues now:

(1) Full Pivot

Notice in the videos above how the needle threader pivots back and forth, allowing the wire hook to pass in and out of the needle eye. Something I see often is that people do not pull the needle threader lever down all the way. They pull it down 95%, but the problem is that the wire hook does not pivot all the way through without that final 5%. In other words, the needle threader is not fully engaged, and it will not work if it’s not fully engaged.

On many of these needle threaders, the tricky thing is that it feels like you’ve pulled the lever down all the way. You feel like you’ve reached a natural stopping point and you don’t want to pull the lever down any further because you don’t want to break the machine. It’s understandable, but it’s something you need to push past in order to make your needle threader work. If the needle threader doesn’t achieve full pivot, then the wire hook does not fully pass through the eye of the needle, and your needle threader will not work.

(2) Hold The Thread Taut

If you watched the video earlier, then you heard me use the word “taut” 50 times in two minutes. I’ll reiterate it again because it’s super important: when doing the needle threader dance, hold the thread taut in your fingers. The needle threader dance requires a certain level of coordination. After all, we are handling super small objects (thread) and trying to fit them into really small places (needle eye). Precision is important, and holding the thread taut gives you the most amount of control and precision over the thread.

In other words: the thread will not go where you want it to go if you hold the thread lightly; there’s a better chance it will go where you want it to go if you hold it taut.

If you hold thread lightly in your fingers, you will have less control over the thread. It will bend and twirl and it will be more difficult to get it to go to the places you need (to that tiny wire hook). Again, I understand why you might feel the need to hold the thread lightly— that little wire hook is delicate, and perhaps you don’t want to break anything.

Don’t worry about that. Hold the thread taut.

If you hold the thread taut, then when you try to bring the thread to the bottom of the needle, it will go where you want it to go. If you hold the thread taut, then when you slide it up the front of the needle shaft into the tiny wire hook, the thread will go where you want to go. If you hold it lightly, it may twirl behind the needle or find its way to the topside of the wire hook, neither of which are a recipe for needle threader success.

(3) “Baby, you gotta let me go.”

If thread could talk, this is what it would say to you right as you release your needle threader lever.

Something I see often is a person who says they can’t get their needle threader to work, but then I watch them try to do it and they do everything perfectly. They follow the needle threader steps to tee, they hold the thread taut, but when the moment of truth arrives and they release the needle threader lever, they don’t let go of the thread in their fingers. They continue to hold onto it firmly, and this is a problem. The tiny wire hook pulls the thread through the needle eye, but the user never lets go of the thread and essentially un-threads the threaded needle. It’s Sisyphean.

To avoid this issue, remember the following: as you release the needle threader lever with one hand, let go of the thread you’re holding in the other hand. You can see a clear example of this in the video below:

Note: For some reason I see this most often on Bernina needle threaders.

One Last Thing…

Now, some of you don’t have a needle threader like the ones I have shown so far. You have a nicer needle threader that is more automatic, probably on your Janome or Brother or Baby Lock. Your needle threader looks a little bit different, and it should be easier to operate, but the same principles I’ve stressed so far still apply.

When you slide your thread into the various guides (especially that last couple thread guides), it is important that the thread is taut. If you slide your thread into the guides and the thread is loose, your needle threader will fail.

You still need pull the needle threader lever down all the way. If you don’t pull the lever down all the way, then the tiny wire hook won’t fully pass through the needle eye, and the needle threader will fail.

In Conclusion…

Needle threader frustration is one of the most common issues we see among sewists, so I hope you found this information helpful.

The funny thing is, I feel like this article was a comprehensive deep-dive examination of needle threaders — and I still feel that way — but I realize I didn’t even touch on a really common needle threader issue, which is the tiny wire hook getting bent out of shape. It’s not an exaggeration to say that our technicians probably replace 2-3 of those tiny wire hooks every day.

Thus, this is only Part 1 of our needle threader examination. Stay tuned for an upcoming Part 2, in which we will talk about what causes that tiny wire hook to get bent, as well as all the preventative measures we can take. I will also show you how to make the same clever tool our technicians use to un-bend that tiny wire hook when it gets bent. It might save you a trip to the shop.

Let me know what you think in the comment section. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated.

—Cale

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Fabric stabilization is key to the stitch-making process. By fabric stabilization, I mean that it’s important the fabric does not move while a stitch is being made.

This may appear intuitive as face value. It’s fairly obvious that we don’t want the fabric moving left to right as we’re sewing, because if the fabric moves laterally while the needle is in the fabric, the needle will bend and/or break.

However, less intuitive is the idea that we don’t want the fabric moving up and down as we’re sewing. This type of movement is more subtle, but results in skipped stitched by way of a concept my dad calls flagging.

In today’s edition of The Sewing Machine Newsletter, I will explain how flagging can happen, why it causes stitch quality issues, and what we can do to prevent it.

Flagging as an Impediment to Loop Creation

A sewing machine concept we keep coming back to is the importance of loop creation.

I mentioned loop creation a few times over the past year, but let’s quickly review the concept:

• The function of a sewing machine is to stitch cloth together by tying a knot with two sources of thread (the upper thread spool and the bobbin thread). Regardless of what machine you have, the knot is formed below the needle plate when the needle goes down below the needle plate hole, where the bobbin thread is laced through the upper thread loop.

• As you sew, the needle goes down and the needle goes up, over and over again. As the needle goes down, the upper thread that you’ve threaded through the needle eye is taut. When the needle goes down below the needle plate and reaches its bottom-most position— what sewing machine technicians call bottom dead center— the thread is still taut. But, as the needle begins its path upwards, a thread loop forms just above the eye of the needle.

• Just as this thread loop is formed, the hook point of the machine’s hook mechanism comes along and passes through thread loop. The hook point “catches” the thread loop and takes it along a 360 degree path around the bobbin case. While riding along this path, the upper thread forms a loose knot with the bobbin thread. Then, as the needle reaches its high point, the action of the take-up lever cinches the knot [formed below the needle plate] up into the fabric we are sewing. That, in short, is how a successful stitch is made.

A necessary condition for loop creation is a change in the relationship between the eye of the needle and the fabric — specifically, a shortening of distance between the eye of the needle and the fabric.

However, if the fabric rises upwards with the needle, then there is no change of relationship (in terms of distance) between the fabric and the needle. If that distance does not shorten/decrease, then the loop will not form. And, if the thread loop doesn’t form, or if it is distorted in such a way so that the hook does not pass through it, then the stitch will not form and you will get skipped stitches.

My dad refers to this phenomenon as “flagging”, because the fabric is sort of billowing up and down with the movement of the needle like a flag in the wind (the needle is the wind).

What causes flagging?

Below I will detail a 5 common causes that come to mind, as well as solutions to each specific situation.

(1) Free Motion Quilting

As the needle rises from its lowest position below the needle plate, the fabric will naturally rise with it. That is one of the main reasons why sewing machines are designed with a presser foot— to hold the fabric down as the needle rises up. Without the presser foot, the fabric would rise with the needle and the loop would never be created, which always results in skipped stitches

Now, nobody tries to sew without a presser foot, so most of the time presser foot is able to do its job. However, free motion sewing requires a unique presser foot that is designed in such a way so that it does not extend down all the way down to the needle plate. It is also less robust in the sense that the surface area of the foot contacts less fabric.

This design is necessary for free motion sewing because the user needs to be allowed freedom of movement. However, freedom of movement means the sewist is responsible for holding the fabric down as she sews, and failure to hold the fabric down with adequate force may result in flagging.

That’s all to say, if you get skipped stitches during free motion sewing, make sure you are exerting some downward force on the fabric. Also, many modern machines allow you to adjust the height of the foot during free motion in order to control drag— this is an awesome feature, but make sure it isn’t hovering too high above the fabric to where it provides zero support.

(2) Misuse of Presser Foot Pressure Adjustment

Most modern sewing machines above the $500 range have a dial that gives the user the ability to adjust their presser foot pressure.

This adjustment controls a spring inside the machine that dictates the force the presser foot exerts down onto the fabric. Essentially, you can control how hard the foot is pressing the fabric down against the needle plate and feed dogs.

From my experience, I have come to believe that the presser foot pressure adjustment is best remained untouched. It’s not really unnecessary, except in certain cases when you are sewing something super super thick and must lighten the adjustment, or ultra ultra thin and must increase the adjustment. To illustrate the superfluousness of the feature, consider the fact that vintage Pfaff and Bernina machines didn’t give you the option to adjust presser foot pressure, and those machine perform beautifully.

Anyways, if you have your presser foot pressure adjustment set too light, then there is a chance the fabric won’t be held down against the needle plate with adequate force and vertical movement is possible. This is another potential instance where flagging may occur.

Typically, you want your presser foot pressure adjustment set somewhere in the middle (e.g. if it ranges from 0-10, then keep it between 4-6; if it ranges 1-6, then keep it at 3).

(3) Dull Needle or Wrong Needle

Using a dull needle or the wrong needle type can cause flagging if it doesn’t pierce the fabric easily and pushes the fabric down into the needle plate hole before piercing through.

You could say that this is a unique case where what goes down may come back up. If fabric gets pushed down into the needle plate hole when the needle enters the fabric, then there is a chance the fabric will move vertically upward, back above the needle plate surface during the stitch making process. Such a situation puts us in “flagging” territory.

Using a dull needle can potentially have this effect and cause flagging. So, if your needle is dull, insert a fresh needle.

Using the wrong needle type may cause flagging, especially on stretchy fabrics that slingshot back up above the needle plate surface after being pushed downward. If you are getting skipped stitches on stretchy fabrics, I recommend using a Schmetz Stretch Needle.

Additionally, a straight stitch needle plate has a smaller hole than a zig-zag needle plate, which will reduce the chance of flagging because there is less space for the fabric to get sucked down into. In other words, a straight-stitch needle plate provides more fabric stabilization.

(4) Decorative Stitch Patterns

When we sew a decorative stitch pattern, the number of stitches per centimeter is much higher than the stitches per centimeter when sewing a straight stitch. Whereas a straight stitch requires 1 stitch every 2 millimeters (given that our stitch length is 2 mm), some decorative stitches require 5-10 stitches every 2 millimeters.

That is a lot of holes being poked into a small area of fabric, weakening the fabric’s stiffness and weakening the overall support. This increases the chances the fabric will get pushed down into the needle plate hole and potentially start flagging.

The answer to this problem is fabric stabilizer. As the name implies, fabric stabilizer is designed to stabilize the fabric, which reduces the chance that the fabric weakens and flags.

(5) Embroidery

Machine embroidery is particularly susceptible to flagging because the fabric is hooped and does not have the needle plate directly underneath to stabilize it. Therefore, when you place the fabric in the embroidery hoop, the fabric must be hooped tightly (taut) so that no vertical movement is possible. We don’t want the fabric flapping up and down every time the needle goes to make a stitch.

In addition, we are again dealing with extremely dense stitch patterns, so fabric stabilizer is absolutely necessary.

Thank you for reading!

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