How to fix skipped stitches on a sewing machine

Skipped stitches almost always mean the needle is the problem. Put in a fresh needle of the right type and size for your fabric, make sure it is pushed all the way up with the flat side the correct way, and rethread the machine top and bobbin. That clears it most of the time.

TL;DR

• A skipped stitch is where the top thread misses the bobbin thread and leaves a gap in the line.
• The usual cause is a blunt, bent or wrong needle. A new needle is the first fix.
• Use a stretch or ballpoint needle on knits, and a sharp or universal needle on wovens.
• Rethread the top and bobbin, and check the needle is in fully with the flat side to the back.
• Match the needle size to the fabric weight, bigger for denim, smaller for fine cotton.

What causes skipped stitches?

A stitch forms when the needle carries the top thread down and the hook catches the loop it makes behind the needle. A skipped stitch happens when that loop is not there at the right moment, so the hook misses it. The reasons are nearly always one of these:

• A worn or damaged needle. A blunt or bent tip cannot form a clean loop.
• The wrong needle for the fabric. A sharp needle on a knit pierces the yarn instead of slipping between it, and skips.
• The needle not fully seated, or in with the flat side the wrong way.
• A threading slip, where the thread is not sitting in the tension or the take-up.
• Lint in the bobbin area stopping the hook from reaching the loop.

How do you fix skipped stitches, step by step?

1. Change the needle. Put in a brand new needle. This alone fixes most skipped stitches. Needles go blunt faster than people expect.
2. Use the right needle type. Stretch or ballpoint for knits and jersey, sharp or universal for wovens, a jeans needle for denim and canvas. See the needle and thread guide.
3. Check it is in all the way. Loosen the screw, push the needle up as far as it goes, flat side to the back on most machines, and tighten.
4. Rethread top and bobbin. Lift the presser foot so the thread drops into the tension, rethread from the spool, and reseat the bobbin.
5. Match the needle size. A size 80/12 suits quilting cotton. Go up to 90/14 or 100/16 for denim, down to 70/10 for fine lawn.
6. Clean the bobbin area. Take out the bobbin and brush away the lint under the plate.
7. Slow down over thick seams. Where layers stack up, slow the machine and let the needle do the work rather than pushing the fabric.

Why does my machine skip stitches on knit fabric?

Knits are the most common place to see skipped stitches. A knit is made of loops, and a sharp needle splits those loops instead of sliding between them, so the thread does not catch. Swap to a ballpoint or stretch needle, whose rounded tip pushes between the loops. A stretch needle is the fix for a machine that skips only on jersey or ribbing. The beginner fabric guide explains which fabrics behave while you learn.

Which needle stops skipped stitches?

Matching the needle to the fabric is the single biggest thing you can do. Here is a quick guide:

If a machine skips only on one fabric, change to the needle in that row before you touch anything else.

When is it the machine, not the needle?

Rarely, skipped stitches across every fabric, even with a new correct needle and fresh threading, point to the machine timing being slightly out. That is the gap between the needle and the hook, and it needs a service rather than a home fix. Before you assume timing, try all the needle and threading steps above, since those clear the great majority of cases. A machine that has been dropped or jammed hard is the one most likely to need the timing reset.

Skipped stitches or thread bunching?

They are different faults. Skipped stitches leave a clean gap in a line that otherwise looks fine, and point to the needle. A nest of loose thread under the fabric points to top threading or tension instead. If that is what you are seeing, read how to fix thread bunching.

Common mistakes

• Keeping a tired needle. A needle is cheap and wears out after a few projects. Change it often.
• One needle for everything. A universal needle is a compromise. Knits really do need a ballpoint or stretch needle to stop skipping.
• Sewing over pins. A needle that clips a pin bends slightly and starts to skip. Pull pins as you reach them.
• Forcing thick seams. Pushing or pulling the fabric past a thick seam makes the needle flex and miss. Slow down and guide it lightly.
• Cheap or old thread. Weak, fuzzy thread breaks the loop. Use fresh, good thread that matches the needle and thread guide.

Once the line is clean again, a low-stress make like the free Zipper Pouch or a Boxy Tee is a good way to check the machine is back to normal.