Faults may be due to numerous
causes
Sewing Defects & Trouble
Shooting
Thread Breakage
One of the most
common problems on a
production floor
In all cases, it is necessary to check the
machine for the correct settings. In most
cases this will eliminate the fault
Thread break- Causes
Thread channels jagged: check and polish all
thread guiding parts. Check for correct thread,
run according to operating instructions
Faulty threading: check thread run according to
operating instructions
Blunt, crooked or wrong needle type: insert new
needle
 Thread break- Causes
Needle too high: adjust the needle height
Needle too low-insert needle as far as it
will go: observe operating instructions
Wrong relationship between needle and
thread. Observe specifications and only
use good quality thread
Thread break- Causes
Needle hole too small or excessively thick
needle thread: fit throat plate with larger
diameter hole or re-machine the needle
hole. Use needle thread according to
specifications. Observe relationship
between needle and the yarn
Badly worn hook, sharp edges: fit new
hook and adjust
Thread break- Causes
Needle threaded from the wrong side:
always thread the needle from the long
groove side.
Needle hole nicked by needle: lightly trim
the edges, polish the needle hole. If
necessary fit new needle plate.
Thread break- Causes
Bobbin case tension spring screws too high,
thread catches. Tighten screws sufficiently- if
this creates an excessive tension, slightly bend
the check spring
Thread clearance between bobbin case support
and hook inadequate. The clearance should be
enough to allow the thickest thread gauge to
pass through smoothly
 Thread break- Causes Thread break- Causes
Hook catches the needle loop too late or too Hook, bobbin case top and bottom sections
early: adjust hook or loop lift nicked by needle: polish or use new parts.

Excessive tension: adjust tension according to Too much loose thread as the needle enters.
the material being sewn. Observe operation Needle pierces loose threads: adjust take-up
instructions spring.

Knotty or brittle thread: only use good quality Thread clearance insufficient between hook
thread of specified thickness and twist bottom and bobbin case bottom.

Thread break- Causes Needle Breakage

Excessive bobbin thread tension: adjust Wrong hook setting: adjust hook according to
tension according to operating instructions specifications.

The needle is bent and clears the hook point: fit

new needle.

Needle too small for the needle hole or material.

Needle protection during its cycle.

 Needle break- Contd
Wrong needle to thread ratio: observe
specifications
Knotty or uneven thread: only use good quality
thread
Needle breaks on entering into the material:
feed wrong in relation to needle position
Needle Break- Contd
Feeder too high: move material along during its
forward movement or back feeding: adjust feed
dog height
Feed dog timing incorrect: adjust feed dog
Hook worn: fit new hook

Bobbin case incorrectly fitted:press in bobbin Needle drops out during sewing: fit new needle
case until it clicks into place screw in needle bar

Needle Break- Contd Slip Stitching

Needle bar excessively worn: fit new
Needle wrong, bent or
needle bar or bush
incorrectly fitted: fit
Excessive thread tension, needle bends new needle. For
and is caught by the hook point: set correct fitting refer to
correct tension to suit sewing material: see operating instructions
operating instructions
 Slip stitch- Contd
Faulty threading.
Observe thread run according to operation
instructions.
Faulty take up: adjust take up spring.
Wrong hook setting: set up properly.
Needle thread ratio incorrect: use needle
system.
Slip Stitch- Contd
Needle too high: alter needle bar height
Poor needle quality: use good grade
needles
Insufficient presser bar pressure - with
thick materials the needle raises the
material: adjust presser bar
Slip stitch- Contd
Hook point damaged: polish or insert new
hook.
Needle hole is too large and material is
drawn in: use throat plate having a smaller
needle hole- observe purpose of the
machine.
Needle too low: fit needle as specified in
operation instructions.
Slip Stitch- Contd
S twisted thread: Z twisted thread should
be used in most machines.
Hook catches thread loop too early or too
late: adjust loop lift according to
instructions.
Insufficient or excessive tension: adjust
the tension to suit the material to be sewn,
in accordance with operating instructions.
 Slip Stitch- Contd Slip Stitch- Contd
Needle too far from hook point: adjust
Thread too sharply twisted: only use good clearance between needle and hook point.
quality thread with the indicated gauge
and twist.
Thread unevenly thick and brittle: do not
use thread, which has been stored too
long under dry conditions. Only use good
quality thread in the indicated gauge and
thickness.

Uneven Seams- Stitch Patterns Uneven Seams- Contd

Here, faults may be caused in the same
manner as indicated under Poor and knotty thread: only use good
and . quality thread. For gauge and twist see
instructions.
Looping of threads above or below the
material: adjust needle and bobbin thread Forward and reverse stitch of different
tension according to operating length: observe adjustment instructions.
instructions.
 Uneven Seams- Contd
Hook has run out of oil. Guide groove
rough, bobbin case on edge: observe
oiling details in operating instructions. Fit
new hook and adjust.
Faulty threading: observe thread run
according to operating instructions.
Uneven Seams- Contd
Needle too high or too low: fit needle
according to operating instructions or
adjust needle bar height.
Thread fails to pass smoothly over hook:
re-polish all thread contact points.
Observe settings.
Feed dog setting wrong: set to feed dog
figures given in instructions.
Uneven Seams- Contd
Tensioning discs dirty, fouled or sticky:
clean components and, if necessary, re-
polish. All parts should be able to move
freely.
Thread-guiding components rusty or
rough: remove rust and re-polish.
Thread take-up incorrect: adjust take-up
spring. (Adjust resilience according to
material thickness).
Uneven Seams- Contd
Fouled hook. Hook prevented from rotating
evenly: clean hook. Observe setting.
Machine sews in curve: check feed dog position.
Check contact of presser foot on feed dog.
Bobbin irregularly wound, wrongly inserted or
threaded: re-wind, insert and thread according to
operating instructions.
 Uneven Seams- Contd
Machine fails to sew over seams and
folds: incorrectly set presser foot pressure.
Adjust feed dog height. Set presser foot
pressure to suit material thickness
according to operating instructions.
Uneven Seams- Contd
Coarse feed dog teeth ruffle the material: use
correct feed dog teeth as specified by the
manufacturer. For thin, lightweight materials use
fine-toothed feed dog. Coarse and saw-tooth
type feed dogs should be used only for such
material for which they have been intended.
(Observe the setting.) (Feed dog follow-up
movement).

Irregularly wound bobbin thread: when winding

up, make sure that the threads lie adjacent to
one another.
.

What is seam pucker? Main problem areas?

A gathering of the material to produce and Lightweight fabrics
uneven, distorted or crinkled seam. Shirts
Blouses
Skirts
Fine woven fabrics
Microfibre fabrics
Tents
Ladies dresses etc
 Understanding the causes!
So that its occurrence is avoided during
making up.
Pressing is not a reliable solution.
It is costly and the effect is frequently short lived.
Take your time when analysing.
Seam Pucker!
Is apparent on one or both sides of the seam.
It shows immediately after sewing or shortly
afterwards.
The degree of seam pucker is usually measured
by visual comparison of photographic standards,
the ATTC test.
The degree of pucker is marked on a scale of 1
to 5 (1= no pucker, to 5 = very badly puckered).

4 Basic causes? Inherent Pucker!!

Fabric feed Caused by the displacement of the warp
Fabric, yarn displacement (or inherent and weft yarns by the needle penetration
pucker) and thread insertion onto the fabric.
Sewing thread tension If sewn in the warp direction the warp
Stitch density and fabric type threads will be displaced laterally causing
an inevitable shortening of their length
relative to adjacent yarns.
 Inherent Pucker Contd Inherent Pucker Contd
The fabric structure
becomes jammed The use of finer
resulting in swelling
and puckering of the
needles and finer
seam. threads is vital if
inherent pucker is
to be avoided

Inherent Pucker- Cont Sewing thread pucker!!

The use of fine holed needle plates are Threads used must.
also essential for reducing seam pucker
Suit the seam position.
The use of stitch type also plays a very
important part in reducing pucker Give the required strength.
Operator handling also needs to be Produce the required visual affect
addressed decorative seams.
The sewing direction is also very very
important
 Factors!!
Tension pucker- extension properties of
the sewing thread.
Shrinkage due to moisture and heat.
Surface structure and running properties.
Shrinkage of sewing thread
Can occur under low humidity conditions
Absorption of moisture by natural fibres
e.g. cotton will cause the fibre to swell and
to increase in diameter and thus decrease
(that is shrink) in length
Pucker in the seam will result
Tension Pucker
Excessive tension causes the stitch to
contract pulling against the yarns in the
fabric structure.
Both top and bottom tensions should be
adjusted as slack as possible in order to
produce a well balanced stitch.
Surface characteristics
Twist properties
Friction properties
Have a significant effect on the regularity
of stitch interlooping and seam
appearance
Fine long staple polyester sewing threads
give a vastly superior stitch
Stitch density and material type
Must also be considered when studying tension
pucker.
It is directly linked with the required thread
tension and the length of thread required by the
seam.
Increasing the thread consumption in the seam
increases the seam strength.
In a lock stitch for example- A 3% increase in
stitch consumption can give almost 60%
increase in seam strength.
Stitch Density Contd
A stitch is only complete after the fabric has
moved past the needle.
The fewer stitches per cm, the greater the
distance the fabric must be moved for the next
stitch insertion.
Consequently a greater force is required to
present the correct thread length for a perfect
stitch.
Higher thread tension in the seam is caused and
puckering induced that could have been
avoided.

Influence of stitch density Seam appearance

Left = 6 stitches / cm

Right = 3 stitches / cm