Sewing Machine Loose Stitches On Bottom – Reasons & Solutions

The sewing machine usually comes with stitches that are used to give a finishing touch to the clothes. These stitches can appear in a different form on your clothes, while some are invisible, others may appear as designs on your clothing.

Every machine usually comes with different stitches types, although in most cases one may not use more than two of these stitches. However, you must know how to change the stitches to the different types.

Loose stitches at the bottom do not appear neat or give proper fittings to the clothes. And tailor may experience loose stitches which will be slower than their work, or make the work unappealing.

The situation may not be avoidable, and in this regard, you have to be aware of the causes and how to find a suitable solution so you can get on with your work. Please get to know your machine and find appropriate solutions to the cases when they appear.

As a new tailor, you should take time to learn about the parts of the machine, for this will be useful in this article.

Why Is My Sewing Machine Loose Stitches On Bottom?

A loose stitch will make it difficult for your thread to sew the clothes and this may be due to the following:

1. Sewing Machine is Not Correctly Threaded

One of the common causes of loose stitches is that they do not thread the machine properly.

In such a situation, the thread will not go through the proper channel that will ensure to tighten the stitch adequately.

This mistake is familiar to a newbie that has not familiarized themselves with machine parts. You have to be conversant with the machine parts and their function, and this should be among the learning processes before you start sewing.

The thread passes through all the right parts, and no single one must be skipped to ensure a good grip. In a sewing machine, there are several hooks and pieces that the thread should pass through, and they are designed in a way to ensure tight stitches.

2. Failure to Thread the Bobbin Case Properly

If the stitches come out loose, you should check the bobbin case if they are appropriately threaded because that may be the case.

Users should understand that the formation of the thread takes the upper and lower thread formation to ensure that the stitches are tight. And you cannot achieve this tight formation.

The thread must pass through the Bobbin case properly. So when experiencing loose stitches, check the bobbin case properly, to ensure the stitches are sewed smoothly.

3. Using the Wrong Needle and Fabric Combination

People make the mistake of using the wrong needle on fabrics, and this may cause the stitches to lose.

There is different fabric which is easily discerned by their thickness, and it is only proper that not all needle types can go through the materials.

Using a small needle for a thick fabric will cause loose stitches, for it could not penetrate easily.

This is a situation that is common with experienced and newbies, and you should change the needle instantly when you notice this kind of situation.

4. Thread Tension

Another reason you may experience loose stitches is that the thread tension may be low and may not be tight enough to hold these threads tighter to the fabric.

When you experience loose thread, you should readjust your tension to see if it is close enough to stop the loose stitches. You should try this first whenever you start getting loose stitches before you check for any other of the causes.

With the machine adequately fixed and working in the right way, your stitches will come out smoothly. It is an efficient and seamless task to run stitches and your clothes. But in some cases, we may lose stitches at the bottom which would leave users frustrated.

5. Broken Sewing Machine Parts

At times, the cause of the loose stitches at the bottom may be due to broken machine parts. And in such cases, there may be no other solution than to change the sewing machine.

You can change the machine parts when it is broken or becomes worn out after many years of usage. When you have broken parts that cannot be fixed, then you should get a new machine.

6. Bad Materials of Thread

Some fabrics have worn out, and the stitches cannot hold on the materials. Also, there are rare circumstances when the thread may be wrong fixed, and this may be the case. You should not use such fabric on your sewing machine.

7. The Thread Is Caught or Stuck at The Thread Spool

Thread breakage may be a result of your thread getting stuck in the spool. This happens often especially if your machine is not threaded correctly.

Some threads are thicker than normal that they unravel and collect at the bottom of the spool the more you sew which then causes your machine to encounter issues like missed stitches, broken thread, and sometimes, a broken needle.

If you encounter this problem, stop what you are doing, unravel the thread stuck in your spool pin and re-thread your machine. Correct re-threading of your sewing machine is crucial so you don’t experience any more issues moving forward.

One tip is to use a spool cap to prevent your thread from moving too much. Most sewing machines come with a spool cap upon purchase but if yours doesn’t, you can go to your local craft or textile shop and purchase it. Making your own spool cap is also possible by using a sturdy cardboard.

8. The Bobbin Is Not Evenly Wound

Before winding, some bobbins have a small slit where you can anchor your thread end. If yours doesn’t, simply hold the thread tail as you start winding. After a few spins, you can let go and trim any excess.

Avoid leaving a lengthy initial thread tail on your bobbin. It could tangle in the casing or complicate the threading process.

For evenly distributed thread, guide your thread up and down while winding. While modern sewing machines offer assistance in this task, you can also manually guide the thread using a pencil or finger. Just ensure your fingers steer clear of any moving parts.

If your bobbin doesn’t wind quickly or smoothly when pressing the foot pedal, your bobbin winder might not be fully engaged. This can lead to uneven winding. So, always check that you’ve correctly adjusted your bobbin wheel or pin.

Lastly, ensure you’re using the right bobbin for your machine. While most bobbins appear similar, subtle differences can affect winding and stitching. Today’s market offers brand-specific bobbins, so choose the one designed for your machine.

9. Lint or Dirt In The Bobbin Base

Nothing is more crucial for producing a high-quality stitch than maintaining a clean, oily bobbin and feed-dog region. Numerous issues can be avoided by routine cleaning and dusting. Dust the area around the thread route, in the bobbin case, and under the throat plate.

You may use a lint brush or a powerful vacuum to remove lint from your bobbin base. When cleaning the inside of your sewing machine, avoid using compressed air because this can push dirt and lint deeper into the mechanism. The dust should exit the machine, not move further inside.

10. Thread Take-up Spring Is Not Adjusted

The thread take-up spring plays a crucial role in sewing. It ensures the thread remains taut when the needle goes through the fabric, preventing any slack before the needle’s eye passes through. This spring acts like a shock absorber during the stitching process.

The efficiency of a stitch is determined by the strength of this spring and its range of motion. If the spring moves too much, it can stretch too far, potentially causing a tight stitch or even breaking the thread.

A misadjusted take-up spring can lead to loops forming above the throat plate’s needle hole, risking the needle damaging the thread upon entry.

For optimal performance, position the spring about 1/4 inch above the slack thread regulator. By the time the needle starts its downward movement to the fabric, the spring should have completed its downward motion and be resting in place.

To modify the spring’s tension, first loosen the setscrew. Turn the assembly clockwise to increase tension, and counterclockwise to decrease it. Ensure the thread tension regulator remains stationary by securely tightening the set screw after adjustments.

How to Fix a Sewing Machine Loose Stitches At The Bottom?

There are alternative ways to find a solution to this problem or to prevent such cases from occurring. Here are the alternatives:

Read your manual

It is essential to have your manual close to you, especially as a newbie. Get yourself familiar with the sewing machine, by reading the manual and get to know the functions of the various parts.

It is also essential that you know how to fix the stitches. Sewing machines usually come with a manual, and if you don’t have one, you can search for one using the manual and make of the machine.

Check out the internet

The internet is a rich source of information, and you can find reliable information from trusted sources online.

You can learn more about stitches online, and find solutions to some of your problems, getting to know more about your sewing machine.

You can quickly gather information about a brand online, its parts and function.

Consult an expert

You can always make inquiries from someone who knows more about the sewing machine and its stitches.

On the internet, you can contact customer representatives of these companies to learn more about the sewing machine.

You can also consult someone around you who has experience with a sewing machine to help you solve your problems with the machine.

Don’t Use Same Thread For All Fabrics

There are different types of fabric and using the wrong thread for one may lead to losing bottom. There are cases where the wrong thread for textiles has been the reason for the loose bottom.

The thread must be thick enough to hold the stitches at the bottom.

Do We Have To Consider The Length Of The Stitches?

The length of the stitches might be long or small, and they may depend on the style, but it does not in any way cause loose edges at the bottom.

Using a particular stitch length may depend entirely on the tailor. Thus the length of the stitches has no significant effect on the stitches getting loose at the bottom.