Sewing is one of those hobbies where everything feels wonderful… until your machine decides it’s having a moment. One minute you’re happily stitching away, the next you’re wrestling with tangled thread or wondering why your fabric simply won’t move. But don’t worry, these little hiccups are completely normal and happen to everybody, whether you’re brand new to sewing or have been at it for years. The good news is that most common sewing machine problems are quick to fix once you know what to look for. So let’s walk through the issues we see most often and how to solve them, calmly and confidently.

1. Thread Nesting (That Bird’s Nest Under the Fabric!)

If you lift your fabric and see a big wad of tangled thread underneath, nine times out of ten it’s a threading issue. It feels like a bobbin problem, but it’s usually the top thread.

Fix:
Re-thread the machine from scratch.
Make sure the presser foot is up when threading, so the thread gets into the tension discs properly.

2. Skipping Stitches

Your stitches look uneven, or gaps are appearing in your seam. 

Likely Cause: The needle.

Fix:

• Change the needle (they get blunt surprisingly fast).

• Make sure you’re using the right type of needle for your fabric (e.g., stretch, denim, microtex).

• Check the needle is fully inserted and facing the right direction, flat side of the needle to the back, (most domestic sewing machines)

• Make sure the needle is from a reptubale brand. We recommend Schmetz needles. We know its tempting to pick up needles when your doing your weekly shop but these needles will cause more problems than its worth.

3. Machine Won’t Sew / Fabric Isn’t Moving

You press the pedal, the needle goes up and down, but the fabric stays put like it’s glued.

Fix:

• Lower the presser foot (it happens to all of us).

• Check your feed dogs are raised. Some machines have a drop feed switch for free-motion quilting, and it can get bumped without you noticing.

4. The Bernina Whirring Noise (The Sneaky Bobbin Winder Switch)

This one is very common with Bernina machines, and it catches people out all the time.
You switch your machine on, you’re not sewing, not pressing the pedal, but you can hear a gentle whirring sound. It can sound like the machine is running even though you’re not doing anything.

The cause?
The bobbin winder switch has usually been accidentally nudged on.

When this happens, the machine is quietly trying to wind a bobbin in the background, which creates that whirring sound.

Fix:
Just flip the bobbin winder switch back to the normal (off) position.
The noise will stop instantly.

A super quick and very common fix!

5. The Machine is Making Strange Noises

Clunks, grinding, rattling, or something that just sounds “not right.”

Fix:

• Stop sewing. Don’t push through it.

• Remove the bobbin and plate and give the machine a clean. Lint builds up faster than you’d think.

• Add a drop of sewing machine oil if your machine requires it (check your manual).

• If the noise continues, it may be time for a service.

Final Tip: Don’t Underestimate Routine Cleaning

A tiny bit of lint in the bobbin area can cause big drama.
Give your machine a quick clean after every few projects, and get it professionally serviced every so often. It will thank you with smooth sewing.

If you’re still having trouble or you just want reassurance you’re doing everything right, feel free to reach out or bring your machine in. Sometimes a 5-minute tweak from someone who knows these machines inside and out can make all the difference.

Happy stitching! 🧵✨