Why does the machine chew fabric?

High quality sewing is the sum of several factors: the level of skill of the sewer, the quality of the material and the functionality of the sewing machine. The stitches should be neat, of the same length, and the fabric should not bunch up or wrinkle. At a fundamental level, sewing quality depends on the correct alignment of all the moving parts of the sewing machine.

Today we’ll talk about the reasons for fabric chewing when sewing.

     Needles
     The needle may not be the right thickness or type for your fabric, it may be defective, or it may simply become dull during use. Therefore, during the sewing process, it will not pierce the fabric, but will pull it inside the hole of the needle plate. In this case, replacing the needle in accordance with the properties of the material used will help.
     Threading and tensioning the upper and lower threads
     The solution to most sewing machine problems starts with checking that the threads are threaded correctly. You also need to check whether you have selected the correct threads for the materials. They must be matched to the specific type of fabric to run smoothly (using thick thread on thin fabrics almost always results in snags, especially when sewing overlock seams and zigzag stitches).
     Rack tooth height
     Surely you know that the height of the rack teeth protruding above the needle plate can be adjusted (for example, they can be removed for quilting). In order for the fabric to move smoothly, the height of the teeth must be appropriate for the type of fabric. As a rule, only the rack teeth should protrude above the needle plate, and the front should be about 0.5 mm higher than the back. Depending on the thickness of the fabric, the teeth can be raised (for dense materials) or lowered (for thin materials). If the teeth are set too low or too high, the machine will chew on the fabric.
     Rack wear
     It often happens that dull or uneven wear of the rack teeth causes the material to not move at the same speed during each rack step. A sure sign of tooth wear is uneven movement of the fabric from under the presser foot.
     Paw
     It may be poorly secured, and in addition, over time, the pressure spring may weaken and the foot will no longer exert the necessary pressure. Only a mechanic can help in this case.
     Cleaning the bobbin and rack
     The rack (the part of the fabric feeder that advances the material), the shuttle, and the bobbin can become clogged with dust, threads, and pieces of fabric, so it is necessary to clean the device regularly and not wait until the machine breaks down.
     Hole in needle plate
     If your machine has a zigzag stitch function, the hole in the needle plate will be wide (not round, but rectangular). Due to this, thin fabrics can be easily pulled into it. To solve this problem, experienced craftswomen recommend sealing the hole with tape - the needle will easily pierce it, you will pull the lower thread through it and there will be no further difficulties.
     The location of the tissue relative to the needle
     If you try to stitch close to the edge, the material may also jam. To solve this problem, you can place a sheet of thin paper or tracing paper under the material, and after finishing the stitching, carefully remove it.

Some minor problems can be fixed on your own - such as replacing the needle, cleaning the machine, tension and correct threading - do not require special knowledge, equipment or tools. But if troubleshooting these problems does not help, the best solution would be to contact a professional technician who will conduct high-quality diagnostics and set up your machine.