OVERLOCKERS

NEEDLES ARE NOT INSERTED PROPERLY
INSERT THE NEEDLES UP AS FAR AS THEY WILL GO. MOST DOMESTIC OVERLOCKER NEEDLES HAVE A FLAT SIDE AT THE REAR OF THE SHANK AND SIT AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS IN THE MACHINE (LEFT HIGHER THAN RIGHT).

NEEDLE IS BENT OR WORN
CHANGE THE NEEDLE. IN MOST CASES, MANY COMPANIES SUGGEST REPLACING YOUR NEEDLE EVERY 8-10 HOURS OF SEWING TIME. YOUR NEEDLE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR MACHINE, WITHOUT IT YOU CANT SEW. ESPECIALLY WITH OVERLOCKERS, A BENT NEEDLE CAN DEFLECT OF GUARDS TOO MUCH, RESULTING IN NEEDLE BREAKAGE.

INCORRECTLY THREADED
RETHREAD MACHINE. NOT THREADING THE MACHINE AS REQUIRED BY THE MANIFACTURE BY MISSING THREAD GUIDES AND NOT IN THE THREADING SEQUENCE CAN PRODUCT INCORRECT SEWING PERFORMANCE OR EVEN DAMAGE TO YOUR MACHINE.

NEEDLES OR THREAD ARE INAPPROPRIATE FOR FABRIC BEING SEWN
USE THE RECOMMENDED SEWING NEEDLE AND THREAD FOR THE FABRIC OR APPLICATION BEING SEWN. MANY OVERLOCKER BRAND USE CERTAIN NEEDLE, BUT ON A GENERAL BASIS, USE BALLPOINT NEEDLES.

SEWING ON STRETCH FABRIC
USE A BALLPOINT NEEDLE. BECAUSE A OVERLOCKER HAVE GUARDS THAT PROTECT LOOPERS AND THE NEEDLE, THERE IS A LOT MORE SUPPORT FOR STRETCH MATERIAL.

PRESSER FOOT PRESSURE IS TOO WEAK
ADJUST THE PRESSER BAR LEVEL TO MAKE THE PRESSURE STRONGER. WEAK PRESSURE ON FABRIC CAN REDUCE THE SUPPORT FOR THE FABRIC AND CAUSE POOR OVERLOCK STITCHING. 

INCORRECTLY THREADED
AS OVERLOCKERS HAVE MORE THREAD GUIDES THAN A SEWING MACHINE, JUST MISSING ONE OF THESE GUIDES CAN RESULT IN POOR QUALITY OF STITCH FORMATION. ALWAYS REFER TO YOUR OPERATORS MANUAL OR THREAD CHARTS SUPPLIED WITH YOUR MACHINE.

THREAD TENSION TOO LOOSE
GENERAL SOME MODELS HAVE A MANUAL ADJUSTMENT FOR ALL TENSIONS. SOME HAVE A TENSION RELEASE WHEN THE PRESSOR FOOT IS RAISED, SOME DON'T. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE THREAD IS GUIDED THROUGH THE TENSIONS CORRECT BEFORE SEWING. IF YOU HAVE NOT SURE, ADJUST ALL TENSIONS TO '0' BEFORE THREADING, IT WILL MAKE IT EASIER. DON'T FORGET TO ADJUST THEM BACK TO THE STANDARD TENSION SETTING BEFORE SEWING.

THREAD SPOOLS ARE NOT SECURE
IF YOUR THREADS ARE NOT SECURE ENOUGH AT THE REAR OF YOUR MACHINE, THE THREAD COULD BE JERKING AND CAUSING THE THREAD TO BE HELD OR PULLED BACK. ERRACTED STITCH TENSION COULD OCCUR. MOST OVERLOCKERS COME WITH SPOOL CONES TO HELP THIS ISSUE.