Every sewer gets fabric stuck in the machine at some point. The needle won’t move, the fabric won’t come out, and underneath there’s often a nest of tangled thread. Take a breath: it’s nearly always easy to free if you go gently.
Don’t pull the fabric roughly out of the machine. Yanking it can bend or snap the needle and tear your fabric. Instead, work through these steps in order and stop as soon as the fabric comes free.
How to free fabric stuck in your sewing machine
- Give the handle a wiggle. Gently rock the handle and try to ease the fabric out at the same time. Often that’s all it needs.
- Snip the threads underneath. If it won’t come, carefully snip the threads under the fabric, just above the needle plate (the metal plate under the presser foot). Small sharp scissors or a seam ripper are best.
- Take out the bobbin case by opening the bobbin cover and remove the shuttle (bobbin case). You may need to trim a few threads to get it out.
- Side-loading machine? Check the clips and the central bar. On a side-loading machine you may need to move the side clips so the case can come out. Thread may also be wrapped around the central bar: carefully cut it away.
- Raise the needle and lift the fabric out. Now turn the handle towards you to bring the needle up, and the fabric should come free.
Before you carry on sewing, put the bobbin back, re-thread the machine and test on a scrap of fabric. If the needle looks bent, change it.
How to stop it happening again
Most jams come from a few small habits, so these help a lot:
- Always turn the handle towards you. When raising the needle, never turn it backwards.
- Lower the needle into the fabric before you start sewing.
- Take both threads up and to the back under the foot before you start (see Start Sewing).
- Trim stray threads after sewing, so they don’t get sucked back into the machine.
For more fixes and tips, watch the video in Sewing machine won’t sew? 10 fixes to try, or see my free Machine Won’t Sew card.
Learn to sew with Nanna Betty
Nanna Betty Sewing School teaches you one skill at a time, with simple sewing cards and short videos for your phone. Every make takes 2 hours or less, and it’s all free.