Account Login

Sewing Machine Problems Solved: Tension, Skipped Stitches & More

Confused by tension, stitch length, or pressure settings on your sewing machine? This video explains step by step exactly how to adjust the settings on your machine so your stitches look clean, hold strong, and don’t eat your fabric. All demonstrated on the Brother sewing machine Innov-is NV1800Q.

— Sponsored By —

Brother Sewing Australia
Find your nearest stockist here: www.brother.com.au/en/sewing-machines/all-sewing-machines

— Chapters —

00:00 – Sewing Machine Problems Solved: Tension, Skipped Stitches & More
00:49 – Standard Stitch Length and Width on Sewing Machine
01:27 – How to Adjust Stitch Length on a Brother Sewing Machine
01:42 – Baste Stitch Length Explained
02:31 – Adjusting Stitch Length for Thick Fabric
02:56 – 2.5mm Stitch Length on Vinyl Fabric
04:14 – 3.5mm Stitch Length on Vinyl Fabric
05:07 – Why Stitch Length Affects Strength and Skipping Stitches
05:49 – Stitch Length on Poplin Cloth vs Vinyl Fabric
07:09 – Using Correct Sewing Needle Sizes Matters
07:37 – Exploring Sewing Machine Tension: What It Is and Why It Matters
08:02 – When to Adjust Sewing Machine Tension (Thread Type, Fabric, or Issues)
08:32 – How to Check and Fix Thread Tension on a Sewing Machine
09:13 – Flossing the Tension Discs: How to check if your thread is in the sewing machine tension disk
10:37 – Using the Sewing Speed Control With and Without the Foot Pedal
11:50 – How to Use the Quarter Inch Foot for Perfect Top Stitching
13:45 – How to Get Eighth-Inch Top Stitch Using Quarter Inch Foot
14:29 – How to adjust presser foot pressure on the Brother sewing machine
15:31 – Fabric Sensor System on Brother Innovis NV1800Q
16:20 – Final thoughts on the Brother Sewing Machine Innov-is NV1800Q

— Tools & Resources —

(when available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission)

🔧  Sewing Kit & Tool Recommendations

👉🏻 sewandtell.com.au/sewing-resources

— Which sewing adventure do you want to take next? —

👚 Is understanding how to choose your size and how to get the perfect fitting tee on your to do list? ​Jump in the Stitch Your Style Sew Along with T shirt pattern included.​ Click here to learn more.

💻 Want to understand how stretch fabrics aren’t hard, they are just different? ​Join the other students killing it at sewing with Stretch Fabrics.​​ Click here to join.

🧵​ Tame your Serger/Overlocker in the Serger Sewing Essentials Course.​ Learn how to get the perfect tension, thread your overlocker machine quickly and finish more projects. Click here. 

— Sewing Machine Problems Solved: Tension, Skipped Stitches & More —

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by your sewing machine settings, tension, stitch length, pressure, or speed – you’re not alone. This video is your step by step guide to solving those issues so your machine works with you, not against you. All demonstrated on the Brother sewing machine Innov-is NV1800Q.

We’ll look at what stitch length really means and why thicker fabrics often need a longer stitch than you might think. I’ll show you how incorrect tension can lead to skipped stitches or puckering and how to fix it without second-guessing yourself. We’ll also talk about why going slower (yes, slower!) can make your topstitching look ten times better, and how the quarter inch foot and fabric sensor system help give you clean, consistent results.

This video is part of a full series on the NV1800Q, designed to help you feel confident using every feature. If you want to catch the earlier videos or see what’s coming next, check out the full playlist here

Don’t forget to like, comment, and share this video if you find it helpful. Your engagement helps us grow and continue providing great content. Happy sewing!

— Let’s Connect —

sewandtell.com.au
instagram.com/sewandtellau
facebook.com/sewandtellaus
tiktok.com/@sewandtellaustralia
youtube.com/@sewandtellaustralia

DISCLOSURE:

We often review or link to products & services we regularly use and think you might find helpful. To support the channel, where possible, Sew & Tell Australia registers for affiliates for the patterns, tools and resources we love. Several links on this page are affiliate links. Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a commission, with no extra cost to you. Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Watch Our Latest Videos

I had one meter of fabric, two sewing patterns I loved, and a four-hour window before my daughter's school disco. This is the sewing pattern hack that turned a fabric panic into a dress that fits, finishes well, and still gets worn. -- Chapters -- 00:00 Two Sewing Patterns Into One Dress: My 1-Meter Pattern Hack 01:47 How to combine two sewing patterns from the same designer 04:00 Pattern Tetris: cutting a knit dress from limited fabric 09:16 Under-stitching a bodice lining for a clean knit finish 12:53 Pattern hack pivot: swapping skirts and improvising a contrast ruffle 14:51 How to gather and attach a ruffle evenly on a circle skirt 17:35 Attaching a circle skirt to a bodice and top-stitching a stretch hem 20:29 Final thoughts. The finished knit dress, 7 months later -- Sewing Tools, Threads & What's in My Sewing Kit -- (When available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission.) 📌 Peony Patterns Nettle Dress: https://www.peonypatterns.com/products/nettle-dress-pdf-sewing-pattern 📌 Peony Patterns Calendula Dress: https://www.peonypatterns.com/collections/knit-patterns/products/calendula-dress-br-digital-sewing-pattern 📌 Sew Unique Fabric: https://www.sewuniquefabrics.com.au/ 🔧 Sewing Kit & Tool Recommendations 👉 https://sewandtellco.com/resources/ -- Recommended Videos -- 📹 Sewing a Zip Up Onesie That Actually Looks Awesome 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Tb1DGWTjc&t=46s -- Free Resources to Sew Better -- 📕 FREE: Your starter guide to sewing stretch fabric, knits and jersey 👉 https://sewandtellco.com/simplystretch/ -- Your Next Sewing Step -- Ready to keep sewing? Here's where to go next: 💻 Stretch Fabrics 101: Get comfortable sewing knits, jersey and stretch fabric. 👉 https://sewandtellco.com/stretchfabrics101/ 🧵 Serger Sewing Essentials: Finally get your overlocker/serger working for you. 👉 https://sewandtellco.com/serger-sewing-essentials 🪡 Stitch Sessions: Sew alongside a community of people who just love to sew. 👉 https://sewandtellco.com/stitch-sessions-by-sew-and-tell-co/ -- Two Sewing Patterns Into One Dress: My 1-Meter Pattern Hack -- This video shows how to mash two sewing patterns into one dress when you don't have enough fabric for either pattern as drafted. The starting setup: one meter of bird-print knit fabric, two patterns from the same designer (Nettle and Calendula by Peony Patterns), and four hours before my daughter's school disco. What you'll watch: choosing patterns that mash well (and why patterns from the same designer often share blocks that combine without resizing), pattern Tetris when cutting layout matters, under-stitching the bodice lining for a clean inside finish, and the second pivot when the original ruffle plan didn't work either. Everything's stitched on stretch settings with a walking foot. Pattern hacking is one of the most useful sewing skills you can develop, especially when you're working with less fabric than a pattern asks for, or want to combine elements from different envelopes. The principles here apply to any knit pattern mash you want to try: matching compatible blocks, working with each pattern's seam allowances, and improvising when you’re not sure if you’ll have enough fabric. -- Let's Connect -- https://sewandtellco.com https://www.instagram.com/sewandtell.co/ https://www.facebook.com/sewandtellaus https://www.tiktok.com/@sewandtellaustralia https://www.youtube.com/@sewandtellco DISCLOSURE: We often review or link to products and services we regularly use and think you might find helpful. To support the channel, where possible, Sew and Tell co. registers for affiliates for the patterns, tools, and resources we love. Several links on this page are affiliate links. Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a commission, with no extra cost to you. Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Two Sewing Patterns Into One Dress: My 1-Meter Pattern Hack
Struggling to choose the right sewing thread for your clothes? Here's how Rasant changed my garment sewing, and why thread choice matters more than you think. -- Chapters -- 00:00 How to Choose the Right Sewing Thread (And Why I Use Rasant) 00:45 Why Thread Choice Matters 02:30 How Rasant Sews: Smoothness and Tension 04:00 How It Behaves on Different Fabrics 05:00 Who Else Uses Rasant? 05:45 Final Thoughts: Is It the Best Thread for Clothes? Sponsored by Mettler from Amann. 👉 https://www.embroideries.com.au/ -- Sewing Tools, Threads & What's in My Sewing Kit -- (When available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission.) 🔧 Sewing Kit & Tool Recommendations 👉 https://sewandtellco.com/resources/ -- Free Resources to Sew Better --  📕 FREE: Your starter guide to sewing stretch fabric, knits and jersey  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/simplystretch/  -- Your Next Sewing Step --  Ready to keep sewing? Here's where to go next:  💻 Stretch Fabrics 101: Get comfortable sewing knits, jersey and stretch fabric.  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/stretchfabrics101/  🧵 Serger Sewing Essentials: Finally get your overlocker/serger working for you.  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/serger-sewing-essentials  🪡 Stitch Sessions: Sew alongside a community of people who just love to sew.  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/stitch-sessions-by-sew-and-tell-co/ How to Choose the Right Sewing Thread (And Why I Use Rasant) Rasant is a poly-core cotton thread made by Mettler — polyester core for strength, cotton wrap for a soft, matte finish. It's well known in the quilting world and used in professional fashion production, but still relatively under the radar for home garment sewists. In this video I share three years of real-world experience using it across a range of projects and fabrics, including wovens, knits and faux leather. We also cover why thread quality affects more than just how your stitches look — think skipped stitches, lint buildup in your machine, seams that pop on first wear, and even sensory comfort against the skin. Three years in, it's still what I reach for first. -- Watch these sewing videos next – → Sewing Machine Problems Solved: Tension, Skipped Stitches & More: https://youtu.be/YrW4bLSHakA → What is the difference between Stretch Fabric and woven fabric?: https://youtu.be/Dr7rH5ogQuI → Sewing Thread 101: How to Pick the Right Thread for Any Project: Coming next Week! -- Let's Connect -- https://sewandtellco.com https://www.instagram.com/sewandtell.co/ https://www.facebook.com/sewandtellaus https://www.tiktok.com/@sewandtellaustralia https://www.youtube.com/@sewandtellco DISCLOSURE: We often review or link to products and services we regularly use and think you might find helpful. To support the channel, where possible, Sew and Tell co. registers for affiliates for the patterns, tools, and resources we love. Several links on this page are affiliate links. Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a commission, with no extra cost to you. Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to Choose the Right Sewing Thread (And Why I Use Rasant)
Picking the wrong thread is behind more sewing fails than most people realise. Here's how to choose the right one for your project, and why it matters. -- Chapters -- 00:00 Sewing Thread 101: How to Pick the Right One for Your Project 00:24 Why Thread Choice Matters in Sewing 00:42 Mettler Sewing Thread: The Brand Behind the Thread 02:34 Metrosene: Best All-Purpose Sewing Thread 03:40 Overlocker/Serger Thread Tip 04:27 Seraflex: Best Thread for Sewing Stretch Fabric 05:05 Sereflex: the solution to sewing knit fabric without a serger/overlocker 08:22 Final Thoughts on picking the right sewing thread to stop wasting money on the wrong ones Sponsored by Mettler from Amann. -- Sewing Tools, Threads & What's in My Sewing Kit -- (When available, we use affiliate links and may earn a commission.) 🔧 Sewing Kit & Tool Recommendations 👉 https://sewandtellco.com/resources/ -- Free Resources to Sew Better --  📕 FREE: Your starter guide to sewing stretch fabric, knits and jersey  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/simplystretch/  -- Your Next Sewing Step --  Ready to keep sewing? Here's where to go next:  💻 Stretch Fabrics 101: Get comfortable sewing knits, jersey and stretch fabric.  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/stretchfabrics101/  🧵 Serger Sewing Essentials: Finally get your overlocker/serger working for you.  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/serger-sewing-essentials  🪡 Stitch Sessions: Sew alongside a community of people who just love to sew.  👉 https://sewandtellco.com/stitch-sessions-by-sew-and-tell-co/ -- Sewing Thread 101: How to Pick the Right One for Your Project -- If your stitches look uneven, your thread keeps breaking, or your hems snap the second you pull them on, there's a good chance it's not your machine and it's not your technique. Thread quality and thread choice matter more than most people realise, and once you understand what thread is actually doing in a seam, the whole thing clicks. In this video I'm breaking down two threads from the Mettler range that cover most garment sewing situations. Metrosene is a 100% polyester thread built for general sewing on woven and everyday garments. It feeds smoothly, handles heat, and comes in 318 colours so you can actually colour match properly. Seraflex is the one for stretch fabric sewists who don't have a coverstitch machine. It stretches with the fabric even when sewn on a straight stitch, which means no more popped hems when you pull a knit top over your head. I also cover a handy overlocker/serger tip for getting around buying four spools of the same colour, and why winding Seraflex into your bobbin needs a little extra care to get the best result. -- Watch these sewing videos next – Top stitching with a twin needle, the secret hack to hemming pants, dresses and more: → https://youtu.be/g_XG-wIYTHI What is the difference between Stretch Fabric and woven fabric?: → https://youtu.be/Dr7rH5ogQuI Review and Demonstration of the Baby Lock Acclaim Serger/Overlocker: → https://youtu.be/wAMoesh0hIA -- Let's Connect -- https://sewandtellco.com https://www.instagram.com/sewandtell.co/ https://www.facebook.com/sewandtellaus https://www.tiktok.com/@sewandtellaustralia https://www.youtube.com/@sewandtellco DISCLOSURE: We often review or link to products and services we regularly use and think you might find helpful. To support the channel, where possible, Sew and Tell co. registers for affiliates for the patterns, tools, and resources we love. Several links on this page are affiliate links. Clicking on these links and making a purchase may earn us a commission, with no extra cost to you. Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sewing Thread 101: How to Pick the Right One for Your Project
Subscribe
Tagged

Join Our Stretch Sewing Camp!

Enrol in our Conquer Stretch Fabric Sewing Course before 15th April 2024 and you can join our first ever Sewing Bootcamp! Be guided through 4 stretch sewing modules with weekly calls and exclusive online sewing community. 

Learn more ⟶

Choose how you want to sew:

Sessions run twice a month at varying times (mornings, evenings, and some weekends) to suit different time zones.

Miss a session? There’s always another one coming, and the community is always here.

The Stitch Sessions (core membership)

$ 16.50 USD / per month - billed Qtrly
  •  

Inside you’ll find:
✔ Two live, online co-sewing sessions each month
✔ A simple rhythm to show up and sew together

$USD Checkout
$AUD Checkout
Best Value

Stitch Sessions + Sew and Tell Library

$ 39 USD / per month - billed Qtrly​
  •  

Inside you’ll find:
✔ Everything in Stitch Sessions
✔ Optional access to a growing Library of past tutorials, replays, and guides

$USD Checkout
$AUD Checkout

Prices shown in USD. AUD available at checkout. Your bank will automatically convert if needed.