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Kenmore stitches suddenly too wide (Moderated by Sharon1952, EleanorSews)
Posted on: 2/15/15 7:07 PM ET
Have had my Kenmore 158 for 36 years and I've never had this problem. Working on top stitching a quilt and suddenly my stitches are 1/2 inch wide. I have checked tension, rethreaded bobbin and thread and changed stitch length. Any suggestions?
Posted on: 2/15/15 9:31 PM ET
So they're zig-zag stitches where you want a straight stitch? Or do you mean they're too long? Trying to visualize the problem; hopefully someone will have the solution!
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Kit
"Never underestimate the power of the right dress!" - drsue
"Hyu gots to know how to sveet tok de costumers, dollink" - Girl Genius, 11-24-08
"Never underestimate the power of the right dress!" - drsue
"Hyu gots to know how to sveet tok de costumers, dollink" - Girl Genius, 11-24-08
Posted on: 2/16/15 2:51 AM ET
In reply to srobinson6257
If they were a zig zag and half an inch wide I don't think you could stitch as the needle would be hitting the sides of the zig zag stitch plate hole and it would break. I don't think they normally could be a 1/2 inch long either, but if it's skipping some stitches so it only catches the bottom thread every other or every 2 stitches, that might make the stitches you get, look half an inch long. You could sew on a piece of paper with thread, and that way you could see if you got any blank needle holes in it, with no thread in them, in between the stitches you see there. If skipping stitches, I would try a new sharp needle first. If that does not do it, I think I would take the bobbin case out, and the removable race cover if you got one, and clean it out there, also run your finger over the sharp point of the hook there, maybe you got a rough scratch on it, that's catching thread and making you miss/skip some stitches?
Posted on: 2/16/15 5:58 AM ET
Change your needle? Hopefully it's not 36 years old too! 
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Alison in suburbia - Sydney Australia
aka Bag Yoda
My sewing blog: http://nosilasews.blogspot.com/
My machines: Janome MC6700P, Janome MC6600P, Janome MC8000, Janome MC4900QC, Janome MC3500 (inherited from my mother), Husqvarna Rose, Janome My Excel 18W, Janome 534D & 2 x 634D overlockers, Janome Coverpro 1000CPX.
aka Bag Yoda
My sewing blog: http://nosilasews.blogspot.com/
My machines: Janome MC6700P, Janome MC6600P, Janome MC8000, Janome MC4900QC, Janome MC3500 (inherited from my mother), Husqvarna Rose, Janome My Excel 18W, Janome 534D & 2 x 634D overlockers, Janome Coverpro 1000CPX.
Posted on: 2/16/15 7:00 PM ET
In reply to KitnRose
I'm straight stitching and the stitches are about 1/2 inch long and longer. It does make sense that I might be skipping stitches somehow.
Posted on: 2/16/15 7:01 PM ET
In reply to goosegreen
LOL, yes, it's a new needle and I cleaned out the bobbin area.
Posted on: 2/16/15 7:56 PM ET
Sometimes if you are trying to stitch through something thick and bulky (which a quilt might be) , you can manage to get your needle deflected or pulled on and to strike your stitch plate hole. If it's all rough and dinged up, sometimes that can even catch thread, and make some stitches not form.
Ditto if that happens, sometimes it can jam your needle bar up a tiny bit, If so, then it might make some stitches and even skip others. You could try not putting a new needle all way pushed up into the needle holder, and just lowered in there only a tiny tad downwards instead, and only turn the fly wheel by hand to make sure no metal can hit metal at all, and if everything suddenly stitches fine that way instead, maybe that even happened?
Ditto if that happens, sometimes it can jam your needle bar up a tiny bit, If so, then it might make some stitches and even skip others. You could try not putting a new needle all way pushed up into the needle holder, and just lowered in there only a tiny tad downwards instead, and only turn the fly wheel by hand to make sure no metal can hit metal at all, and if everything suddenly stitches fine that way instead, maybe that even happened?
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