Stitch in the ditch presser foot

by Cindy
(Grand Blanc, MI)

I recently got a stitch in the ditch foot and it works great except I think it is cutting my thread. I will be stitching along and I will notice that the thread is not in the needle anymore. There is no tugging or tension problems, I think it is just slicing the thread when the needle comes down and the tension is momentarily loose...

I have a Singer machine (very basic) and I purchased a generic foot that was supposed to fit my machine (low shank). It didn't fit my shank but it fit my friend's shank so she let me borrow it. Her shank fit my machine using the screw. She has a Singer also.

Should I find a foot that is specific for my machine? I am tired of having to re-thread the needle 3 times for every row I stitch.. :(

Thanks,

Cindy

Reply

I understand your frustration. Having your thread break like that is a total pain in the rear!

Personally, I would prefer a presser foot specifically made for my machine.

That said, I've been lucky enough to have always been able to get Viking feet for my D1 sewing machine close to home. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. If there is no alternative, then the generic foot is the one.

First, double check that you've got the correct foot for your machine. The Clotilde website has a great chart of sewing machines and their shanks. This may be helpful to confirm that your machine is indeed a low shank. (Clotilde sells a variety of presser feet that fit a variety of machines if you need a new one.)

Is it a burr...

If you are using the correct foot for your sewing machine, I'm wondering if there's a burr in the throat plate. The thread might be catching or cutting on that.

To check, switch to a different one if you can (sometimes your machine will come with both a stitch stitch and a zigzag throat plate). With the same foot installed, stitch for awhile and see if that cures it.

...or is it your spool?

Also check your spool of thread. If it's one that has a notch in one end to hold the thread tail for storage, make sure that end of the spool is on the bottom with a vertical spool pin, or to the right on a horizontal spool pin. That way the thread can't catch on it.

Obviously, I could be wrong, but I don't think it's your foot if you've got the correct one.

When your presser foot is in the down position, your tension discs are automatically engaged/closed.

If there was somehow no tension on your thread during the stitch process you would be seeing thread nests on the back of your quilting.

Thread breakage...

...is usually attributed to either a burr in the thread path or tension that's too tight. You can read more about it here at Breaking Needle Thread.

Readers, we appreciate your suggestions and comments. Do not hesitate to add them to the conversation with the 'Comments' link below.

Thank you!

Piecefully,

Julie Baird
Editor

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