Tangles, Puckers and Uneven Tension
The three problems every beginner meets, what causes each, and how to avoid them.
Tangled and knotted thread
- Use shorter lengths: 18 in (45 cm) at most.
- Separate strands one at a time before threading.
- Let the needle hang free every few stitches so the thread untwists.
- Pull the thread through slowly for the last few inches and watch for loops forming.
- If a loop knot forms, do not yank. Put the needle tip into the loop and ease it open.
Puckered fabric
- The fabric was slack in the hoop. Retighten until drum-tight.
- Stitches were pulled too hard. Pull only until the thread lies flat on the surface.
- Stitches are too long for the curve or the fabric is too thin for the thread weight. Use fewer strands or back the fabric with a second layer.
- On stretch fabric, use stabilizer and do not stretch the fabric in the hoop.
Uneven stitches
- Draw guide lines and even dots with your erasable pen while learning.
- Use the stab method: push the needle straight down, pull through, then straight up, as two separate movements.
- Loose, loopy stitches mean too little tension. Tight, sunken stitches mean too much. Aim for thread that rests on the fabric.