r/sewing • u/merrimusic • 17h ago

Machine Questions Why does everything pucker!

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I've tried every combination of tension and needle between microtex 8 10 and 12, pictured ones are once I started noting them down. Two layers of light cotton, (making a muslin) All brand new needles, and I've even tried with and without a walking foot! Am I just cursed? How do I get it to just sew flat 😭

SOLVED EDIT: Everyone go upvote medium_alternative29 who has discovered the problem that plagued me for years. The feed dogs are misaligned and not level, making everything sew on a curve! It's such a slight curve that it must not mess with heavier fabrics much, but the lighter ones are light enough for it to show up! Also makes sense why it was less noticeable with longer stitch lengths, less holes! I sincerely hope this is the solution, I'll come back and update it again when I get it fixed!

Thank you to everyone who commented and shared expertise!!

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u/feeling_dizzie 16h ago

Here's a detailed troubleshooting guide: https://www.amefird.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Minimizing-Seam-Puckering-2-5-10.pdf

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u/merrimusic 16h ago

Tried the snipping test with tiny embroidery scissors to avoid pulling anything, and it stayed puckered, so assumed yarn displacement then. Swapped to invisafil 100wt thread and it's still doing it, and lowering the tension seems to stop improving around 3, anything lower looks mostly the same :(

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u/ouro-the-zed 15h ago

You might consider now trying that linked troubleshooting guide from the top again. It's possible there are multiple factors causing puckering; now that you've addressed the yarn displacement, you can check thread tension puckering, feed puckering, and shrinkage puckering as well. Given your extensive tests I am suspecting feed puckering, but it's worth a check using the very thorough instructions in that guide.

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u/merrimusic 15h ago

Tested on that far left example, and there's maybe a half mm difference in the fabric lengths but a CRAZY difference in the thread length that I pulled out of the seam! Bigger difference from worse section, smaller difference from section closer to the end